From Recruitment to Retention: Aligning Enrollment Strategy with Student Belonging and Well-Being Session Description: Independent schools invest significant time and resources into attracting and enrolling mission-aligned students, but too often overlook a critical question: Does the lived student experience match what was promised during the admissions process? Misalignment between enrollment messaging and day-to-day student experience can erode trust, impact retention, and ultimately weaken sustainability. This session brings together the perspectives of a Chief Belonging and Inclusion Officer (mother of 3 independent school graduates) and a pediatric sports medicine physician specializing in student mental health, performance, and well-being to explore how schools can better align recruitment, belonging, and well-being strategies across the full enrollment lifecycle. Grounded in real-world leadership and clinical experience with high-achieving youth, presenters will examine the evolving factors influencing family decision-making including increasing prioritization of mental health, identity development, and authentic community. Attendees will gain a practical framework to evaluate their own institutions, identify gaps between messaging and experience, and implement cross-functional strategies that can help to improve both student outcomes and enrollment success. By the end of the session, participants will be able to: Identify key points of misalignment between admissions messaging and the lived student experience that can impact retention and family trust Analyze how student well-being, identity, and belonging influence enrollment decisions and long-term engagement Strengthen alignment across admissions, student experience, and institutional culture