After 19 years of teaching at my independent school, I stepped into admissions and quickly learned that the first year can feel like drinking from a firehose. I came in with a deep understanding of children, families, and school culture, but admissions required a new kind of leadership—one rooted in humility, adaptability, strategic thinking, and the courage to ask questions. In this session, I will share the lessons, surprises, wins, and missteps from my first year in admissions, including how I learned to navigate family urgency, discern when to advocate for a child and when to step back, and stay grounded in mission while making decisions under pressure. I will also highlight practical changes that helped make our work more thoughtful and streamlined. A meaningful part of this transition has been learning to build trusting relationships in new and different ways—with my head of school, faculty, and the Board of Trustees. I will share how weekly meetings with school leadership, board presentations, mentorship, peer networking, and professional development helped me grow more confident and effective in the role. I will also speak honestly about leaning into data. I am not naturally a numbers person, but I have learned that numbers tell stories—and in admissions, those stories are about students and families. Participants will leave with actionable strategies for building systems, using data, strengthening relationships, and leading with greater clarity and confidence in a first-year admissions role.