An Interview with Director Betsy Hata
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.
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.
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