Director of Admission CHOATE ROSEMARY HALL

Director of Admission
CHOATE ROSEMARY HALL
WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT
Founded in 1890, Choate Rosemary Hall is an internationally renowned independent boarding and day school
serving intellectually gifted and motivated students whose commitment to serious study is enhanced in an
academically challenging and personally supportive setting. Choate’s innovative curriculum includes six Signature
Programs that offer unparalleled opportunities for immersive study and research.
Choate’s 868 students – 643 of whom are boarding – come from 40 states and 45 countries this year; 31 percent are
students of color, and 18 percent are international students.
Choate experienced record demand this year, receiving
nearly 2,100 applications. For the past several years, the
school has admitted approximately 20 percent of
applicants, with a typical yield of more than 60 percent.
The Director of Admission oversees a talented team of
11 admission officers and seven support staff.
To lead this fast-paced office beginning in July 2016,
Choate is seeking a forward-looking, visionary, and
collaborative leader who possesses exceptional
entrepreneurial, strategic, and analytic skills; superb
interpersonal qualities; and the commitment to
excellence that characterizes Choate Rosemary Hall.
Acting on behalf of Choate, Wickenden Associates is
actively recruiting highly experienced admissions
professionals for this premier independent school
leadership opportunity.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: ASAP AND NO LATER THAN JANUARY 29, 2016
VITAL STATISTICS
FOUNDED:
1890
ENDOWMENT:
LOCATION: 458-acre
campus midway between Hartford
and New Haven, CT
TUITION AND FEES, 2015-16:
Boarding: $54,450
Day: $42,080
ENROLLMENT, 2015-16: 868
Boarding: 643 (321 boys, 322 girls)
Day: 225 (119 boys, 106 girls)
STUDENTS OF COLOR:
FINANCIAL AID: $11.3
million to 32% of student body
ACCREDITATION: New
31%
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS:
$357 million
England Association of Schools and
Colleges
18%
MEMBER: National
Association of Independent Schools,
The Association of Boarding Schools, Eight Schools
Association, Ten Schools Admissions Organization,
Association of Independent School Admission
Professionals
FACULTY AND STAFF: 300+
AVERAGE CLASS SIZE: 12
STUDENT/FACULTY RATIO: 6:1
ON THE WEB: www.choate.edu
OPERATING BUDGET, 2015-16: $57.2
million
ABOUT CHOATE ROSEMARY HALL
2015 marks the 125th year of Choate Rosemary Hall, which traces its
roots to the fall of 1890, when Mary Atwater Choate opened the
doors of Rosemary Hall to young girls. Five years later, the Choate
School was established by Judge William Choate. The two schools
formally merged during the 1970s, creating a coeducational
institution that ranks among the nation’s premier independent
schools.
Choate provides students with transformative and meaningful
experiences that instill lifelong habits of learning, leadership, and
service, shaped by innovative and passionate educators. Teaching
faculty at Choate are innovative, collaborative, and committed to students’ intellectual, social, emotional, and character
development. Choate is known for its rigorous academic program and the breadth and depth of its curriculum.
Whatever their interests, Choate students find challenge and support in the academic program and the faculty who
teach and mentor them.
Building upon its long history as a demonstrated leader in education, Choate has moved with confidence into the 21st
century, integrating innovation with its traditional strengths. Since joining the Choate community five years ago as
Headmaster, Dr. Alex Curtis has shepherded a number of initiatives including the full adoption of a one-to-one iPad
program, a campus master plan, a task force on community, and a strategic planning process that culminated in 2013
with the adoption of the school’s first strategic plan in 20 years. The next Director of Admission will play a vital role in
Choate’s continuing growth and development.
THE STUDENT BODY
Choate enrolls a talented and diverse student body drawn from throughout the United States and the world. Steppedup outreach efforts last year by the Admission Office reaped impressive dividends, leading to record application
