10 Proven Ways to Boost Enrollment at Your Private School

Understand Your Current Enrollment and Demographics

The first step in increasing student enrollment is to thoroughly analyze your current enrollment numbers, trends, and student demographics. Look carefully at application and enrollment rates over the past 3-5 years.

• What percentages of applicants do you admit versus reject each year? Is this percentage increasing or decreasing over time?

• What percentages of admitted students actually enroll? Is this yield rate rising or falling?

• Break down enrollment numbers by grade level. Are certain grades under-enrolled compared to others?

• Look at demographics like gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, home location, etc. Are you attracting a diverse student body?

• Compare enrollment to physical capacity. Do you have space for more students?

• See if you can spot trends, for example increasing interest from international students.

Comparing this data year-over-year will reveal if you have a healthy, growing enrollment or if there are warning signs like declining admissions. It also highlights opportunities to focus your recruitment efforts on under-represented demographics or grade levels. Having a data-driven understanding of your current enrollment sets the foundation for setting goals and developing strategies to attract more students.

Set Enrollment Goals

Setting clear enrollment goals is crucial for growing your private school’s student population. When setting goals, consider both your current capacity and your ideal future size.

First, evaluate your existing enrollment. Look at total current students, as well as numbers per grade level. This provides a benchmark to measure growth against.

Next, determine your target enrollment size. Factor in your:

• Total capacity – Classroom space, facilities, maximum students per teacher.

• Optimal student-teacher ratio and class size.

• Financial goals – Tuition revenue needed to cover expenses.

• Resources and staff available. Can they support more students?

Consider your growth strategy as well. Do you want to expand certain grades first, or grow equally across all levels? Setting goals per grade or program will help focus efforts.

With your current enrollment and desired size determined, set specific enrollment goals, such as increasing by 10% year-over-year. Ensure your goals are measurable and achievable within a set timeframe.

Revisit your goals annually. Adjust based on your actual growth to set new targets. Setting and meeting enrollment goals will help systematically grow your student population over time.

Improve Your School’s Reputation and Visibility

A school’s reputation and visibility play a major role in attracting new students. Focus on improving academics, programs, facilities, and school culture/environment.

Academics

• Review curriculum and instruction methods. Are classes engaging and preparing students for future success?

• Provide professional development for teachers to improve classroom techniques.

• Set clear goals for academic achievement and track progress. Communicate achievements to parents and the community.

• Offer honors courses, AP classes, dual enrollment, and other challenges for advanced students.

• Partner with colleges and universities for articulation agreements, dual credit, etc.

Programs

• Survey students and parents on program satisfaction and areas for improvement.

• Expand extracurricular activities and clubs to match student interests.

• Provide diverse arts, music, sports, and service opportunities.

• Showcase student achievements in programs through performances, games, exhibits, etc.

Facilities

• Ensure classrooms, common areas, sports facilities, etc. are modern, clean, and well-maintained.

• Make upgrades like collaborative spaces, tech tools, safety measures, and environmental improvements.

• Accommodate needs for space with new buildings, renovations, reconfigurations.

Culture/Environment

• Promote an inclusive, supportive environment among faculty, staff, and students.

• Implement character education, service learning, peer mentoring, and other initiatives.

• Recognize positive behaviors. Deal with discipline issues appropriately.

• Welcome parent and community involvement through volunteering, events, committees, etc.

Review Your Admissions Process

A clear, user-friendly admissions process can make a big difference in converting prospective students into enrolled students. Take time to review each step of your admissions process through the eyes of parents and students to identify any areas for improvement.

• Make sure you have an admissions page on your website that outlines each step, required documents, deadlines, and fees. Use simple language and bullet points to make it easy to understand.

• Simplify application forms and only ask for essential information. Lengthy, complicated forms can deter applicants.

• Emphasize your school’s strengths like small class sizes, diverse electives, and college prep focus in your messaging. Feature student testimonials.

