A hold on a policy drafted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling to use commission-based recruiting on international students is still up for debate. Last May the policy was drafted, but at the recent annual NCAC Conference in September word spread quickly about the policy put on hold for the next two years.
There is a growing concern about how colleges are recruiting international students. Some think that the mission should overrule the money involved in getting more numbers. Others think the money is of concern and international students help programs to compensate with funding. International students are sought after because they pay an out of state rates which helps pay for programs in state students. The commission-based approach is scary by the tactics admission officers are using to get students in the door and not thinking about the whole person.
So what will happen in the two years while the policy sits in limbo? Will we see a continued increase in international students coming to our campuses? Once they arrive on our campus, being pushed to come, will we have the resources and opportunities to meet the needs they expected when they signed up to attend?
Beyond the money, we should think about ethics in education. Is it ethical for international students to pay more for an education than those who are domestic students?
The cost makes me think of my own experiences studying abroad. When I studied abroad I was able to pay the same rate as a domestic student while I was away internationally. If we looked to go this route instead with our international students we may end developing better long term partnerships and connections with international institutions for numerous years. This could outweigh the one student every year recruitment effort to a cohort every year from a few schools with great relationships.
Could we see an increase the immigration by international students to seek out citizenship to save over four or five years and remain in the States? How much should we ask students to pay for their education?
There is a growing concern about how colleges are recruiting international students. Some think that the mission should overrule the money involved in getting more numbers. Others think the money is of concern and international students help programs to compensate with funding. International students are sought after because they pay an out of state rates which helps pay for programs in state students. The commission-based approach is scary by the tactics admission officers are using to get students in the door and not thinking about the whole person.
So what will happen in the two years while the policy sits in limbo? Will we see a continued increase in international students coming to our campuses? Once they arrive on our campus, being pushed to come, will we have the resources and opportunities to meet the needs they expected when they signed up to attend?
Beyond the money, we should think about ethics in education. Is it ethical for international students to pay more for an education than those who are domestic students?
The cost makes me think of my own experiences studying abroad. When I studied abroad I was able to pay the same rate as a domestic student while I was away internationally. If we looked to go this route instead with our international students we may end developing better long term partnerships and connections with international institutions for numerous years. This could outweigh the one student every year recruitment effort to a cohort every year from a few schools with great relationships.
Could we see an increase the immigration by international students to seek out citizenship to save over four or five years and remain in the States? How much should we ask students to pay for their education?
Katee, thank you for your post. Recruiting international students is a hot topic right now. I work at a community college where recruiting is mostly focused at the high schools. However, just this week I was discussing international students with my supervisor and our need to start expanding our international student population. We currently serve about 300 international students (the largest international student population at any of the CO community colleges), but we want to expand this even further.
ReplyDeleteLike many other colleges, international students are a good population to tap into because they have to pay out of state tuition and you have to verify their ability to pay that tuition before the student is allowed to attend your institution. What most people do not understand is that there is a lot more that comes along with international students. You have to work closely with their embassy, their sponsor, INS, etc. International students struggle with understanding cultural norms once they arrive in the US, which is something that goes unnoticed for a lot of institutions.
I do think that international students bring benefits to a college and should be sought after. However, colleges need to be responsible for these students once they have arrived. There needs to be an intense orientation and other group building actions taken by the college to ensure student success. There may also need to be a close mentoring program for these students. International students cannot be viewed as just another means to bringing money into an institution. There is a huge responsibility that comes along with recruiting these students and having them attend a college.
One problem with getting international students to come here for higher education is the tuition costs, both in-state and out-of-state charges. Many other countries work higher education into their federally-funded rights for citizens. What would be the driving force for someone to come here and pay outrageous costs in a new and challenging environment?
ReplyDeleteThe other piece here, I am very torn about. I don't believe we should be charging international students out-of-state tuition, BUT I have been burned by this topic in recent times. I am a U.S. born citizen, I have lived here all my life. I moved from Minnesota in 2009 to come to Colorado and study here at UNC. I missed the in-state cut-off date by 15 days (I know I have posted about this before, I'm sorry!), and in turn, I paid around $1,000/credit for my first semester. I could only afford to take 8 credits (the minimum for my entry semester for my program), and therefore also missed out on the "full-time" student benefits. It definitely strikes me as controversial--15 days vs. a lifetime out-of-state, and I'm the one paying extreme costs?