Build Your Diversity Roadmap
Before you read files and engage with applicants, you need to know who you are and what biases you may bring to your admission committee meetings and your file reading.
Rohan and Lisa will take you on a journey where you will reflect on who you are and how your background, experiences, and life have shaped you. By knowing who you are and where your biases may have been born, you can be a more effective file reader.
- Rohan Arjun, Director of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid, Friends Select School (PA)
- Lisa Shambaugh, Assistant Head of School for Enrollment and Strategic Projects, St. Andrew's Episcopal School (MD)
Creating an Admission Committee Rubric to Inform Admission Decisions
Join David as he takes you step-by-step to create your own admission committee rubric to help inform your file reading. Using data, charts, and other metrics, this session will illustrate how to build your own rubric based on school-specific measurements. David built this rubric at more than one school where he has served as the director of enrollment management. Come and learn from an expert!
- David Tuttle, Director of Recruitment and External Affairs, Canterbury School (CT)
Legal Tips and Traps for Admissions Committees
This session will explore how independent schools should handle common admissions processes from a legal perspective. We will focus on issues relating to potential discrimination claims and provide practical tips for the types of admissions questions that can be asked (or avoided), communicating with families and peer institutions, and documenting admissions reviews.
- Brian B. Garrett, Of Counsel, Education Group - McLane Middleton
Reconstructing Your Admission and Application Evaluation and Review Processes to Minimize Bias (Among Other Things!)
Over the course of six months, the admissions and financial aid team at Lakeside School (WA) completely overhauled our application evaluation and review processes. Centering mission, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and discussions on good teaching and learning yielded a new approach to admission and enrollment work more closely aligned with our school’s values. This session will outline the new process, including the decisions we made to minimize bias. Attendees will leave with potential action steps to support their pursuit of a mission-focused, values-aligned, and bias-aware process.
- Wellesley Wilson, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Lakeside School (WA)
Shareout of Findings from Member Flash Surveys & Discussion on Effect of COVID-19 on Educational Outcomes Based on EMA's Latest Research
Have you seen polls and flash surveys to EMA members these past few months? Together with this data and other best practices, Sarah will engage the audience with real-time data and resources from recent questions posed to EMA members. Additionally, Sarah will share her expert advice and provide tangible takeaways to help you make informed admission decisions. Hans will share the latest findings from EMA on the effects the pandemic has had on learning and assessments. He will share data and intel from recent findings and reports including updated SSAT Test Taker Data.
- Sarah Enterline Roch, Director of Institutional Research, St. Mark's School (MA) and Institutional Research Consultant, Mission and Data (PA)
- Hans Mundahl, Senior Director of Professional Development, EMA (NJ)
