Full-pay-applicationsHow many full-pay applicants did your school receive last admission season? The school marketing plan at a private school, should include tracking your full-pay applications over time and understanding how many are available by grade from one year to the next. You are not managing your numbers correctly with this data point.  One use example may be about knowing whether you can put a greater number in one grade so you don’t have to take weaker students from another grade. This takes timely planning with the principal or division head. I recently met with a director of admission who swung an entire section of students moving from three to two sections in kindergarten and from three to four sections in 1st grade. To make that work, she brought in students who were wait listed in kindergarten during the previous year and encouraged them to apply to first grade, giving her enough to complete a section in first grade with the additional applicants. It’s now a bulge in first grade but she felt the alternative was not as good which was to take weaker students into the kindergarten and live with them until they were counseled out, or keep the spaces empty and lose the income. It was a well-planned, collaborative decision. This is only one example. Will you share yours?

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