Annually, nearly 20,000 college-bound high school seniors choose to leave Illinois to attend college in other states. Illinois loses more potential college students each year than any other state except New Jersey. When skilled intellectual or technical labor move to other regions, state governments lose on investments made in people through training and education. Research indicates students who migrate to another state for college are 30% less likely to return to their home state after graduation. This results in a 'brain drain' of high skilled citizens. The estimated financial loss that this places on the state is between $688 and $824 million (Smith & Wall, 2004).
Included in this study is a four-phase, sequential mixed-methods study of Illinois residents, including current high school seniors, parents of these children, guidance counselors, and out-of-state college freshmen.
Phase I: In Phase I, quantitative trend data will be collected to determine who are the largest competitors recruiting Illinois students. This analysis will include: 1) a geographical map of where Illinois students are going; 2) a competitor map by Carnegie Classification, as well as level of control, and religious affiliation showing which types of schools tend to attract Illinois students; and, 3) a competitor map showing which schools tend to take large numbers of Illinois students.
Phase II: Phase II will involve collecting and analyzing the admissions and recruitment materials for the out-of-state colleges that are importing the largest number of Illinois students as well a review of the state policies for the states in which these colleges are located.
Phase III: Phase III will employ focus group interviews to gain an in-depth understanding of what influences students' choices on whether to stay in-state or go out-of-state for postsecondary education.
Phase IV: Phase IV will focus on the synthesis and analysis of findings from the three research phases of the project to present a clearer understanding of why Illinois graduating high school students are leaving the state to attend college, and what might be done to keep them in state. The final analysis will include suggested strategies and recommended polices for how Illinois, institutions of higher learning, and high schools can work individually and collectively to attract, recruit, and retain more young Illinois residents to attend in-state tuitions.
Three high schools in Illinois have been selected to participate in the study. This study is designed to answer the following four questions:
Click here for a copy of the Final Report
For more information regarding this study, please contact Erika Hunt (elhunt@ilstu.edu)
or Diane Dean (drdean@ilstu.edu).
