International Student Recruitment

July 10, 2009 | no comments

International student enrollment in U.S. colleges, universities, and boarding schools is at an all-time high. The Institute of International Education (IIE) reported last November that 623,805 international students were enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities. For these students California is the #1 host state, New York City the #1 host city, and Business Management the most popular field of study. A significant 61% of international students in U.S. higher education hail from just one region – Asia. India, China, South Korea, and Japan are the top four sending countries. Together, students from India and China comprise 28% of total international student enrollment. Amazingly—given its population—South Korea is just a tiny bit behind these countries of one billion+ residents at 11.1%. (Source: IIE Open Doors 2008)

Like their colleagues in higher education, boarding schools have a long history of enrolling international students. Depending on the source (TABS, NAIS, etc.) international students comprise anywhere from 10-14% of students enrolled in U.S. boarding schools. Not surprisingly the top sending region, as with higher education, is Asia. Although South Korea has long dominated this market, in the last five years there has been exponential growth in the number of students from Mainland China coming to the U.S. Day schools are also reaping the benefits of this talented group of students; many have introduced host-family programs and are actively recruiting international students.

There is no question that international families require more support during the admission process. Imagine trying to make sense of boarding school or college application requirements when English is not your native language. For many families the time difference is such that in order to speak with a real person you have to get up in the middle of the night. Increasingly these families fall victim to companies/individuals that claim to have expertise, charge exorbitant fees, and purport to have “exclusive” relationships with schools that advantage their clients. IECA’s work to expand its network of members worldwide and to train these professionals will benefit families and schools alike.

Whether you are an admission officer hoping to recruit students or an educational consultant wishing to expand your practice internationally, it is helpful to consider the different needs of these families. This is particularly true when dealing with boarding school applicants who will be studying so far away from their home and family. Put yourself in their parents’ shoes. What would YOU want to know about? These are families willing to make significant sacrifices (financial and personal) because of the importance they place on education. So, be sure and provide plenty of detail about the academic program, college placement, and success of your graduates. Of equal importance to them is safety. Who is responsible for their child? How do they communicate with that person? How far away is the airport? Who will pick their child up and report that they arrived safely? What about weekend life, or short breaks? Conversely, information about athletic teams and social activities is less important to these families. In some cases focus on such things is cause for concern that they might detract from the academic program.

Take a look at your application materials and requirements and ask yourself if they are understandable and/or manageable for an international family; eliminate abbreviations and slang and allow sufficient room to accommodate international addresses. If you require a specific test, ascertain whether or not it is available. If not, can you make an exception or substitute another test? Although the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) is available in nearly 100 countries, it is necessary to plan ahead to ensure that the student is registered since test dates are more limited than in the U.S. or Canada. (The complete list of locations is available at www.ssat.org)

For new and veteran admission officers alike international recruitment tours are a great way to have face-to-face interaction with prospective families. The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) has run tours to Asia for more than a decade and this year has added stops in New Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City to its annual tour. Since 1982 Linden Tours has been a leader in organizing recruitment tours for higher education professionals. This summer John Williamson, former Director of Admission at Mid-Pacific Institute in Hawaii, is joining Linden to offer tours for boarding schools. For information about his schedule for the 2009-2010 school year, contact John at jwilliamson@lindentours.com

Posted by Aimee Gruber, Director of Outreach, SSATB