levels, including a 10 percent increase overall with gains in both domestic and international boarding applications.
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International students this year hail from 45 countries, with the largest representations from China, Thailand, Japan,
Europe, and, increasingly, Africa.
Committed to offering access to students who could not otherwise afford the Choate experience, the school invests
more than $10 million a year to support about one-third of the student body. A number of endowed Signature
Scholarship Programs (http:/www.choate.edu/page.cfm?p=534) support that effort. The Icahn Scholars Program, for
example, fully funds eight to 10 students for each entering class, targeting talented and hardworking students whose
families qualify for significant tuition assistance. Choate also maintains strong partnerships with various scholarship
and access programs that work to identify and prepare highly motivated students.
Choate students are an able, motivated, and hardworking group. The 237-member Class of 2015 included two
National Merit Scholarship winners, eight Finalists, nine Semifinalists, and 32 Commended Students. Eight students
were recognized through the National Achievement Scholarship Program and two by the National Hispanic
Recognition Program. Mean SAT scores for that class were 660 Critical Reading, 677 Math, and 669 Writing. The Mean
Composite ACT score was 29.6. A total of 664 AP exams were taken by 165 members of the Class of 2015; 83 percent of
the exams received scores of 4 or 5, with 97 percent earning scores of 3 or higher.
Choate graduates regularly enroll in and succeed at the nation’s most selective colleges and universities. In the past
five years, five or more Choate alumni have enrolled in the following:
American University (13)
Amherst College (22)
Babson College (8)
Barnard College (18)
Bates College (11)
Boston College (28)
Boston University (25)
Bowdoin College (9)
Brown University (29)
Bucknell University (9)
Carnegie Mellon University (14)
Claremont McKenna College (7)
Colby College (12)
Colgate University (6)
College of the Holy Cross (6)
College of William and Mary (4)
Colorado College (8)
Columbia University (41)
Connecticut College (20)
Cornell University (24)
Dartmouth College (10)
Dickinson College (6)
Duke University (13)
Elon University (8)
Emory University (10)
Franklin and Marshall College (7)
George Washington University (35)
Georgetown University (33)
Gettysburg College (5)
Hamilton College - NY (13)
Harvard University (16)
Johns Hopkins University (13)
Lafayette College (7)
Lehigh University (17)
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (10)
McGill University (8)
Middlebury College (17)
New York University (53)
Northeastern University (10)
Northwestern University (18)
Oberlin College (11)
Pomona College (5)
Princeton University (15)
Quinnipiac University (5)
Skidmore College (8)
Smith College (5)
Southern Methodist University (9)
St. Lawrence University (8)
Stanford University (14)
Syracuse University (8)
Trinity College (19)
Tufts University (24)
Tulane University (13)
Union College (6)
University of California, Berkeley
(6)
University of California, Los
Angeles (6)
University of Chicago (20)
University of Connecticut (10)
University of Miami (7)
University of Michigan (11)
University of Pennsylvania (17)
University of Richmond (7)
University of Southern California
(14)
University of St. Andrews (9)
University of Virginia (13)
Vanderbilt University (8)
Villanova University (9)
Washington and Lee University (5)
Washington University in St. Louis
(16)
Wellesley College (7)
Wesleyan University (23)
Williams College (15)
Yale University (42)
CAMPUS AND FACILITIES
The Choate campus is located in the heart of Wallingford, Connecticut, a small town midway between Boston and New
York that is easily accessible by highway, air, and Amtrak. Nestled on 458 wooded acres, this vibrant and active
community provides a world-class academic environment in addition to a variety of recreational facilities. More than
120 buildings dot the stunning campus. Noteworthy facilities include:

