<p>I thought the PowerPoint presentation linked from this page is interesting:
[NAIS</a> - Annual Conference - Data-Driven Admission Supports Sustainability](<a href=“http://www.nais.org/ac/eventdoc.cfm?ItemNumber=150183]NAIS”>http://www.nais.org/ac/eventdoc.cfm?ItemNumber=150183)</p>
<p>The presentation provides a view of the admissions process and priorities from the perspective of the admissions director. For those interested in Salisbury it provides some additional insight.</p>
<p>(NAIS is the National Association of Independent Schools)</p>
<p>That was interesting. Not surprising that the website inquiries are not yielding acceptances but consultants are doing pretty well. I would love to be able to get access to the SSATB overlap reports.</p>
<p>As a family who applied to Salisbury, was accepted and will not be attending (but for none of the reasons THEY said are their top and actually we were not asked to give a reason, so I’m not sure HOW they know this information), I found it interesting.<br>
Our experience with Salisbury admissions was different from most of our others.<br>
While we were a web site inquiry, we did not learn of them initially from the web site, that is kind of misleading (for lack of a better word).</p>
<p>It is probable that Salisbury conducted more in-depth market research during the 2006-2007 admissions cycle. Also, for a web inquiry, I am guessing that the inquiry form asks how you heard of the school. I think the majority of people will fill out the inquiry form online, but might have heard of the school from a source other than the Internet. </p>
<p>I think some schools conduct in-depth research from time to time and for a variety of reasons. For example, during the 2005-2006 admissions cycle, my son filled out an inquiry form for Northfield Mt. Hermon. We did not visit because at that time they had a unique academic schedule of studying one or two courses at a time (I don’t remember exactly how many) which did not appeal to him. We received a very extensive online survey later. I guess they used those results to reposition themselves and make some changes. Salisbury might have done something similar, although probably not as extensive, for the 2006-2007 admissions cycle.</p>
<p>One thing I took away from this presentation is that it is now completely clear to me that the schools want to know where else you are applying so they can assess yield if accepted. Someone told me that they want to know for marketing purposes, but now I see that the SSAT organization sells them this info.</p>
<p>I do realize that.<br>
The other 4 schools we applied to (including the 2 we were waitlisted at) asked us when we let them know yes or no, a simple where we were going and why - Salisbury did not. So, even if it isn’t a full research year, the other schools collected SOME data, and they did not. </p>
<p>I found it interesting that they talked about personal contact being important, yet they were the one school that 90% of the time when I called the admissions office I did not get a person. (note, I usually made all my school calls at one time, and it was the only school that this happened, so it wasn’t that I was calling at a bad time for admissions in general - and I don’t mean I didn’t get our admin rep I didn’t get anyone).</p>
<p>My son’s SSAT scores were sent by his current school, not SSAT, so they didn’t get that info. However, being FA applicants, the schools got the data about where he was applying that way. </p>
<p>I would be interested in seeing other schools as I would be that the data is similar…what do you think?</p>
<p>It sounds like they should have sent you a follow-up survey! Perhaps some families prefer home where they know how to get a phone call answered. To give them the benefit of a doubt, it could have been that the person who normally answers the phone was out on medical leave or had family problems. </p>
<p>The SSAT organization may or may not sell the info on where SSAT scores were sent for a specific applicant. If they do sell it, this info may not be reliable. In our case, we sent scores to a few schools to which S did not end up applying. What they do sell info on is loverlap schools for the generalized applicant pool. As a result, schools can figure out where they stand and how to position themselves against their competition. In that case, I think why they want to know where else a specific applicant is applying is so they can calculate yield rates. I am guessing that they might use this for or against a specific applicant, but they may also use it for their yield forecast. I’m just trying to figure out how this works. Because you work at a school, do you know?</p>