You are reading an excerpt from our e-book "88 Ways to Recruit International Students" (Click here to read the entire book)
Traveling outside the US enables new opportunities for student recruitment. The possibilities are endless and can be overwhelming. Before you dive in, take some time to plan the best use of your time and precious institutional resources.
38. College fairs
A well attended college fair will give you the opportunity to interact with significant numbers of students in one easy location. In planning international recruitment travel, consider scheduling your travel plans around major college fairs. Numerous organizations plan and promote college fairs. Be sure to bring comfortable shoes, sufficient materials, a kindly disposition and tremendous energy.
The items below represent an open-source document intended to aid would-be international recruitment travelers in determining the best college fairs for their needs and a systematic approach to a successful experience. The document was prepared by George F. Kacenga, Director of International Enrollment Management at the University of Colorado, Denver, with contributions from the NAFSA International Enrollment Management Forum in the Admissions and Credential Evaluation Network of the Recruitment, Admissions, and Preparation Knowledge Community.
Determining which international college fair is right for you:
1. Know your college/university mission or goals related to international affairs and admissions.
2. Know the international markets that are targets for your admissions office.
a. Do you want to break into a new market, and can you make a multi-year commitment?
b. Do you want to further develop existing relationships?
3. What is the political situation in the country (countries) where the college fair will be held? Will safety for participants (school representatives and students alike) be an issue?
4. What is the economic condition in the country (countries) where the college fair will be held? What is the exchange rate and how volatile have changes in the exchange rate been over the last 18 to 24 months?
5. Look at the organizations sponsoring/organizing the college fair:
a. Is this the first year?
b. Are there any stats from previous years?
i. Number of participants?
ii. Participant make-up: Graduate, Undergraduate, Secondary School
6. What do student mobility trends from this market into mine look like?
a. Open Doors Fast Facts: http://www.iie.org/en/research-and-publications/open-doors
7. What budget do you have to spend and how much does this cost? Are housing and transportation included? Taxes? Federal per diem considerations?
8. Does the fair require pre-registration by attendees? Is there a cost for attendees? Does the venue enable ease of attendance by attendees (i.e., public transportation, parking, etc.)?
9. In how many other fairs do I want to participate and in what markets?
10. Once at the fair:
a. How much space do I get?
b. Can I give a presentation?
c. Am I advertised in the promotional materials (online or published)? At a cost?
11. Location of the venue - are there sufficient resources for participants to do private events (i.e., using the college fair to promote a hotel reception or meet with alumni)?
12. Is it mandatory that a college/university staff member attend, or are alumni or approved representatives permitted?
13. Timing of the fair relevant to US admission cycle and secondary school graduation in the local market.
14. How much social network activity occurs pre- and post-college fair(s) (e.g., Facebook presence, other online outlets)? What is the nature of that activity?
15. Who else has been invited: universities, embassies, consulates, credential evaluation organizations, ESL programs, banks, and other commercial enterprises?
a. Will you be washed out in the crowd?
16. Will the US Embassy be involved in the fair(s) in any way? Will representatives from the US Embassy be on hand to do sessions re: visa application process? Does your admissions office have sufficient knowledge of the visa process, processing times, lag-time, etc.?
17. What are the alternatives to college fairs in the area(s) in which the college fairs is being held and how do they compare with regard to return on investment? Can you calculate a cost-per-inquiry, cost-per-applicant, cost-per-matriculant, and establish a target ROI before deciding to participate and what the odds are that you can hit it?
18. What is the weather cycle during the dates of the college fair? (Fair attendance can be seriously impacted, for example, in Western Europe during winter by heavy snow, and fairs during monsoon season in Asia are always at the mercy of the weather.)
19. What else is happening in-country during the dates of the fair – sporting events, visits by heads of state, etc., that will impact traffic, access to venue, willingness of students to attend?
There are hundreds of college fairs and many providers. Here is a selection of a few well-known fairs:
Education USA www.educationusa.info/highered-fairs.php
Council of International Schools www.cois.org
Think Education USA www.thinkeducationusa.com/en/study-fairs/
QS World University Tour www.topuniversities.com/tour
Linden Tours www.lindentours.com
QS World Grad School Tour http://graduateschool.topuniversities.com/world-grad-school-tour
China International Education Exhibition Tour www.cieet.com/en/index.asp
IIE Fairs in Asia www.iiehongkong.org/ufair/
China Education Exp www.chinaeducationexpo.com
WEBA Education Fair www.studentfairs.webs.com
United States - India Education Foundation www.usief.org.in