The Cameron and Edward Lanphier Center for Mathematics and
Computer Science, which consists of two classroom wings joined
by a glass connector. Dedicated last spring, the Center is designed
to support hands-on learning, collaboration, and creativity across a
wide scope of academic inquiry. It houses Choate’s first purposebuilt design thinking lab and connects via a footbridge to the threestory Carl C. Icahn Center for Science, which was designed by
award-winning architect I. M. Pei.
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
The Paul Mellon Arts Center, also designed by I. M. Pei, which features a curved-glass gallery, a 770-seat
theater, and a smaller experimental theater, as well as studios, classrooms, practice rooms, and a recital hall. The
building is home to the Wallingford Symphony Orchestra and the Choate orchestra.

The Kohler Environmental Center, a leading-edge environmental
research and education facility, which is located just east of the main
campus. Completed in 2012, it includes three working laboratories
designed to support the environmentally focused interdisciplinary
academic program. The LEED Platinum-certified facility also is home
to two faculty members and their families, and houses up to 20
students who participate in some manner in Choate's signature
Environmental Immersion Program.

Archbold (pictured on the front page), an iconic Choate building that is home to the Headmaster’s Office, a
girls’ dorm, and, currently, the Admission Office. With a new student center now under construction, the
Admission Office is projected to move to the current Student Activities Center. The next Director will have the
opportunity to participate in the planning and design of the new space.
The excellent athletic facilities include the Worthington Johnson Athletic Center, which houses two basketball courts;
international squash courts; a fitness center; wrestling room; three courts which can be used for tennis or volleyball; a
suspended 1/10 mile indoor track; and an ergometric training room for crew. Shanahan Field is a multi-field, multi-sport
athletic complex boasting two turf fields, stadium seating, and lights. Student athletes are also well served by the Hunt
Tennis Center, the Larry Hart Pool, the William C.S. Remsen Arena and Hockey Rink, and the Bruce '45 and Lueza Gelb
Track, a new 8-lane synthetic running track enclosing a natural grass infield. Additional athletic fields are located
throughout the campus, which also includes a cross country course and the Sylvester Boathouse on Lake Quonnipaug.
Boarding students live in 27 residential facilities ranging from large dormitories to small houses. More than 90 percent
of the faculty and administration live on campus, occupying more than 60 single-family homes and multi-family units.
Housing will be provided for the Director of Admission.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
A leader in curricular innovation, Choate works continuously to
provide the best possible educational environment and experience for
both students and faculty. The rich, diverse, and demanding academic
program includes 300 courses across six academic departments,
offering Honors sections in all disciplines, Advanced Placement
courses in 27 areas, and a wide variety of enriching and stimulating
electives. Choate is committed to using technology thoughtfully to
enhance teaching and learning both in and out of the classroom.
Whether leveraging the flipped classroom model, teaching online
courses, or participating in multi-school collaborative efforts to explore educational issues both locally and globally,
faculty members actively engage in curricular initiatives to maximize student engagement and improve learning.
Six Signature Programs offer Choate students opportunities rarely found in secondary schools to immerse themselves
in rigorous and sustained academic experiences. The Signature Programs include:

Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies. Established in 2010 and unique among American secondary schools, the
AMES program offers students a working knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic, supported by guided study
of the history, art, culture, and architecture of the classical Arab world and of the history and politics of today’s
Middle East.
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
Arts Concentration. For students who are passionate about the arts and demonstrate a sustained commitment
to their artistic development, the Arts Concentration enables them to do so within a rigorous academic program.
Schedules are individually crafted to enable students to concentrate their studies in music, dance, theater, or
visual arts.

Capstone Program. Under the guidance of a faculty adviser, selected sixth form (senior) students undertake
advanced coursework in an area of academic study and complete independent work that includes both creative
and interdisciplinary elements, culminating in a capstone public presentation.

Environmental Immersion Program. A year-long intensive academic experience that teaches ecological literacy
within an honors interdisciplinary curriculum, EIP is housed in the Kohler Environmental Center, a teaching,
research, and residential facility unique in U.S. secondary education. Situated on 266 acres of varied habitats,
the facility offers a living laboratory in which students strive to live sustainably while developing environmental
leadership skills.

Science Research Program. Offered since 2003, SRP provides motivated and independent science students the
opportunity to practice true laboratory science under the guidance of mentor scientists at their university (or
occasionally private-sector) laboratories. In the past five years, 12 Choate students, most of whom participated
in SRP, have been named Semifinalists in the Siemens Competition and six in the Intel Science Talent Search
Competition, with several moving on to finalist rounds.

