To: Dean of Admissions, Colgate University
From: Melissa Yang
Re: Improving public awareness of Colgate University in China
Date: November 15, 2017
Although Colgate University has a solid reputation in the United States, it does not have the
same level of public awareness in China. This largely affects Colgate’s attractiveness to
talented prospective students from China, as well as the opportunities in China for current
students. It is necessary for Colgate to make more inroads in China.
Lack of Appeal to Prospective Chinese Students
Chinese students rarely consider Colgate University as their target school. At the last Alumni
Council meeting, President Casey reported that out of every 100 Chinese students who are
studying or planning to study in the United States, no more than three would consider applying
to Colgate. Even though there is significant growth in the population of Chinese students in the
United States, the number of applicants from China is not increasing at the same rate.
Difficulty Finding Internships/Jobs in China
Due to the lack of public awareness, our current students find it difficult to get an internship or
full-time job in China. According to Jennifer Walters, Associate Director for Employer
Relations, only about one-third of Chinese employers recognize Colgate University, while the
other two-thirds cannot distinguish our students from other highly-qualified candidates. If we
are not able to improve this situation, Colgate will have a very limited future in China.
How Chinese Students Identify Target Schools
I would like to conduct a research project to understand how Chinese students learn about US
undergraduate programs and determine their target schools. As part of this project, I plan to:
• Review recent surveys of Chinese students who are studying or planning to study in the
United States.
As more and more talented Chinese students reach college age, it is critical that we capture
their attention and show them the benefits of applying to Colgate University.