Data-Driven Strategies for International Student Recruitment

NAFSA National ConferenceMay 27, 2015

2:45 PM – 3:45 PM

Dr. Kris Wong Davis – The Ohio State UniversityDr. Mandy Hansen – Northern Arizona University

Mr. Samuel Heikinen – St. Francis University

Agenda

• Large, competitive school perspective• Mid-sized, public institutional perspective• Small, private institutional perspectives

• Session: Beginner to Intermediate• Learning Outcomes: How an institution can use data to

set-up and design and enrollment strategy; Gain an understanding of data used from a large-public, mid-sized public and small private institution;

What is data?

Quantitative

&Qualitative

Kristina Wong Davis, Ed.D. Director, Outreach and Recruitment

Autumn 2014• By the numbers

– 58,322 Campus Enrollment

– 42,800 Applications for NFYS

– 19,450 Admits

– 45% Admit Rate

– Approx. 7000 freshmen

– Average ACT 29

International Enrollment• By the numbers

– 8% International students

– 6,178 International students enrolled

– China top sending country

– 118 Countries represented

Test Taking Data Sets• Enrollment Planning and Data

– Test Taker Data

– Score sender Data

– EPS

– Competitive analysis via CB (overlap

schools)

– Score senders by major/country

School

Total International Score Senders

Cross Over Score Senders

School 1 East Coast 5042 1547

School 2 Mid West 4911 1469

School 3 Mid West 5388 1285

School 4 North East 6283 967

School 5 West Coast 3279 918

School 6 Upper Mid West 2858 915

School 7 West Coast 5710 742

School 8 West Coast 6942 737

School 9 Mid West 2057 724

School 10 West Coast 3109 665

Overlap of Score Senders by Competitor Institution

*Source: College Board Enrollment Planning Service 2015

Internal Analysis• Empowering Market Analysis

– Test Taker Data

– IIE mobility

– Currency rates

– OECD

Predictive Modeling• Probability of Enrollment

• Yield projections

• Melt projections

• Use behavioral analysis trends

• Program student applied to

• When application was submitted

• Country of citizenship

• Applicant quality metrics

Dr. Mandy Hansen• Associate Director of the Center for International Education• Director of International Admissions and Recruitment

Presentation Overview

Brief Overview of NAUDesign of an Initial Plan

Basic Predictive Modeling

Flagstaff

nau.edu/cie

Las Vegas

Phoenix

Sedona

The Grand Canyon

Los Angeles

Elevation of 2200 meters

Population of 65,000

288 days of sunshine

Average summer temperature 25º; winter temperature of 5º

nau.edu/cie

nau.edu/cie

Mid-sized public university with 20,134 Students• Undergraduates: 18,524• Graduates: 1,610

1,246 International Students

~100 undergraduate degrees and over 50 graduate degreesBusiness, engineering, science, social science, liberal arts, education

nau.edu/cie

MissionThe Center for International Education sees its mission as working to prepare NAU graduates for global citizenship.

Quick FactsNumber of visiting scholars: 63

Contribution of international education to the Arizona economy: $367.9

Number of countries represented by international students and scholars: 65

Number of faculty-led programs: 23Number of students in our Global Science and

Engineering Program: 120Number of academic departments committed to

global learning: 76Top five destinations for study abroad: UK, Costa

Rica, Spain, Italy and AustraliaTop countries represented on campus: China,

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Brazil, Germany and South Korea

Number of students at the International House: 196 from 28 countries

Center for International Education

NAFSA Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization – 2012

nau.edu/cie

Presentation Overview

Internal Review

Peer Institutional Analysis

National Trend Analysis

Lessons Learned

Three-Year Historical Review

Enrolled students’:OriginMajorsDegree LevelEntry Level

Top Sending Countries in 2007

ChinaGermany Saudi ArabiaJapanNetherlands

Defining Terms

International vs. domestic students

Definitions impact recruitment territories

Daily ApplicationSummary Report

Tracked numbers and history

Showed:

Applications

Cancelled applications

Admitted, accepted, and enrolled students

Undergraduate Application Summary Report

Where did Northern Arizona University match or differ from

national trends?