Study Abroad. Choate offers an array of academic study abroad programs, including full-term immersion
experiences in China, France, Jordan, Spain, and Rome.
THE ARTS
Beginning with a graduation requirement that every student take three term
courses in at least two of the disciplines of music, theater, dance, and the visual
arts, Choate students are guided to an appreciation of the arts as an essential
element of education and life. In addition to the extensive course offerings and
the Arts Concentration Program, students participate in recitals, concerts,
gallery exhibitions, and elaborate stage performances. The Choate faculty are
working artists, and students also interact with professional artists, musicians,
and dancers in workshops and master classes. Music students may take lessons
with teachers from Yale, Wesleyan, and Hartt School of Music.
Through the Student Activities Center, students engage in a host of arts-related activities. Examples include Friday
evening Music Jam Sessions, a Hip Hop Club, groups for slam poets and rappers, an improv group, and photography
and video clubs.
ATHLETICS
Long renowned for the breadth and quality of its academic and arts programs,
Choate is increasingly attracting students interested in excellent athletics as
well. Offering 81 interscholastic teams in 32 sports – varsity, junior varsity, and
thirds – along with intramural and dorm teams, the school accommodates a
broad range of student athletes from the superstars to those who want to try a
sport for the first time. Choate students participate in athletics or another
approved activity in all three terms.
The Wild Boars compete in the Founders League, composed of 11 independent
schools based primarily in Connecticut, and in the new Five Schools League. Conference affiliations include the Western
New England Preparatory School Athletic Association and District IV of the New England Preparatory School Athletic
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Council. Fall sports include regatta crew, cross country, field hockey, football, soccer, girls volleyball, and water polo.
In the winter, students compete in archery, basketball, diving, ice hockey, squash, swimming, and wrestling. Spring
offerings include baseball, crew, golf, lacrosse, sailing, softball, tennis, track and field, ultimate, boys volleyball, and
water polo.
STUDENT LIFE
Choate students also pursue their interests and passions through a myriad of
academic and non-academic special interest organizations and clubs.
Residential life activities are a key component of the educational experience for
boarding students, and day students are active and fully integrated members
of the campus community. For both boarding and day students, prefects offer
mentoring and guidance. Other leadership opportunities include Student
Council, Judicial Committee, Peer Educators, and Conservation Proctors,
among others. Every term, more than half of Choate students participate in
community service activities in the greater Wallingford area.
Affirming the multi-faith nature of society and the school, Choate supports students from all spiritual traditions while
fostering dialogue. The Director of Spiritual Life, visiting chaplains, and faculty advisers in Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim,
Protestant, and Roman Catholic traditions offer weekly services and guide students in a variety of religious expressions.
THE ADMISSION OFFICE
The Choate Admission Office is a highly professional enterprise distinctive for its size and pace. The office has been
superbly led for more than two decades by Ray Diffley, a highly regarded leader in the admissions field who will depart
Choate in the summer of 2016 to become the first Director of the Association of Independent School Admission
Professionals' Center for Admission and Enrollment Management Leadership.
The Director leads an 18-member team (11 admission officers and seven support staff) that is both dedicated and
productive. Six of the admission officers and the Director travel frequently. A recent expansion of the staff has energized
the office with new faces and expanded capabilities. In addition, the office works collaboratively with the offices of
strategic planning and communications, financial aid, and college counseling, as well as with those in academics,
athletics, and the arts. Reporting to the Headmaster and the Associate Head, the Director of Admission also works with
the Board of Trustees on strategic initiatives.
The office uses Hobsons software to manage applications and last year joined Gateway to Prep Schools, an online
common application system. Unique to the Choate process is a 40-question character assessment that is used to measure
such qualities as confidence, resilience, and perseverance in ways that traditional standardized test scores cannot.
Though already more data-oriented than many admission offices, the Choate staff eagerly anticipates the upcoming
addition to the administration of a Director of Institutional Research, who will be tasked with providing data to the
school’s leadership in support of strategic, evidence-based decision making.
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Choate’s next Director of Admission will inherit a top-flight office at a particularly exciting time in the evolution of the
school. Headmaster Alex Curtis and his talented senior administrative team are providing visionary leadership and
promoting healthy change that has been well received. Guided by a Strategic Plan adopted in June 2013, Choate is
moving forward aggressively to broaden the school’s impact and outreach. Focused around the themes of Cohesion and
Culture, Teaching and Learning, Enrollment and Student Outcomes, and Communication and Outreach, many of the
plan’s initiatives fall squarely under the purview of the Director of Admission. (Learn more about the Strategic Plan
here: http://www.choate.edu/page.cfm?p=515)
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Priorities awaiting the next Director include the following:

Clearly defining the roles of the Senior Associate and Associate Directors, with a goal of freeing the Director to
step away from the daily operation of the office to focus more intently on strategic and marketing initiatives.

Expanding the initiatives already well under way to broaden Choate’s visibility in existing and new markets,
both in the U.S. and internationally.

