with Stephen Milich, Kirk Brennan, E. Whitney Soule, and Laurel Baker Tew

With a declining student population, rising tuitions, and a proliferation of educational disrupters, many independent schools face enrollment sustainability questions. Gone are the days of admission director in the role of mere clerical receptionist, gatekeeper, or cruise director. Today’s unpredictable environment requires a higher skill set, one already in place for two decades in the college admission world: “chief revenue officer.” On college campuses, it is customary for the admission leader to have a seat at the leadership table. Our research shows that this is not the case for most independent school admission leaders nationally, but that these skills are desperately needed. What are the most applicable lessons that can be learned here from college admission experts?