Features
The keys to successful admissions processes Kara Neil explains how a 10-year-old changed her approach – and why schools need to stay open-minded
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admissions process include learning the prospective family’s story, having holistic admissions criteria, and letting data drive results. Learning Their Story When Shyaka and his father entered the school for more information, my first instinct was to give them a brief appointment and quickly shuffle them out, knowing he wouldn’t be accepted. As our meeting progressed, however, Shyaka’s dad started telling me their story. Shyaka’s mom died at a young age. Because they became converted Christians in a Muslim country, they were forced to flee and set up their lives somewhere else. Shyaka’s dad was only able to find a job in a neighboring East African country always on the verge of political violence, so he felt that his only option was to enroll Shyaka in school in much safer Rwanda. In addition to rigorous academics, Shyaka desperately needed a safe school environment to provide for his emotional needs. Before beginning the administrative procedures of an admissions process, one of the most important steps toward turning inquiries into applicants is hearing the family’s testimony. International schools have the unique opportunity Autumn |
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Ten-year-old Shyaka changed the entire way I approach my role as admissions director at an international school in Rwanda. The moment I looked at his abysmal standardized test scores and prior school records from a French-speaking village school in West Africa, I started drafting his rejection letter. But before I could hit ‘send’ on his letter, Shyaka (a pseudonym) came to school unexpectedly with his dad to get more information about the school. That’s when everything changed. With over 8,000 English-medium international schools worldwide, it’s surprising that very little research has been conducted on the most sustainable admissions processes within these schools (Morrison, 2016). Admissions processes must maintain a delicate balance between providing for the family’s educational needs and building long-term school sustainability. “This admission process requires creative attention to the strategies needed to fill seats (input) and … to ensure students and families benefit from the experience (output)” (SSATB, 2017). In the case of Shyaka, his admission required keen attention to ways of building school sustainability while providing for his unique needs. Three key components to a successful international school
| 2017
