Today Cosmopolitan Magazine is written to “help women achieve their personal and professional goals”, but (according to Wikipedia) the original 1886 publication had a family focus, transformed into a literary periodical and eventually became a women’s magazine in the late 1960s.

In the late 1800s, Paul Schlicht purportedly told his readers that the publication was a “first-class family magazine”. When owenership changed hands in the 1890s, Cosmo became a leader in the market for fiction, eventually offering a free correspondence school:

“No charge of any kind will be made to the student. All expenses for the present will be borne by the Cosmopolitan. No conditions, except a pledge of a given number of hours of study.”

Over 20,000 students signed up immediately! With such high demand Cosmo started asking students to contribute $20 a year.

In the 1950s Cosmo ran less fiction and circulation dropped as paperbacks and television became more popular. The magazine evolved into a special interest publication targeting a specialized audience – young women.

Today featured topics include: sex, relationships, beauty, fashion and health and for a limited time students can get a one-year subscription for only $15 at StudentMags.com (a discount provider on the Student Advantage program).