Perhaps more important than any other person on campus other than the Head of School, the Director of Admission needs to be a scholar and guide, a strategic thinker and analyst, a resource for other senior administrators, faculty and trustees on the internal and external trends impacting the school’s future. The admission director and the admission operation must play critical roles in an independent school’s strategic thinking and planning.
Because independent schools are so heavily dependent on enrollment to generate the major portion of their annual operating incomes, admission directors must be experienced professionals who are well informed about the shifts in thinking around admission, marketing, the education landscape, the increased affordability challenges for families, and the impact this is having on independent school admission and future enrollment. We assist schools to think more creatively, more energetically and more intentionally when they are choosing the senior enrollment officer of their school.
The Baker Group directs searches for the senior enrollment officer and provides both search support and training to each school’s chosen hiring committee. The following action list outlines our approach to guiding schools through the search process for a senior admission professional:
- Outline the search process for the senior enrollment officer.
- Provide preliminary and ongoing support and counsel to the Head of School and/or director of search committee.
- Assist in updating job description and create timeline and structure for candidate interview and visit process.
- Assist search committee and admission staff to identify “ideal candidate” qualities.
- Assist in creating and placing advertising in suitable publications.
- Develop strategy for promoting the position among alumni.
- Assist in outreach to candidates from both independent and college admission.
- Assist in review of resumes and candidate screening resulting in recommendation of top six candidates for initial interviews, followed by recommendation of top two finalists after interviews have taken place.
Current Searches:
Brearley School, New York, NY – Assistant Head of School
The Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, NY – Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid
Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA – Director of Admission
The Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, NJ - Director of Admission
Putney School, Putney, VT - Director of Admission
Recent clients:
Boston University Academy, Boston, MA
Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, CT
Noble and Greenough School, Dedham, MA
Northfield Mt. Hermon, Northfield, MA
Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH
Pomfret School, Pomfret, CT
St. George’s School, Newport, RI
Winsor School, Boston, MA