Collaborating to Create and Craft a Strong, Data-Driven School Profile for High School Admissions and University Applications
Phillip Wenturine, MFA, University Counselor and AP Coordinator at GEMS Dubai American Academy.
A school’s profile, rightfully so, is one of the most poignant documents that can be held on file for any high school. Always an arm’s length away, this document is often accessed the most, whether it be for the school’s admissions team supporting an incoming family with information about the high school itself, for counselors helping a student on an application to college, or for universities to get a better understanding of where an applicant went to high school and in what context of rigor was the student’s chosen curriculum.
While this document may seem straightforward to create, simply giving context to a school, summarizing its history and vision along with contact information and a few photos, it is truly much more than that. This document has numerous purposes, both on the high school side as well as the university side when it comes to student’s future applications. Furthermore, it’s important for a school to want to stand out! The profile should be explanative, data-centered, and most importantly, engaging. The high school profile is the backbone of a school, giving voice not just to the school itself, but its students as a whole.
So, what exactly should be incorporated when crafting a school profile?
Whether starting from scratch at a newer school or working to revamp a school profile at an established school, there are many things to consider. It’s salient that the profile has a true voice, expressing and explaining the mission and vision of the school. What does the school value? What does it stand for? What beliefs are pivotal to the daily operations, and what is the collective purpose staff and educators are pushing students towards? This, along with the history and setting of the school, should be one of the first elements elaborated on the profile.
Utilizing data in the school profile
At the core of the profile should always be data, and that data can take many formats: incorporation of scores, such as PSAT, SAT, AP, IB, etc., that students have taken on campus and that the school has access to, language of instruction and curriculum offered at the school, whether it be A-levels, International Baccalaureate (IBDP, IBCP) US Diploma Course, Honors Courses, Advanced Placement Courses, a blend of curriculums, etc., along with student population and university matriculation data (the diversity on the high school campus, what percent of students apply to 2-year and 4-year universities, what countries do students come from and what regions do they tend to study post-graduation).
Example: Alice Smith School
When possible, this information should accompany or take place in the form of various charts, graphics, and other visual elements so it’s easy for students, parents, and universities alike to access and understand. This helps explain the context of rigor that the student has access to so universities can compare it to their schedule and assess their level of challenge; it also can help demonstrate school performance, for example, if an AP Score data chart explains scores in comparison to other schools locally as well as globally.
Lastly, towards the end of the school profile should be a comprehensive list of where students were accepted and matriculate for university, highlighting alumni acceptances (perhaps having a key where out of all the universities listed where students were accepted, ones in attendance are either bolder or with an asterisk). In this format, the school is speaking to its history, its current purpose, as well as alluding to student’s future pathways.
Other vital information about the school & its curriculum
Other—smaller—pieces of information that are equally as important should not be overlooked or left out. Clearly labeled contact information of both the administration team and the high school counselors should be included, perhaps with adjoining headshots if there is room. Universities especially need to know the counselor contact information if any details of a prospective student application are in question.
Now, due to the pandemic, many universities are also keen to gain a glimpse of a school’s COVID-19 strategies and history, especially for universities in Korea and Southeast Asia. For example, was a school completely online, and if so, was there synchronous or asynchronous learning, or perhaps a mix? Was the school hybrid? Was there a mix of in-person days and online days, a rotation, etc.? Were there any changes to the school calendar or grading system? While this may seem a bit off-character, it’s important to include a small reference to this.
Another strategic element to note is if the school has a university application cap, where—for example—students are limited in their number of applications for university (quality over quantity), such a statement is exclaimed as universities may take this into account; such a claim reminds universities that any application from this school is one that is well-thought out and intended versus a mere number, so it gives a bit of weight and prestige to the school and application itself.
Example: Oasis International School – Kuala Lumpur
Other important information not to be left out is the school’s affiliations, CEEB code, and grading scale, as this may differ from one school to another.
Formatting & designing your school profile
When it comes to formatting, there is a delicate balance of including as much pertinent data and telling a detailed story juxtaposed with the idea that less is more. It’s important to have the right information that tells a story of the school itself coupled with a design and length that lends itself to a quick read. Just as universities may only spend 2-3 minutes on a student’s essay in their university application, this is perhaps the same amount spent when glimpsing at a school profile at first glance, for both a prospective family as well as a university admissions officer. For length, typically 2-3 pages is realistic; a front and back one-pager is clean, quick, and professional, while something that is three pages is not too lengthy for a digital PDF and can easily be formatted into a foldable, brochure, or pamphlet.
Example: Renaissance International School
Having a variety of versions that can be easily transformed for different audiences (print for in-person families, digital for universities—which can also be condensed with the use of hyperlinks that jump to more detailed pages) with a format that is easy to read (front and back or foldable for in person discussions, a trifold brochure for quick takeaways or recruitment fairs) is key and something that should not be overlooked. A nice touch for something that is 3 pages in length may be having either the front of back cover showcasing a collage of photos of both the campus and the student body, adding additional information without the barrage of extra reading material, but something that gives life to the story of the school and the overall sense of community.
Collaboration in creating the perfect school profile
Collaboration is truly critical when it comes to making sure the information is cohesive, correct, and consistent across all departments. All relevant persons, such as the head of school, principals, counselors, anyone who works on data (data specialist, IB coordinator, AP coordinator, perhaps even the director of admissions) should meet to discuss the various elements of the profile that each has key knowledge of and can collectively contribute to ensure it is not just unique to the school, but that the information is uniform and in agreement: everyone should share their voice in order to give the school itself a voice, making a two dimensional piece of paper come to life with a story.
This is a document that should be revisited each year as that story evolves and changes. As far as a timeline is considered, meetings should be scheduled periodically throughout the year to discuss data as it rolls out, especially towards the end of the school year as information comes in (university acceptances, PSAT and SAT scores) so that over summer any edits can be made. Then, in early fall, once last pieces of data have been published from the prior school year, the upkeep can be managed easily, edits added, and a final look through can be taken before being sent off for printing. Ultimately, this is a document that everyone in the school should be proud of.
Example: GEMS Dubai American Academy
Overall, this document is a summation of the school itself: what it stands for, what it believes in, who it hopes to shape students into for their futures, and is a record of its accomplishments. Of course, it’s also a quick chance to brag visually about what the school can provide through photos of students with smiling faces, engaged in a classroom or on a field trip, or through strategic colors, graphics, and informational charts grabbing the attention of university acceptances and scholarships awarded.
It helps both a prospective family and university alike understand the school’s rigor, their diversity, their understanding of global perspectives, and more. It has to be eye-catching but equally as authentic to the core of the school. The school profile is what can not only draw in a prospective family for enrollment to the high school, but also what can attract a university when analyzing a student’s application in the context of their studies.
That is why such a simple piece of paper is indeed quite important and should be given careful consideration amongst all relevant persons before publication.
Author
Phillip Wenturine, a Fulbright Scholar, is a university counselor and AP coordinator at GEMS Dubai American Academy, the number-one-rated school in Dubai for 2021-2022. He has been working in education for a decade as a teacher, administrator, and university counselor across the USA, China, Portugal, and Vietnam, before moving to the UAE. When he is not working with students, he is traveling the globe, just visiting his 55th country. He hopes to keep traveling the world and supporting students along the way for many years to come.