• Remove barriers like restrictive application deadlines or extra essay requirements. Be flexible on timelines when possible.

• Offer campus tours, open houses, shadow days, and other events for prospective students to experience your school first-hand.

• Provide excellent customer service to applicants and be responsive to questions. Follow up promptly.

• Streamline next steps after admission like enrollment contracts, deposits, orientation. Automate where possible.

By improving your admissions process, you can put your best foot forward and get more students excited about attending your school. Converting inquiries into enrolled students is essential for growing student enrollment numbers.

Offer Need-Based Financial Aid

One of the most effective ways to increase enrollment at a private school is to provide need-based financial aid. Many families want to send their children to private schools but simply cannot afford the often high tuition costs. By offering financial assistance to qualifying families, schools can help make a private education more financially accessible.

There are several types of need-based aid that schools can provide:

• Scholarships: These are awards given to students based on financial need, academic merit, athletic or artistic talent, or other criteria. Scholarships do not need to be repaid. Schools can fundraise or solicit donations to be able to offer more scholarships.

• Grants: Like scholarships, these are funds awarded based on financial need that do not need repayment. Grants help lower the overall tuition bill.

• Tuition discounts: Schools can provide discounted tuition rates to families below a certain income level. This makes the ‘sticker price’ tuition more affordable.

• Payment plans: Offering payment plan options spreads tuition payments out over time, easing the financial burden.

When creating a financial aid program, schools should first research what comparable local private schools offer. Aid should be allocated based on verifiable financial need, using information provided on financial aid applications. The goal is to assist as many qualifying families as possible while staying within the school’s aid budget.

Promoting the availability of financial aid has been proven to significantly increase inquiries and applications. Providing need-based assistance can help private schools fulfill their mission of providing an excellent education to motivated students from all backgrounds.

Highlight Unique Programs and Facilities

One of the most effective ways to increase enrollment at your private school is to highlight specialized programs, facilities, and offerings that set you apart from other schools in your area. Lean into what makes your school unique to get more prospective families excited about enrolling their children.

For example, if your school has an exceptional STEM program, be sure to showcase all that it offers on your website and in marketing materials. Provide details on curriculum, technology, competitions, partnerships, and results. Profile student projects and achievements. Many parents are looking for strong STEM education, so positioning your school as a standout in this area can be a big draw.

Similarly, highlight any performing arts programs, athletics teams, community service initiatives, or other specialized offerings that you excel in. Devote sections of your website to each program area and share photos, videos, testimonials and information on facilities. Promote arts performances, athletic events and other happenings that display your programs in action.

Make sure to call out things that make your campus stand out too. Modern science labs, innovative learning spaces, cutting-edge technology, maker spaces, and other state-of-the-art facilities can differentiate you. Share details, images and virtual tours to give families a window into what makes your school’s physical space unique.

By showcasing stellar specialized programs, standout faculty, advanced facilities and other areas where you shine, you can pique interest in your school and draw more enrollment. Find your niche and promote it heavily to prospective families seeking those opportunities for their children.

Get the Word Out

Getting the word out about your school is crucial for attracting new student enrollments. You need to increase awareness and interest within your target demographics. There are several effective tactics to achieve this:

• Print materials – Well-designed brochures, mailers, posters, fliers, and other print materials can be distributed throughout your community. Make sure to highlight your school’s strengths, values, and offerings. Distribute on bulletin boards, leave copies at local businesses, hand out at events, etc.

• Social media – Maintain active social media accounts for your school, like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Post regularly about school news, events, student and teacher highlights, and more. Utilize hashtags, photos, and videos to engage your audience. Promote enrollment periods.

• Open houses – Host open house events that allow prospective families to tour the campus and facilities. Have staff available to answer questions. Offer light refreshments. Send invites and reminders.

• School tours – Provide private tours for interested families. Let them observe classes, meet teachers/staff, and ask questions. Customize to each family’s interests.

