By Diane Pizarro

Spring is admission season at Punahou School. It's a yearly ritual for those in the admission department at Punahou, but a pivotal moment in the lives of many families.

Despite an economic downturn, demand remains strong for admission to Punahou. This year, 2,250 applicants applied for 450 spaces in K - 12, near five-year averages. For those entering grades 6 - 12, the long wait ended March 25, when their decision letters were mailed. The remaining applicants to grades K - 5 still brace for either "the big manila envelope" signaling acceptance, a letter indicating that they qualified for the wait pool or a letter of regret on April 23. Some 625 of those applicants are waiting eagerly to know if their child will be among the first 150 kindergarteners in the new Omidyar K-1 Neighborhood.

As families prepare for the next phase in their child's education, the Punahou Bulletin sat down with Director of Admission Betsy Hata to get a better understanding of the admission process.

What is Punahou looking for in a child?
We're not looking for anything specific because we're looking at the total child. It's not all about test scores. It's a combination: the school performance; the test scores; how that school performance correlates with the test scores. For grades 6 - 12, we like to see that students are involved in other activities in addition to their academic responsibilities. We're also looking at their character, citizenship, personality, and how they get along with other kids. We're looking for diversity, both economic and ethnic. We also consider and respect the child's unique abilities, interests and learning styles.

Is there a particular profile Punahou hopes to enroll?
No, and I think you can see that in our student population. Even if some children are not very verbally expressive initially, they become much more outgoing because of the kinds of kids they're working with and the teachers, who really encourage them to be more assertive. We're looking at kids who have different interests, different talents, different skills. That's what makes it a more vibrant community. We're all not the same. We admit students who might not have the test scores, but because of their work ethic have been very successful and have become leaders at our school. That's so rewarding to see - that you can offer a student that kind of opportunity.

What is the best advice Punahou can give to those receiving a regret letter?
Families should call for a conference, because then we can talk about it. Sometimes parents don't know how their child performed and they make their own assumptions.

What is Punahou doing to help families who have been denied admission?
We can make recommendations to families and provide guidelines. For example, we might tell them that while we see potential, this is not the right time. We can suggest things they might do to build confidence and self-esteem or to strengthen specific skills so that they might be more competitive applicants the next time.

If a child is denied acceptance, is it worth applying again?
Absolutely. Besides looking for the right fit, we really are looking at the timing for that fit. Sometimes we can see the child's potential in kindergarten but it may not be the right time. However, maybe at fourth grade or sixth grade, it might be a better fit. There are some kids we look at whom we think will probably be much stronger students if we just give them a few years.

Could you briefly explain the application process?
After families apply, we schedule them for testing and an on-site observation or interview. There's some testing involved, no matter what the level. Kindergarten and first-grade applicants in the wait pool must test on campus, but tests can be mailed to students applying for second grade and above, and the SSAT can be taken anywhere.

In grades 6 - 12, our faculty members conduct the interview, and I like to describe it as a conversation during which the child can also ask questions. One suggestion I would have for students is that they really speak up and advocate for themselves during the interview. Our interviewers do not read the application before sitting down with the child so if the child doesn't say it in the interview, the interviewer doesn't know. Kids who share their passions and interests and are engaged in the conversation will probably receive a more favorable evaluation. In addition to the interview, students are also given the opportunity to produce a writing sample.

Current and previous years' report cards and teacher reference forms should be submitted on time; extracurricular references are optional. Once the documents are submitted, then we can go into a review with the Admission Committee.

The Admission Committee consists of the admission directors (myself and Lon Wysard '81, associate director of admission), seven admission counselors who are full-time Punahou faculty members and work part time for Admission, the supervisors, the principals, selected faculty members, deans, school counselors and one of the athletic directors.

All our decision letters go out the same day. On Monday morning, our phones are ringing off the hook with families inquiring about post-decision conferences. Conferences are granted to accepted families first, because those families may have questions and the accepted student may want to visit the school. Families have 10 days to make a decision about enrolling, so it's important to get them handled first.

