Dear Ursuline Families, 

In between 8th grade visits, prospective family coffees, high school fairs, campus tours, and the many other activities that make admission season so rewarding, I found time last week to participate in an Independent School Management webinar titled Admission Research Revealed: How Families Choose Your School. This presentation explored where parent and student priorities diverge across grade levels when selecting a school and how schools can better connect with families during the admission process. 

Ursuline Academy is incredibly blessed each admission season. The percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll is rarely a concern for us and has not been during my four years as Director of Admission and Enrollment Management. Still, I am always curious about how families make this important decision, particularly how student preferences begin to outweigh parent priorities during the high school admission process. Understanding that shift helps us consider how we can continue to strengthen our marketing and recruitment efforts while remaining authentic to who we are.

The webinar data reinforced something we regularly observe: students are significantly more influential in choosing their school at the high school level. However, I was even more struck by a secondary and perhaps more meaningful finding: current parents are among the most trusted and effective sources of information about a school. In many ways, current families are a school’s most powerful marketing resource.

In many ways, current families are a school’s most powerful marketing resource.

That message resonated deeply because I frequently hear prospective families say they first discovered Ursuline through neighbors, friends, or members of their current school community whose daughters attend or have graduated from Ursuline. These personal stories offer something no brochure, advertisement, or presentation can replicate: a genuine account of what it means to be part of the Ursuline community.

I know that much of the success we experience in admission begins with the extraordinary work of our teachers, counselors, administrators, and staff. They build meaningful relationships with our students, encourage their growth, and create the academic and personal experiences that distinguish an Ursuline education. Just as importantly, that work is celebrated and shared by our current families.

You tell others about the connections your daughters have with their teachers and advisors. You share the remarkable range of courses and opportunities available to them throughout high school. You speak about the friendships they form, the confidence they develop, and the rich traditions and legacy they are proud to carry forward. Through these authentic conversations, you help other families understand not only what Ursuline offers, but also who we are and what we value. 

...you help other families understand not only what Ursuline offers, but also who we are and what we value.

As the research emphasized, schools must support and encourage current families to share their experiences and communicate their school’s ethos within their communities in positive and genuine ways. Fortunately, Ursuline families already do this so beautifully.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for being our greatest cheerleaders, storytellers, and recruiters. The data confirms what we have long known: you are essential to Ursuline’s continued success, and your daughters remain at the heart of all we do. 

With gratitude, 

Jessica Bailey ’99 
Director of Admission and Enrollment Management 
Ursuline Academy of Dallas