State of the Independent School Enrollment Industry 2023

The 2023-2024 edition of The Ride to Independent Schools Report (The Ride) is The Enrollment Management Association's (EMA) fourth edition of this flagship report. It offers valuable insights into the behaviors and opinions of families applying to independent schools. Previous studies were conducted in 2014, 2017, and 2020. This edition of The Ride was a collaboration between EMA and Mission & Data, EMA's strategic data partner.  Join us as we explore some of the highlights from The Ride with Ari Betof, Co-founder and Partner of Mission & Data, and Sarah Enterline Roch, Institutional Research Consultant at Mission & Data and Director of Institutional Research at St. Mark’s School (MA). Click here to access The Ride to Independent Schools Report and visit the interactive dashboard to analyze the data.

The partnership between the head of the school and the senior enrollment leader is critical to the sustainability of independent schools. Join me as we explore the dynamic collaboration between Perry Martin, President of La Salle College Preparatory in Pasadena, CA, and Keenan Kurihara, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Chief Communications Officer at La Salle College Preparatory. During Perry and Keenan's tenure at La Salle, student enrollment grew by over 10 percent, and the school increased its net tuition revenue by over 15 percent. Join us for an insightful exploration of how their strategic approach to enrollment management and communication has fortified La Salle College Preparatory against the challenges confronting independent schools nationwide.

Institutional research is closely linked to a school’s strategic enrollment management efforts, making this discussion about the Center for Institutional Research in Independent Schools (CIRIS) 2023 Institutional Research State of the Industry Report especially pertinent for independent school leaders. Join us as we explore the key insights and takeaways from this essential resource with Eric Heilman, Director of Institutional Research at Maret School (DC) and Executive Director of The Center for Institutional Research in Independent Schools (CIRIS) at Maret, and Victoria Muradi, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Durham Academy (NC) and EMA Board of Trustees Governance Chair.  CLICK HERE to access the 2023 Institutional Research State of the Industry Report.

If you are new to the admission profession, join me for a lively conversation with five of EMA's Admission Training Institute (ATI) faculty members: David Baker, Director of Admission & Financial Aid, St. Mark’s School of Texas (Dallas, TX) and Chair of AIT, Dr. Jasmine Harris, Head of School, TMI Episcopal (San Antonio, TX), Molly Dorais, Director of Admission & Financial Aid, Colorado Rocky Mountain School (Carbondale, CO), Steve Brown, CEO & Founder, Steve Brown Academy (Atlanta, GA), and Anne Behnke, Director of Admission and Enrollment Management, St. Mark’s School (Southborough, MA). Gain insights and learn from their collective years of experience in enrollment, admission, and independent school leadership!  For more information about the Admission Training Institute, EMA's premier training program for those new to admission, select the following link: https://www.enrollment.org/professional-development/seminars/ati.    

Welcome to a special episode of the Enrollment Spectrum Podcast, where we broadcast live from EMA's 2023 Annual Conference in Las Vegas. In this unique episode, we have gathered all your favorite EMA podcast hosts under one roof. This includes Rebecca Malotke-Mmeslin and Lynne Macziewski from 'Confidently You,' John Gentile and Rohan Arjun from 'Different Perspectives,' and Ari Betof and Christian Donovan from 'Impossible Questions.' Join us as we share memorable moments from our last podcast season, dive into the latest trends shaping independent schools, and provide a sneak peek into exciting episodes awaiting you in the upcoming season. 

Join us for a conversation with Andrew Weller and Brad Brown. Andrew is the Dean of Enrollment and Strategic Marketing at St. Stephens & St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Virginia. Andrew has served in several leadership roles and was a member of EMA's inaugural Admission Leadership Council (ALC). Brad is the Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management at Trinity School in Atlanta, Georgia. Brad also served as the Chair of the Atlanta Area Association of Independent School (AAAIS) Admission Directors Group. Not only are Brad and Andrew strategic enrollment leaders, but they are also two faculty members and advisors for EMA’s Admission Directors Institute (ADI). ADI is an intensive two-day program offered in person as part of EMA’s Annual Conference every September as part of the pre-conference programming. In this episode, Andrew and Brad offer advice and resources for all new admission and enrollment directors to consider as they enter their new leadership roles.       

Please join us for a conversation with Quentin McDowell, Head of School at Mercersburg Academy (PA), Barbara Eghan, Founding Executive Director of Civic Lab at the Georgetown Day School (DC), Jill Thompson, Director of Admission at Phillips Academy (MA), and Christian Donovan, Head of School at Friends School of Baltimore (MD). Quentin, Barbara, Jill, and Christian are the founders of the Enrollment Management Association’s Future Leaders Institute, which focuses on the individual goals of enrollment professionals who wish to build their career, enhance their leadership skills, and grow their professional network.   

Join us for a special crossover episode of the Enrollment Spectrum Podcast and EMA's Impossible Questions Podcast. Guest co-host Ari Betof joins me today. Ari is the Co-Founder and Partner of Mission & Data and the host of EMA’s Impossible Questions Podcast. In this episode, we welcome Christian Donovan, Head of School at Friends School of Baltimore, as the new co-host of EMA's Impossible Questions Podcast. We will share some highlights and lessons learned from the Impossible Questions first season. Stick around to the end of the podcast to hear the exciting things Ari and Christian have lined up for season two. 

Please join us in welcoming Ari Betof and Sarah Enterline to the show! Ari is the co-founder and partner at Mission & Data where Sarah is an ​​Institutional Research Consultant and Director of Institutional Research at St. Mark's School in Southborough, MA. Mission & Data is a firm dedicated to the effectiveness, health, and vitality of educational institutions and other organizations that make the world a better place, through strategy consulting, custom data products, audits, and leadership coaching. Ari is also the co-host of EMA’s Impossible Questions Podcast. Ari and Sarah were instrumental to the data collection, analysis, and writing of EMA’s flagship special report The 2023 State of the Independent School Enrollment Industry Report (SOTI) which is out now.

Please join us for a conversation with attorney Brian Garrett. Brian is counsel in the Litigation Department and Chair of the Education Law Practice Group at McLane Middleton one of New England’s premier full-service law firms with over 100 attorneys and 25 paralegals throughout offices in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Most recently Brian spoke at our Anti-Bias workshop in January. Stick around to the end of the podcast for some actionable takeaways on some steps you should take at your school based on this upcoming decision.