How are priorities weighed in decisions?
We don't call them priorities any more; we call them special considerations. Special considerations are only for tiebreakers. We list our special considerations alphabetically: children of alumni, faculty or staff; children of Hawaiian descent; descendents of Punahou's missionary founders; and siblings of current students. About 48 percent in this year's kindergarten class did not have any special considerations. I always tell those with special considerations that it does not guarantee acceptance. We have 26,000 alumni, so inevitably we're going to have a lot of alumni who are not happy with us. We're looking for the child and the fit - that's the bottom line.

Is there a connection between giving and admission?
None whatsoever. Admission and Advancement are two separate departments. There is no correlation between gifts to Punahou and the admission process. Admission to Punahou is based on the match between the child and the school. It is a process managed separately from a family's giving to Punahou.

How does the waiting list work?
We call it a wait pool because a list implies that they are in rank order, so we get asked, 'Where is my child in the wait list?' When we look to the wait pool to fill a spot, we are looking at the pool of applicants for that grade level.

Are there feeder schools to Punahou?
No. We admit applicants from all schools. This year, in kindergarten, which is the largest entry point, our (150) students came from 55 schools on O'ahu, one from out of state.

What can families do to prepare their child for the admission process?
They need to relax, because any anxiety they have when they bring their little kindergartener here or when they drop their teen off for the SSAT test is transferred to that child. They really need to take things in stride, give the child a good rest. At home, ask thoughtful questions of their child. Don't just accept yes or no answers. Have them be more descriptive.

There has been tremendous growth in the business of tutoring students for private school admission. How does Punahou view this practice? Can it be beneficial at certain ages/grade levels?

We don't want the little kindergarteners prepped. We want their individual session to be more candid. Our two full-time assessment specialists are so good at telling if the kids are tutored or prepped. It's sad, but people are tutoring their 2-year-olds and paying for it. We don't condone that, but we can't help it if they do.

At the older levels, if you're going to have your child tutored, go for a specific need, such as writing or test-taking skills.

Strategically, our concern is, if this kid's been tutored, does that child always need tutoring to be that successful? The interviewers do indicate it in their reports.

How does the financial aid program work?
Once we admit students, then we start looking at their financial aid application to see if they qualify for an award. Financial aid is based on need. Our Board of Trustees and the administration really feel that the school needs to be accessible financially. Jim Scott, our school president, attended Punahou on financial aid and he feels that if you are qualified to be admitted here, we should support you financially. We are so fortunate to have that kind of support. Families do need to turn in financial aid applications on time, because a late application makes a big difference in their award.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Punahou?
That assumes we have a fixed classroom setting, and that's not how we structure our student experience. In addition to having grade-level teachers, our students spend time with specialists throughout the day, so each student gets lots of individualized attention. In K - 1, for example, the child not only has one full-time teacher and one assistant teacher in a class of 25, but that student also benefits from four special teachers for art, music, PE and library, as well as a drama specialist, a counselor and chaplain. Teachers and staff collaborate to attend to each child's needs, creating intimate learning environments that help make a large school feel small. A student in grades two through eight, where there are 23 to 25 students per class, spends time with the full-time teacher and special teachers in art, music, PE and library, along with the K - 8 drama specialist, counselor and chaplain. An Academy student attends a mix of classes, including small seminars and larger lectures, has access to counselors, deans and chaplains, and participates in a range of co-curricular activities. Given this flexible environment, students are able to expand their talents and build relationships with teachers and other mentors.

What's the one thing that people don't know about the Punahou admission process?
We're looking at the whole admission experience and the whole student, not just the test scores. We're looking at academic achievement. We're looking at how successful they have been or are going to be. Are they going to be able to reach their full promise? We look at the work ethic a lot. If kids work hard and really advocate for themselves, take responsibility for their own learning, see the teacher and get the help they need, then they can make it here; they can be successful.