113: Unpacking the Latest Enrollment Trends in Independent Schools with Christina Dotchin of EMA

In this episode of Mindful School Marketing, we’re joined by Christina Dotchin, Vice President of Member Relations at the Enrollment Management Association (EMA). Christina shares a behind-the-scenes look at EMA’s pivotal role in supporting over 1,200 independent schools and 20,000 members through research, enrollment tools, and professional development.

We dive into the latest enrollment trends emerging from EMA’s recent reports, including the State of the Independent School Enrollment Industry, Ride to Independent Schools, and their newest study on Family Perceptions of Value and Affordability. Christina reveals what families really care about when choosing a school, and the data might surprise you. From rising waitlists to the continued importance of college outcomes, this episode will help school leaders and marketing teams understand what’s shifting and how to respond.

In This Episode:

  • What EMA’s recent merger with ERB means for schools
  • Key takeaways from three major enrollment reports
  • What families say they value most and what they won’t compromise on
  • How to use data to make strategic decisions instead of relying on gut feelings
  • Rethinking the ROI of open houses
  • The surprising factor that still drives high school enrollment decisions
  • Why being mindful and present matters in enrollment conversations

Mentioned in the episode: https://www.enrollment.org/professional-development/enrollment-management-spectrum

About Christina Dotchin:

As Vice President of Member Relations, Christina Dotchin oversees Enrollment Management Association’s (EMA) membership, business development, professional development, marketing and communications teams, providing programs and resources for over 1,200 independent schools and over 20,000 members. With over twenty years in the education sector, Christina is passionate about EMA’s transformative work to support enrollment professionals, school leaders, community-based organizations, students, and families. As an industry thought leader, Christina has presented at numerous regional, national, and global conferences and events. She is also the host of EMA’s Enrollment Spectrum Podcast.

Thank You To Our Sponsor

Enquiry Tracker is the all-in-one solution for schools to easily manage their future families. From inquiry to online enrollment, you can automate personalized emails, run events, and virtual tours and get key insights to manage and grow a robust pipeline. The built-in broadcast communications tool allows you to reach out and proactively engage future families in their unique interests. With all data captured in one user-friendly centralized database that you can easily transfer to your school management system and at long last end those spreadsheets forever!

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