Please join us in welcoming Ari Betof and Sarah Enterline of Mission & Data to the show! Ari is Co-Founder and Partner, and Sarah serves as Research and Data Practice Lead. Mission & Data, E3n's strategic data partner, helps educational institutions and other mission-driven organizations strengthen their effectiveness, health, and long-term vitality through strategy consulting, custom data products, strategic planning, and governance consulting. Ari and Sarah played an instrumental role in the data collection, analysis, and development of E3n's fifth annual flagship special report, The 2026 State of the Independent School Enrollment Industry Report (SOTI), available now. In Part I of this episode, they join us to explore the findings and insights shaping the current state of independent school enrollment.

E3n Full members can access the full report, The 2026 State of the Independent School Enrollment Industry (SOTI), and dig deeper into the results on the accompanying data dashboard by logging into E3n's Community: community.E3n.org.

In this episode, I am joined by my special co-host for this mini-series, Ari Betof, Co-Founder and Partner of Mission & Data, along with Randie Benedict, Associate Head of School for Enrollment Management at St. Anne's-Belfield School, and Lisa Ha, Chief Communications Officer at St. Anne's-Belfield School. Together, we explore how independent schools can move from insight to action by using data from E3n's (EMA+ERB) perceived value and affordability data to refine the admission experience and strengthen mission-aligned enrollment strategy. Drawing on real-world practices at St. Anne's-Belfield School, this conversation examines how enrollment, marketing, and academic leadership teams can work together to create intentional, authentic experiences for prospective families across all divisions.

Listeners will hear how data from surveys, focus groups, student outcomes, and industry research can help schools identify the stories they most need families to hear, what Randie Benedict refers to as St. Anne's-Belfield School's "must-air facts," and how those messages can evolve.

The episode also explores how schools can balance what families say they value with what their behaviors actually reveal, how student ambassadors and parent conversations generate meaningful enrollment insights, and why building strong internal collaboration between enrollment and marketing teams is essential for long-term success.
From understanding family motivations to refining tours, viewbooks, and messaging strategies, this episode offers practical examples of how schools can use actionable data to create more connected, compelling, and mission-centered admission experiences.