U.S. News Rankings and the Undergraduate Enrollment of International and Domestic Students

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Two
  In Roundtable Session: Educational Trends From International Data (Table 15)

Abstract

University rankings have proliferated and become increasingly salient in recent years, which may be particularly important for international students who are choosing which postsecondary institution to attend. Therefore, this study examined 15 years of data to examine how changes in U.S. News rankings predict changes in the undergraduate enrollment of international students and domestic students in the subsequent year. The results show that improvements in national university rankings were associated with greater enrollment of international students, but this pattern was not observed among domestic students or at liberal arts colleges. In addition, the link between rankings and enrollment was stronger at universities with lower rankings and within more recent years.

Authors

• Shinji Katsumoto, University of Iowa
  Presenting Author

• Nicholas A. Bowman, University of Iowa
  Presenting Author

• Nicole Tennessen, University of Iowa
  Presenting Author