Recruiting for Rehabilitation Counselor Education Programs: Twenty Years Later

Abstract

Purpose:To examine changes in recruitment procedures over the past 20 years and the effect of these changes on the number of students entering rehabilitation programs at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA).Method:The authors reviewed recruitment practices at CSULA and student enrollment of graduates and undergraduates in rehabilitation programs in 1993 and compared the recruitment practices and student enrollment in rehabilitation programs in 2014.Results:Some of the methods used in 1993 are still in use today. However, the establishment of technology has created new opportunities for recruitment with positive effect. The undergraduate program has grown from 100 students in 1993 to 450 students in 2014. The graduate program has increased from 15 students to 28 students accepted annually, turning away two-thirds of potential graduate students who have applied for admission to the program.Conclusion:To enhance recruitment, it is important to reach as many students as possible, which can be done with the creative use of technology as well as retaining effective recruitment practices used in the past.