What Does an Enrollment Surge Really Look Like?

What does it really take to spark a game-changing surge in enrollment?
Spoiler: It’s not what’s happening in most schools.

Too often, enrollment growth (or decline) unfolds slowly, incrementally — sometimes even haphazardly. But every once in a while, a school catches lightning in a bottle and experiences a dramatic, future-altering upward swing.

I’ve been fortunate to see this happen twice in my career. Here’s what I learned:

✅ It starts when leadership listens to the community — then creates unique-to-market, mission-aligned programs that deliver clear ROI for families.
✅ Admission, communications, and marketing teams roll out those programs with carefully coordinated, multi-channel plans involving every school leader.
✅ The Head of School and CFO commit to spending strategically to drive growth.
✅ Leaders move beyond the “we’re all part of the enrollment team” mindset to active, hands-on engagement.
✅ Admission teams adopt a “failure is not an option” mindset — and bring the talent and tenacity to back it up.

At the heart of these breakthrough moments?
A full embrace of the principles of Strategic Enrollment Management.

As the new school year begins, it’s worth asking:
Does your school truly understand — and fully embrace — strategic enrollment management?

If the answer isn’t a confident yes, you may have just uncovered your next big growth opportunity.