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Helen Waldron on Admissions as the First Act of Student Support
Opening Remarks At Beyond the Bell, we often talk about admissions as more than an entry point. Done well, it is the first act of student support. It is where schools begin to understand not just what a student has done, but how they learn, where they have struggled, and where they have the potential…
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The Retention Gap: Why Admissions and Student Life Still Operate on Different Planets
In most boarding schools, admissions and student life share the same goal of building a thriving and engaged community. Yet they rarely share the same playbook. One department recruits students, while the other helps them stay. Both depend on one another for success, but their collaboration often fades once orientation ends. This divide creates what…
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The Second Enrollment: How Student Life and Belonging Shape Boarding School Retention
When a student enrolls at a boarding school, the admission office celebrates a milestone. Yet the true test of a school’s culture comes later, when that same student chooses to stay. That decision to re-enroll is what I call The Second Enrollment, the moment when a student decides that this is not just where they attend…
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Should Boarding Schools Adopt Early Decision? A Critical Look at Canterbury’s Admissions Shift
When Canterbury School announced its move to an Early Decision admissions model, many in the boarding school world took notice. A binding enrollment commitment has been common in college admissions for decades, but its introduction into independent secondary schools signals a noteworthy shift in how boarding schools may approach enrollment strategy and student fit in…
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Beyond the Acceptance Letter: Leveraging Digital Strategy for a Seamless Summer Admissions Experience
Inspired by a recent conversation with Clayton Johnston, whose insights continue to challenge and refine how I think about enrollment, I felt compelled to explore this topic further. For Admissions Directors, Assistant Directors, Admissions Counselors, and Marketing and Communications professionals in boarding schools, the summer months are far from a quiet period. While families may…
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Daring to Be Different in Boarding School Admissions: A Conversation with Clayton Johnston
In the world of boarding school, there are people you read about, people you listen to, and every once in a while, people you genuinely look up to. Clayton Johnston is one of those people for me. Clayton is the Director of Admissions at Brentwood College School, located on the breathtaking coastline of Vancouver Island…