Understanding the college choice process of Asian international students

Abstract

In the United States, many higher education institutions are experiencing decreasing enrollment due to shrinking numbers of traditional college-age students. From an international student perspective, the increasing competition among countries and higher education institutions means that they have more options to consider in their college choice process. This study seeks to develop a comprehensive college choice model uniquely suited for international students who have chosen American colleges and universities as their study destinations. Using a mixed methods case study methodology, this study reveals that the leading reasons for why international students begin to consider study abroad and finally choose their college destination were mainly explained by human capital theory and the concept of global cultural capital. The study also finds that the dynamic relationships among push and pull forces during the three-stage college choice model may significantly differ by students’ background characteristics (e.g., family income or parental education). This study has important policy and research implications for understanding the factors that influence international students that choose to study abroad in the United States.