For Example…

Define TerritoriesMarketsHigh schoolsESL programsCommunity Colleges

Noel-Levitz Chart

Noel-Levitz (2012). 2012 recruitment funnel benchmarks report for four-year private and public institutions . Coralville, Iowa: Noel-Levitz. Retrieved from www.noellevitz.com/BenchmarkReports.

Table 8: Four-Year Public Institution – Funnel Rates for In-State, Out-of-State, and International Freshman

Peer Institutional Analysis

Total PopulationInternational Student PopulationPercentage Analysis Growth or Decline

Peer Data Spreadsheet

Northern Arizona’s Growth Chart

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2008Fall 2009

Fall 2010Fall 2011

Fall 2012Fall 2013

Fall 2014

419 458 506573

858 911989

1083

1246

TOTAL INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ENROLLMENT

Northern Arizona’s Growth Chart

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2007-2008 2008-20092009-2010

2010-20112011-2012

2012-20132013-2014

2014-2015

TOTA

LS

2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015Totals 221 282 355 575 566 438 574 599

New Undergraduate International Student Enrollment

Predictive Modeling

Compiled annual summaries

Created bank of data

Useful in predicting each semester’s overall enrollment numbers

Example

APPLICATIONS SUMMARY ANALYSIS

From 21-Day Count Daily Report Summary from IRM

Lessons Learned

More is Better

Revisit Plan and Data

Incorporate Student Input

Student FeedbackSurvey Responses

Student Feedback

Recruitment brochure

How NAU sends admissions decisions

Campus and Community Feedback

Design extended orientation class for international students

Work in Progress

St. Francis UniversitySamuel Heikinen, Director, International Student Programs

St. Francis UniversitySmall, private Catholic University

2,400 students including undergraduate and graduate

128 International Students

28 Countries

Intensive ESL program

Athletics

SFU History and Facts History

Heavy academics-Programs

Regional reputation

Environment

Current International Population

SFU DataUnique situation: Formerly only international student athletes

Doubled international population over past two years

Main countries: Brazil, China, Saudi Arabia, Canada

International Enrollment History Formerly no/few International Students

Past decades introduced mostly international athletes with English proficiencies

Little data tracking

Past two years: Introduction of Intensive English Program, new non-athlete population

Focus Groups

Current International Population128 Students

Brazil BSMP/IIE

Saudi Arabia/SACM

Challenges of sponsored students as bulk of population

China, Canada

Other

New Mission to Recruit International Students: DataPredictive Modeling—Data?

Collectively establishing how/what data moving forward

Unique History of International Enrollments, very hard to predict based on past numbers

Maintaining current feeds

Exploring new markets

Marketing SFU Brand Current and Past Niche—strengths and weaknesses

Following demand through market data—Which new markets

Exploration, success and failure, explore and develop

Using SFU flexibility and strengths to further develop brand and niche according to market needs

Petroleum Engineering, Internships

Challenges of New International Recruitment Initiatives Data

Establishing global “SFU Niche”, Marketing and Promotion—formerly all domestic, now new international marketing based on data and needs

Creation of SFU Intensive English Program

International Admissions Process

SEVIS

Scholarships

Strategy Moving ForwardFollowing the Data

On-Site Recruitment, Sponsored Students, Agents, Partnerships, Niche

Market Analysis

Establishing/tweaking Market Niche to attract specific market groups

Leveraging costs through Scholarships

Playing to strengths

Strategies and results

Market Analysis: Asia, Middle East, Other countries

Focus on private Catholic, regional, academic, environment niche

Other qualities unique to SFU

Lessons learned thus far, continued efforts moving forward

E-mail welcome:

Sam@francis.edu

Conclusion

Variety of Institutional Perspectives – presentation is posted online

Questions from the Audience