You want to attract mission-appropriate families to your school who become ingrained in your community. The challenge for Admission Officers is that parents and students often want different things from your school—and have different values when it comes to what is important to them.
It’s important to know which school characteristics often matter most to parents and what students tend to focus on when it comes to their school of choice.
ISM research has repeatedly revealed four main characteristics parents and students look for when it comes to remaining at a school. These findings are based on anecdotal evidence from our consulting team, as well as results drawn from our national parent surveys and surveys conducted for individual schools.
- Safety. Parents want their children to attend a school where they are physically and psychologically free from harm.
- Quality academic programs. Schools should have excellent, mission-appropriate offerings that prepare students for the next level.
- Character development. Parents choose a school that gives their children the opportunity to grow a strong sense of values and morals.
- A caring atmosphere. The school must know the child on a personal level and recognize each student's individual contributions.
Students, however, tend to value different characteristics, especially middle and upper school students.
- Freedom to challenge themselves. Students want opportunities to expand their education outside of the classroom, especially through performance groups and athletic opportunities.
- Teachers who care. Children want teachers to be invested in their growth and success.
- Friends and peer leaders. Students want the opportunity to learn and grow while creating relationships with similarly minded peers.
- A sense of community. They want to feel like they belong.
Keep these elements in mind as you consider your school’s marketing strategies. How can you emphasize these and other mission-appropriate characteristics with parents and students?
Want to learn more strategies to strengthen your enrollment management strategy? Join us for our Mastering Enrollment Management workshop, October 21–24, 2018, in Dallas, TX. Learn to perform a root-cause analysis designed specifically for private-independent schools and walk away with proven strategies to help take your enrollment program to the next level.
Additional ISM resources:
The Source for Advancement Vol. 16 No 2 How to Create an Effective Enrollment Management Team
The Source for Advancement Vol. 16 No 9 Four Reasons to Consider Shifting to a Continuous Enrollment Program
Additional ISM resources for Gold members:
I&P Vol. 36 No. 5 The Enrollment Management Cycle
I&P Vol. 38 No. 2 Who Is Responsible for Enrollment Management?
