The Use of Agents in Recruiting Chinese Undergraduates

Center for Enrollment Research, Policy, and Practice. Rossier School of Education University of Southern California, 3470 Trousdale Parkway, Waite Phillips Hall 302, Los Angeles, CA 90089. Tel: 213- 740-7401; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.usc.edu/programs/cerpp

N

17

College Choice; Student Recruitment; Foreign Countries; Universities; Undergraduate Students; Student Mobility; Foreign Students; Qualitative Research; Statistical Analysis; College Applicants; Enrollment; Higher Education; College Bound Students; Expertise; Predictor Variables; Ethics; Discriminant Analysis; Cost Effectiveness

China; United States

International student mobility is a rapidly growing and evolving phenomenon. During the 2008/09 academic year, the number of international students at colleges and universities in the U.S. increased by 8% to a record high of 671,616 students with about 15% from mainland China. The model of college choice for Chinese students who are considering postsecondary enrollment at an American university often follows a model unique from that followed by American students. A large number of Chinese students first become aware of specific American institutions and subsequently chose one as their institutional choice through the use of an educational agent. In China, as well as in some other international locales, agents are often hired to assist students in finding an international institution fitting their academic goals. There is virtually no research regarding the balance of costs and benefits of using an agent nor is there evidence of any testing if Chinese students have been well served by their agents when applying to American universities. Facing a fast, steady growth of Chinese undergraduate students on American campuses, it is essential for the university enrollment office to understand the role that education agencies play in Chinese undergraduate recruitment. This study collected both quantitative and qualitative data from both international Chinese undergraduate students in the U.S. higher education institutions and prospective undergraduate students in China, who are considering future enrollment at a foreign university. From both sets of students the authors collected information about the students' rationales of using, or not using, an agent for their college application, and their experience and/or expectation of using an agent. Among those students who were enrolled in the U.S. colleges or universities, who have used an agent, the researchers reported on the main areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction regarding their experiences related to college application and the enrollment processes. (Contains 7 figures and 2 tables.)

ERIC

21

2012

ED537405