University Business - June 2010 - (Page 73)

able “brand names” combines with an overall lack of understanding of the basic mechanics and timing of the admissions process and the more complicated nuances of decisions, especially at more selective institutions. In particular, internationals from countries where Communicating up front with families you meet with abroad about your Total Cost of Attendance is essential. admission to top national universities is based almost entirely on test scores on national exams are often mystified by the seeming randomness and subjectivity of the American process. A student with strong courses, grades, and test scores may not understand why she was rejected at a college for which she was well-qualified. Thus a great deal of explanation needs to cover not just the process of applying, but also the factors that govern the admissions decision making at different types of institutions. to meet with interested students. In particular, paying recruiters on a per-student placement basis is anathema to most institutions in the United States. That said, countries like Australia and those in the United Kingdom have long utilized paid recruiters to feed students into their universities, and they have become major competitors to the United States in attracting international applicants. Here, some colleges and universities have moved hesitantly (and quietly) toward a paid recruiting model. So, while the preference among American colleges seems to be for direct contact with students, limited budgets and a shifting competitive landscape internationally might necessitate a move by some institutions toward the use of paid agents. Groups and companies such as the Inter-association Network on Campus Internationalization (INCI), the Overseas Association for College Admission Counseling (OACAC), ICEF and the American International Recruitment Council (AIRC) have sprung up to serve and to regulate the international student recruiting industry and U.S. educational institutions. As endowment draws and state appropriations have shrunk during this extended recession, staff and budget cuts, hiring freezes, and stalled new initiatives have resulted. Doing more with less is the order of the day, and administrators need to consider carefully where to send admissions officers and other enrollment recruiters. Many offices are having trouble sending staff to regular professional conferences in the United States, let alone to school-based recruiting visits in Beijing or Mumbai. In what appears at times to be a mad rush into China and a few other locales, we encourage administrators to step back and consider the necessity of sending staff abroad. Costs, in terms of travel budgets and time away from core admissions recruiting areas nearer to home, need to be assessed. Are there ways of accomplishing international recruitment goals for less? How does international recruiting fit with your overall institutional mission? What are likely sources of appropriate internationals for your college, perhaps based on places where significant numbers of alumni live or which have sent larger groups of applicants in the past? 2. Scarce Admissions Travel Time and Office Budgets As with American students who often barely understand the financial aid process, international students need clear information and understanding about what aid, if any, might be available to support their studies. Since the majority of internationals pay their own way, and most internationals are excluded from the largest pots of financial aid (state and federal funds), those without sufficient financial resources want to know the reality of how much college—your college—will cost them. Providing clear information on your website about scholarships, both number and typical amounts for internationals, is a good starting point. Communicating up front with families you meet with abroad about your Total Cost of Attendance is essential. 4. Financial Aid and Clarity on College Costs One boiling hot topic within the overall hot topic of enrolling internationals is the use of foreign agents or recruiters to build your international pool. At the NACAC meeting, admissions representatives from selective institutions such as Duke, Carleton (Minn.), and the University of Southern California seemed of one mind in their disdain for foreign “middlemen.” All three noted significant increases in applications and enrollments from China, for example, and their own strong desire to go directly to the country universitybusiness.com 3. Use of Recruiters or Agents Unsurprisingly, your institution will not be the only one recruiting a particular student, or facing resource and information constraints. Colleges have begun to band together and work with some for-profit companies to provide a common foundation for international students to learn about U.S. admissions and particular colleges. Northeastern, for example, participates in the Global Pathways and U.S.-Sino Pathway Program. The former is a partnership with Kaplan International Colleges, utilizing this for-profit provider’s extensive experience with international education and English language skill-building. The Global Pathways program prepares successful students for entrance directly into one of Northeastern’s degree programs. The U.S.-Sino Pathways Program allows Chinese students the opportunity to gain a foundation for guaranteed admission to one of a consortium of institutions, including June 2010 | 73 5. Involvement in Multicollege Partnerships http://universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - June 2010

University Business - June 2010
Contents
Editor's Note
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Behind the News
Sense of Place
Financial Aid
Internet Technology
2010 Higher Education Guide to Audio/Visual Services
Green 2010
Viewpoint
The Quest for Internationals
What's New
End Note

University Business - June 2010