• Info sessions – Hold informational sessions that outline your school’s offerings. Provide curriculum details, explain the admissions process, highlight extracurriculars, and allow for a Q&A.

• Community events – Have a presence at local events like street fairs, festivals, and farmers markets. Set up a booth, hand out materials, and talk to families. Get involved with community organizations and networks.

• Advertising – Consider placing ads in local newspapers, magazines, websites, and on radio stations. Promote open houses and enrollment periods. Target the parents of prospective students.

The key is using multiple outlets to increase exposure. Get creative with grassroots, hands-on marketing. Actively engage families to generate interest and leads.

Leverage Referrals

Encouraging current families and alumni to refer friends and neighbors can be one of the most effective ways to boost enrollment at your private school. Word-of-mouth referrals come with built-in trust, as families are eager to recommend a school they already love to those in their networks.

To leverage referrals:

• Make it easy for current parents to share your school with others. Provide brochures, flyers, social media posts, and text they can forward along.

• Create referral incentives or rewards to motivate families. For example, offer a tuition credit for each new enrollment referred, or hold drawings for prizes.

• Feature testimonials from happy parents and students in your marketing materials. Their authentic recommendations will resonate.

• Maintain relationships with alumni families through newsletters, events, and outreach. They can refer classmates, family, friends and co-workers.

• Provide current families and alumni with updates on new programs, activities, and developments to keep your school top of mind. This gives them news to share.

• Host open houses and prospect events for current families to bring guests to visit your school and experience it firsthand.

• Train admissions staff to ask how prospective families heard about you, to track referrals. Recognize those who referred new families.

Referrals are your best advocates. Keep families engaged, informed and excited about your school, and they’ll eagerly pass along the good word to help drive enrollment.

Partner with Local Organizations

Building relationships with local community organizations like youth sports teams, recreation centers, churches, libraries, and more can be a great way to increase awareness of your school and reach more families. Consider partnering with these types of groups to get the word out about your programs, facilities, and enrollment opportunities.

For example, you could provide flyers or brochures about your school to local youth sports coaches to distribute to families. Offer to host a presentation about your school at community centers, churches, libraries, or other neighborhood hubs. See if you can put up a promotional poster at these facilities, or in their newsletters. Attend games, activities, or events at community organizations and mingle with families to tell them about what your school has to offer.

Developing partnerships with trusted community groups allows you to tap into their existing networks and relationships with families. These organizations often have contact with exactly the types of students and families you want to target. Collaborating provides mutual benefit – they help spread the word about your school, while you provide helpful information and resources to local families.

Make sure to track results of these community partnerships to see which ones drive the most interest and enrollments. Find out how families heard about you, and focus efforts on the most effective partnerships. With some targeted relationship-building, you can leverage the reach of local organizations to get your school in front of more families and students.

Track and Evaluate Results

Continuously measuring the effectiveness of your enrollment efforts is critical to increasing student enrollment over time. Develop clear metrics and goals, then track them on an ongoing basis. Key metrics may include:

• Number of inquiries and applications
• Conversion rates from inquiry to tour, tour to application, and application to enrollment
• Website traffic and engagement
• Social media followers and engagement
• Open house attendance
• Referrals by current families

Analyze trends over time, as well as after specific initiatives like an open house or social media campaign. Look for what efforts deliver the best return on investment.

Survey both prospective and current families on how they heard about your school, what attracted them, and what sealed their decision to enroll. Look for patterns that reveal your most effective marketing channels and recruitment tactics.

Be prepared to regularly adjust your enrollment strategy based on results. Double down on your most successful initiatives, modify those showing mediocre results, and eliminate tactics that don’t yield ROI.

Aim for continuous improvement by tracking data, optimizing efforts, and innovating new ideas. Enrollment growth is an ongoing process, not a one-time initiative. Consistently measure and refine your strategy to maximize student enrollment over the long-term.