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Apr 9, 2020

Admissions in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic [Blogpost 118]



John F. Kennedy’s quote “The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis’. One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger – but recognize the opportunity” is one that has, over the last few days, been circulating on-line. While researching the provenance of this quote, I came across various articles, including this one by Steve Nguyen, In Chinese: Crisis does not mean Danger and Opportunity. Whilst the initial understanding of the characters has been proven to be inaccurate, the sentiment regarding the inherent opportunity seems apt.


As we live (learn to live) with the restrictions implemented by the Covid-19 pandemic, I can not but think of the The IB Learner Profile description of a risk-taker, “We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change”. By learning (having to learn) to live, work, function outside of our comfort zone during these unusual times, we all are demonstrating resourcefulness and resilience. While the Who do I want to be during Covid-19? image (source unknown) below is focussed on individuals on a personal basis, I do feel it also has application to professional settings.


As our Admissions Office heads - in preparation for the 2020/2021 school year - into one of our major busy periods, two examples in the growth zone stand out: “live in the present and focus on the future” and “look for a way to adapt to new changes.” Some examples thereof are:

  • In response to the announcement of a pandemic, there is a sudden deluge of Professional Development opportunities/webinars related to (amongst many other subjects) admissions. The recent OpenApply webinar entitled, Admissions Helping Admissions: A Conversation About Enrolment Strategies, was outstanding in terms of practicalities. This was, no doubt, in part due to it being facilitated by colleagues working in China and Vietnam who - having had almost two months of lockdowns - shared personal experiences of and helpful hints for operating an admissions office virtually.


  • In lieu of an on-site tour, opportunities to view learning in action, meet with members of our school community, and have a palpable sense of the school community at large and the values for which we stand, we are now scheduling appointments for virtual tours of the school. Just like on-campus tours, these are scheduled at a mutually convenient time and tailored to the family as we show 360 photos of the school, share information about the programmes we offer and answer questions accordingly.


  • Instead of on-site admissions appointments, we now administer assessments on-line. In the past, we have offered remote testing (whereby the family would arrange for a teacher at the current school to invigilate). While it is certainly preferable (for both the prospective family and the school) to meet in person, sometimes it is not possible and thus being able to use Zoom, Google Hangouts/Google Meets to administer the assessments and make observations is proving ideal.


  • When meeting with prospective families and in line with our notion of providing a personalized and smooth process for all families from initial enquiry to enrollment and beyond, we focus on the whole child (academic, social emotional etc.,.) and support the family’s move by addressing a whole range of topics including the emotions (both excitement, nervousness and everything in between) as a result of moving, the transition process in general, curriculum, EAL programmes, our vision, our mission, our values, and - especially recently - the personal safety measures in place. As raised by Willows in his blogpost, Why Virtual Admissions is More Than a Virtual Tour, “This really is a time for virtual admissions to become unprecedented expressions of institutional kindness.”



Currently, I find myself planning not just the usual day to day, but constantly (in the absence of not knowing how long this lockdown will last) revising short term and long term plans. As we continue to (i) reflect on previous practices, (ii) look to changing practices for the betterment/efficiency during this time of closure and (iii) consider how we can adjust practice in the future in light of what is learned during the time, these two quotes (recently shared by a colleague) come to mind:


  • "A crisis increases your focus and helps you eliminate things that are not a priority." ~ John Maxwell and

  • "In the rush to return to normal, use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to." ~ Dave Hollis


With regard to the examples shared above, I envisage us incorporating into our day to day practice virtual tours and on-line assessments to our prospective families, even when no longer working remotely. I imagine our practice evolving further as we look back at this time and reflect.

Stay safe, stay well!



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