The Yield sat down with member Jennifer Rosen, director of admission at Isidore Newman School (LA), for a brief interview.

Why do you belong to The Enrollment Management Association?
EMA has provided our school with a range of professional development opportunities, including leadership programs, national conferences, webinars, publications, networking opportunities, and other resources that are pertinent to our daily work with current and prospective families.

What has changed the most in independent school admission and enrollment since you first started?
While we all still have our eyes on yield, I sense more independent schools have “right-sized” and are re-embracing their efforts to be student-centered in terms of decision making.

If you could tell yourself one thing when you took your first job in admission, what would it be?
A quote by leadership coaching legend John Wooden: “The most powerful leadership tool you have is your own example.”

What do admission and enrollment professionals need to be successful?
One thing is endurance. What was once known as an “admission season” is now a year-round effort; retention is of equal importance to recruitment and doing both well is key.

What is the one piece of knowledge/ advice you’d like to pass along to your admission/enrollment colleagues?
While email is sometimes an important way to document conversations, picking up the phone is a much better way to communicate, particularly if you are sharing news that is difficult to deliver.

What is the number one attribute needed to succeed in your role?
The ability to foster connections. Find opportunities to get out and connect with other stakeholders on your school’s campus and beyond—they are your word-of-mouth marketers and you can help them understand their roles as part of your school’s enrollment team.

What is the best advice you ever received?
Listen first to understand.