After students recently passed an initiative demanding need-blind admissions for international students, the office of Admission has given renewed attention to the process of international recruitment. Though the administration may not commit to any need-blind policy, discussions are underway and the recruitment of international students continues to face new challenges.
As other English-speaking countries have entered the market with lower tuition bills and simplified visa standards, competition has become increasingly fierce for the top international students. Jon Edwards, the new coordinator of International Admission, said that much like domestic admission, successful international recruitment relies on convincing prospective international students that Grinnell would be a comfortable fit.
“Students are going to go where they feel most welcome,” he said.
While domestic and international admissions share similar recruitment techniques, a campus visit is a primary goal of domestic admissions. For international students, visiting campus is generally not feasible, and the office must redouble their efforts to bring Grinnell to prospective international students.
Edwards is considering is making a DVD that would allow for international students have a better feel for the campus since most are unable to visit the campus. He added that since many prospective international students know little about the Midwest, a visual presentation may provide them with a better understanding.
In this competitive and restricted environment, Edwards and the office of Admission have no easy task at hand in spreading the word about Grinnell. One of the primary methods that the office utilizes is establishing relationships with college counselors at international schools.
Camila Alarcon Cordon ’08 of Guatemala first heard about Grinnell from her high school counselor. Alarcon Cordon said that in her opinion, “recruitment for international students is not good.”
“I was never contacted,” she said. “International students come here mostly by chance.”
Saugar Sainju ’08 of Nepal first heard about Grinnell from his college counselor, who went to Princeton. She told Sainju and his classmates about the “special scholarship opportunity” that Grinnell offers for Nepali students. Both Alarcon Cordon and Sainju decided to apply to Grinnell after hearing from counselors at their schools or talking with family members who knew about the college.
“The college needs more active recruitment,” said Alarcon Cordon.
In order to develop a more active recruiting stance and foster relationships with international guidance counselors, Edwards is frequently traveling to schools around the world. At times by himself, but earlier this year, he traveled to India with admissions officers from a large group of other schools, and he just recently traveled to Norway, Whales, Bosnia, Italy and Serbia with a group of other administrators from liberal arts colleges.
Because the concept of a liberal arts education is unique to the United States, while other countries’ educational systems are more vocationally focused, Edwards said it could be “tough to explain the benefits” of a liberal arts education. He said he would like to consider profiling international student alums to illustrate the positive outcomes of a Grinnell liberal arts education.
Nancy Maly ’61, interim director of Admission and the first coordinator of International Admission, said that this element of international recruitment is a long-standing and essential policy. “This college has always been supportive from the top-down of the recruitment of international students,” she said.
Maly said many schools do not have the funding for travel, so they rely strictly on the use of “armchair recruitment techniques.” Grinnell also uses these tools in sending both printed and electronic materials to prospective international students and schools, but the personal touch gives Grinnell a needed edge.
Additionally, Edwards wants to find ways to incorporate interested study abroad students in the recruitment process. He said the office would reimburse the costs associated with recruitment trips.
Ultimately, while no decision has been reached about the future of need-blind international admissions, the admissions office hopes that by personalizing the recruitment process, prospective international students will be convinced that Grinnell is a welcoming and viable place to develop personally and professionally.
