The challenges of international admissions and recruiting since 9/11 : a comparative study of recruitment strategies at several midwestern universities and colleges

The benefits of having international students studying in the United States (US) reach into our classrooms, school systems, and communities. For over 40 years there had been a steady increase in international students studying in the US. However, in the years following September 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist bombings in the United States, US colleges and universities have experienced a significant decrease in overall international student enrollments. It has become increasingly difficult for college international admission offices to enroll and matriculate a large number of international students the same way they used to before 9/11. This capstone attempts to fill a void by stating the challenges involved in international student recruitment and providing a comparative study of various current strategies employed by US colleges and universities for international student admissions and recruitment. Through better understanding of what is self-perceived to be effective recruitment strategies post-9/11, as well as the reasons for the declining enrollment, international admissions and recruitment offices can improve their recruitment efforts to reverse the trend of declining international student enrollments