Wired to Enroll

Schools spend enormous energy marketing to the rational parent, the one who compares test scores, weighs programs, and decides on the merits. That parent barely exists. Real families choose schools the way humans make every high-stakes decision: emotionally, socially, and on a path that looks nothing like a funnel.

Wired to Enroll brings the research of behavioral science to the world of school admission and marketing. Drawing on twenty-five-plus years in school leadership and enrollment marketing, Trevor Waddington explains why families do what they do at every stage of the search, and what your school can do about it. Every chapter ends with a Put It to Work section: specific actions, from ten-minute fixes to full projects, that meet families where they actually are.

"Whether you lead marketing, admissions, or the whole institution, Wired to Enroll should change how you see the family on the other end of your website at midnight." Rob DiMartino, Finalsite

"With Trevor's trademark humor, extensive experience, compelling research, and practical guidance, Wired to Enroll is both an enjoyable read and an essential resource for anyone responsible for enrollment success." Aubrey Bursch, Easy School Marketing & InspirED Brilliance Awards

Trevor Waddington, M.Ed., is the Founder and Principal of Truth Tree, a digital marketing agency that helps private and independent schools grow enrollment. A former admissions, marketing, and financial aid director, he has sat on both sides of the enrollment table and speaks regularly to schools and school associations worldwide.