The more I find myself immersed in the wide variety of schools that make up our AISAP community, the more I believe that every school, regardless of its current state or stage, can benefit from more closely aligning its enrollment practices to better support their school culture. While this point may not be highly disagreeable as a general statement, it is increasingly apparent that fewer and fewer admission and enrollment practices have spent time and attention beginning with their mission and vision and ending it there.
For so many practitioners, the cycle could be described as the "lather, rinse, repeat" - we have done it this way every year. Many spend extensive time determining what everyone else is doing "for information and intel" yet in the end just duplicating or replicate their cross-application school. This practice does not help you, your school, or the family. As in the long run, the inevitable happens. What is your value-added? What makes your school different or the perfect fit for that family who again is mission appropriate. You are adding in some cases a need for one more step in your process with families.
The profession has an opportunity during this time we are living. Why we do what we do has not changed. How we do what we do has. So, to take a step back – I mean a huge step back and use the skills and craft that is who we are as an Admission and Enrollment Professional. Analyze your process. Reflect on each step that you do to move a family from one stage to the next. How does this reflect your mission and Culture as a school? Think back to last spring when COVID hit us all at a stage and phase of the process when the how we do our tasks had to be altered. What did you do differently? How did it feel? What was the result or end game? How did your faculty, staff, parents, administration, and you respond or feel as you thought and introduced this new methodology? Quite frankly, AISAP's recent Conversation with Colleagues has given us feedback that shows that many of you have never felt more connected to your students and families – your mission and your school culture. Knowing this and feeling this now – what part of the assessment of applicants, your financial aid process, or policy, your yield functions might be altered or solidified more strongly knowing who you are as a school and community when most challenged? This time is an opportunity to look at your Culture in the mirror and make sure you align. It can be very freeing and very satisfying and fulfilling.
Over the next few weeks and months, we will transition to a new season in our Admission and Enrollment process. Take time now before you turn the page towards assessing and read your mission statement. Then reread it. Then – Take your admission committee admittance parameters and methodology. Where do you in this process see alignment with mission? Where is it off? How might you bring the off back to the center? How might you streamline or expand to again bring the search for the goodness of fit more into focus?
Remember, "culture eats strategy for breakfast." So what are you serving to those who wish to dine at your school's table next year?
Janice Crampton, CAEP | AEMP
Executive Director/CEO
Association of Independent School
Admission Professionals