Best Practices for Working with Agents

DECEMBER 11, 2017

How International Students Perceive Education Agents

Ian Wright, Director of Partnerships WES Facts

Did you know?

• Over 10,000 participants attend WES webinars and training yearly.

• WES delivers credential evaluation reports to more than 2,500 academic institutions worldwide.

• More than 1.5 million credential evaluation reports have been provided to international students and skilled immigrants.

• Our database contains more than 40 years of WES research including data on more than 200 countries and jurisdictions, 40,000 educational institutions, 20,000 credentials and equivalencies, and 1,600 grading scales.

Ian Wright [email protected] Director of Partnerships

Ian is an experienced administrator, previously as Director of International Admissions at LIU Post. He earned a master’s degree in education from Hunter College and bachelor’s degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University.

Ian works with institutions and organizations to meet their internationalization priorities through partnerships and research.

Ian has previously presented at ICEF Vancouver as well as various industry conferences including NAFSA, AIRC, AIEA, and the recent NAFSA Tri-Regional (I, II and IV).

PART I: Introduction PART II: Overview of Methodology & Respondents PART III: Research Findings PART IV: Implications & Recommendations PART V: Q & A - Discussion Part I: Introduction

22% 37%

Estimated share of Usage rate of post-secondary international student international student recruitment agencies by enrollment via agencies U.S. colleges/universities • 34% since 2013 Source: - 2016 Bridge Education Group, Inc.- Pace of Adoption of International Student Recruitment Agencies by U.S. Institutions. - NACAC’s 2015 Admission Trends Survey of 4-Year Colleges and Universities and NACAC’s 2014 Counselling Trends Survey

83%

Student satisfaction with services offered, “met expectations”

75%

Agreed agents provide useful information & valuable suggestions

70%

Indicated that expenses were reasonable

• Quality Control & Conflict of Interest

• Misrepresentation of university information • Untimely feedback • Document fraud • Unclear fee structures • False promises about guaranteed admission • Unrealistic expectations about on-campus jobs or scholarship opportunities

To understand the experiences of international students with education agents and provide insight into some of the complexities of the global agent market as experienced by students. The report sheds light on unexplored markets that can help to inform institutions that already have relationships with agents, and for those that do not, to understand the broader market. • The prevalence of agent-use among WES applicants • How students interact with agents • Regional variations in agent use and concerns

Decoding International Students’ Experiences With Education Agents: Insights for U.S. Institutions (June 2017)

• Review of Literature

• Survey of WES applicants in March 2017 • 5,880 respondents either currently enrolled or planning to enroll in U.S. higher education institutions • Representing five regions and over 50 countries • 1,336 respondents used agents (just under 23%)

• Limitations: academic level; English proficiency

NOTE: Percentages may not add up to 100 as “not sure” has been removed from analysis; Labels less than 5% have been removed in some charts

“My agent helped me with aspects that I wasn’t sure about, or had no knowledge about. We were looking for someone who thoroughly knew the entire process of applications as we were not ready to make any mistakes or delay my graduate admissions.” – Graduate student, India

4% 13%

51% 45%

87%

“Other” removed from the charts

NOTE: North America, Southeast Asia, and Oceania - not included in regional analyses due to low response rates.

Paying the agent Amount paid to agents 6% Not sure 4% No 2% Less than $500 13% 10% $501 - $1,000 46% $1,001 - $3,000 Yes 8% 85% $3,001 - $5,000 13% More than $5,000 Not sure 13% Prefer not to answer

46%

South & Sub-Saharan Latin America East Asia Europe Central Asia Africa & Caribbean

46% 48% 52% 50% 51% Help in selection of Reduced the time Lack of knowledge Reduced the time Help meeting specific which schools and/or and effort needed to about the college and effort needed to requirements (such programs to apply prepare and/or application process in prepare and/or as GPA, standardized complete admission the U.S. complete admission tests, essay applications applications completion, etc.)

42% 37% 48% 33% 49% Help preparing for Increase in Limited knowledge Help preparing for Lack of knowledge visa admissions about U.S. higher visa about the college interviews/application probability education institutions interviews/application application process in the U.S.

35% 10% 31% 27% 37% Career Language Help meeting specific Recommendation Increase in advice/counselling obstacles requirements (such from friends/family admissions as GPA, standardized probability tests, essay completion, etc.)

