<p>I don’t want to sound xenophobic, so please take this as an honest question.</p>
<p>Why are these highly selective schools spending so much time and money recruiting international students? Harvard is not the only school that recruited heavily overseas this year. It seems to me, given how competitive it is now to get into these places, that increasing international applicants is just going to make it even tougher for domestic applicants.</p>
<p>I understand the desire for diversity, that having international students brings a much-wanted perspective to the campus. Perhaps colleges are looking ahead 5-10 years when the baby boom echo is over, and they are laying the groundwork for future applicants. But right now, given the existing competitive situation, this push for internationals is just making it tougher for U.S. students.</p>