Bringing fresh insights and new approaches to the process by which the office tracks applications, winnows
files, and selects the students who will be offered admission. With more than 2,100 applications to consider, the
need to efficiently employ technology and staff time is more pressing than ever.

Working collaboratively with the Director of Financial Aid to accomplish Choate’s strategic goal of optimizing
enrollment and access.
THE POSITION: DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION
The Director of Admission is a Senior Officer of the school, occupying a 46-week administrative faculty position and reporting to
the Headmaster and Associate Headmaster. The Director must galvanize a school-wide admission effort toward strategic enrollment
goals that are in line with the School's mission. The Director must lead a team that is as devoted as it is talented. The Director
supervises both admission officers and staff, and works closely with the Director of Financial Aid to ensure good use of the School's
significant financial aid resources.
To fulfill these responsibilities, the Director:

Develops, executes, and assesses all Admission Office policies and procedures, strategies, and goals, including travel,
recruitment, and enrollment strategies.

Manages and participates in recruitment and admission efforts.

With appropriate others, oversees the development of a marketing and promotional strategy that effectively relays the
School's mission to prospective families and other constituencies.

Ensures the Admission Office represents the School in the best possible fashion to prospective applicants, using feedback to
inform the selection process to maximize future success.

Works with others at the School to shepherd applicants in an appropriate manner through the admission process, including
establishing feedback loops for academics, arts, and athletics, and caring appropriately for legacy candidates.

Is a presence on the national and international stage for independent secondary school admission.

Oversees the preparation of reports and analyses for the Headmaster, Board of Trustees, and others as needed.

Supervises, manages, trains, recruits, hires, and evaluates Admission Office personnel.

Manage the Admission operating budget.
The Director has supervision of the following staff:

11 Admission Officers

7 Support staff
The Director is a member of the following committees and organizations:

Financial Aid Committee

Finance Committee (Board of Trustees)

Admission, College Counseling, and Strategic Marketing Committee (Board of Trustees)

TSAO (Ten Schools Admission Organization)

AISAP (Association of Independent School Admission Professionals)
The Director takes on other duties as assigned by the Headmaster or Associate Headmaster.
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QUALITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS
For the key position of Director of Admission, Choate is seeking a forward-looking, visionary leader possessing
entrepreneurial, strategic, and analytic skills. Important qualities include integrity, intellectual curiosity, a sense of
humor, strong interpersonal and communication skills, technological savvy, a collaborative work style, and a
commitment to excellence.
QUALIFICATIONS
Ideally, candidates will have:

Extensive experience in admissions at a supervisory level, ideally including work in a residential community.

Demonstrated ability to manage a fast-paced, high-volume admission operation by establishing efficient
protocols, defining clear lines of responsibility, and using technology effectively; a systems person.

A strategic, outward-facing orientation to the position; a leader who is eager to market the school in creative
collaboration with Choate’s communications professionals and through domestic and international travel.
QUALITIE S
Choate is seeking a Director who:

Inspires, motivates, and demonstrates respect and care for colleagues.

Is comfortable in his or her own skin, not easily flustered, and adept at handling different personalities.

Thrives in the boarding school environment and who is eager to engage fully with the school community.

Enjoys being the public face of the school; a good storyteller with charisma.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESS
Wickenden Associates is actively recruiting highly experienced candidates for this premier opportunity. Compensation
will be highly competitive, and housing is included.
Prospective applicants should contact lead consultants Linda Knights (lknights@wickenden.com) or Laura Hansen
(lhansen@wickenden.com) immediately at (609) 683-1355 to discuss the opportunity and the process in more detail.
As soon as possible and no later than Friday, January 29, 2016, applicants should submit, via email attachment to
searches@wickenden.com, the following:

A cover letter indicating why they are particularly interested in and qualified for the position.

A current résumé.

Other supporting material (e.g. samples of student recommendations, speeches, articles, or other publications) that would
provide insights about communication skills and approaches to admissions.

The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references. (We will obtain permission from candidates before
contacting references.)
Applications will be reviewed as they arrive, and interviews are being scheduled promptly with promising candidates.
Wickenden Associates will keep all candidates informed of their status throughout the process.
1000 Herrontown Road, Princeton, New Jersey 08540-7716
Web: www.wickenden.com
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Tel: (609) 683-1355
Fax: (609) 683-1351
Email: searches@wickenden.com