*Percentage shown for each region is significantly higher than others

47% South & Offer variety of services ranging Central Asia from visa application to admission application process

East Asia 39% Cost

30% Promised guaranteed admission to a specific Europe educational institution

24% Member of national organization

Sub-Saharan 53% Africa Certified or recognized by international standards

82% Latin America Knowledge and expertise of & Caribbean U.S. admission guidelines and education system

Undergraduate Graduate • 80% - Use variety of agent’s services • 73% - Use variety of agent’s • Compensation paid: services • 29% paid less than $500 • Compensation paid: • 24% paid $1,001–$3,000 • 47% pay less than $500 • Higher use of some advisory services: • Higher use of some prospecting services: • Financial aid and scholarship opportunities at institutions • Suitable degrees and program (90% vs. 78% graduate) options (92% vs. 90% undergraduate) • Standardized test-taking preparations (82% vs. 67% • Selection of schools graduate) (94% vs. 92% undergraduate) • Higher use of some pre-arrival • Higher use of some application services: services: • Housing and accommodation • Services such as essay, resume (65% vs.47% graduate) or personal statement editing (84% vs. undergraduate 81%) • Travel arrangements (61% vs. 48% graduate)

88% 93%

91%

81% 79% 69%

92%

83%

72%

84%

76%

69%

Housing and accommodations 49%

Visa application preparation and processing 68%

Banking and insurance needs 60% Pre-departure orientation (such as: insights into cultural issues and adjustment or safety issues) 59%

Travel arrangements 49%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0% South and Central East Asia Europe Sub-Saharan Africa Latin America & Asia Caribbean

Overall Satisfaction With Agent

Very dissatisfied Dissatisfied Satisfied Very satisfied

19% 29% 30% 38% 41% 43%

57%

54% 56% 48% 44% 41%

17% 11% 7% 5% 10% 8% 4% 3% 4% 6% 3% 7% Overall South and Central East Asia Europe Sub-Saharan Latin America & Asia Africa Caribbean

“Not sure” removed from chart

Q:Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements

My agent recommended best-fit schools based on my interests and capabilities

My agent provided me with current, accurate and honest information throughout the process that enabled me to make an informed choice My agent had adequate knowledge and expertise that helped guide me through the entire study abroad process My agent provided me with service(s) that were a good value for the money

41% 41% 42% 39% 37% 37% 35% 33% 34% 31% 29% 27% 27% 28% 26% 26% 25% 23% 23% 23% 23% 21% 21% 17%

Overall South and East Asia Europe Sub-Saharan Latin America & Central Asia Africa Caribbean Percent indicates selection of “strongly agree” © 2017 World Education Services. All rights reserved. 31 Perceptions of Integrity

Measurement of Agents Integrity (agreement level) Agreement Level*

South & 82% Central Asia

85%

East Asia 83%

81% Europe 90%

*Percentage shown are average of both factors Recommended best-fit Provided me with schools based on my current, accurate and interests and honest information capabilities throughout the process that enabled me to make an informed choice

Q: Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements:

My agent influenced my decision to enroll at an institution My agent increased the likeliness for me to get enrolled at a U.S. institution My agent played a significant role to set me up for success at my institution

44%

37%

32% 30% 31% 28% 26%

20% 20% 18% 17% 16% 17% 15% 13% 13% 12% 12%

Overall South and Central East Asia Europe Sub-Saharan Latin America & Asia Africa Caribbean

Percent indicates selection of “strongly agree”

Unresponsive to my queries Unclear financial arrangement or fee structure Misrepresentation of information related to institutions Unrealistic expectations about on-campus jobs and/or scholarship opportunities False promises about guaranteed admission at your top choice school Document fraud or unethical practices

MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA 22% 44% 0% 22% 28% 0%

LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN 20% 17% 24% 16% 7% 5%

A F R I C A S U B - SAHARAN 19% 22% 9% 25% 3% 3%

EUROPE 27% 23% 13% 15% 15% 4%

E A S T A S I A 30% 21% 28% 18% 15% 11%

SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA 29% 23% 19% 22% 10% 2%

OVERALL 28% 23% 21% 20% 11% 5%

• Devote time to understand how students work with agents in different regions. • Thoroughly investigate business practices at agencies (and their sub-agents). • NACAC publication Trusted Sources: Seeking Advice on Applying to Universities in Another Country helps students make informed decisions about services. • Use your website to educate parents/students about differences in agent business models to promote transparency and good practices. • Assess how your institution educates agents and can assist them with addressing students’ needs in a timely and meaningful manner.

© 2017 World Education Services. All rights reserved. 36 Open Discussion: Agent Integrity, Knowledge, and Influence Where Students Say Agents Fall Short • “It was too expensive, and I ended up doing everything on my own.” –Graduate student, France

• “They did not help me as I expected them to. They also discouraged me from applying to better schools, saying I wouldn’t get an admit. I applied anyway, and got an admit.” –Graduate student, Korea

• “My agents are too business-minded, and work for the sole reason of improving their income. I would have liked it if their service was student-centered.” –Undergraduate student, Sri Lanka

Related Research . Decoding International Students’ Experiences With Education Agents: Insights for U.S. Institutions

Additional Original WES Research Webinars . Career Outcomes among U.S.-Educated International Students . Series: International Student Satisfaction in the U.S.

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