Families rarely evaluate tuition in isolation. They also consider the time, expense, and daily complexity of getting their children to school. A family may love a school’s mission and believe their child will thrive there; yet ultimately decline because the commute is unworkable.

In this fireside chat, Gregory Klee, Director of Admissions at Chaminade College Preparatory, and moderator Stefanie Lemcke will examine transportation through the lens of “price and proximity.” They will discuss how transportation shapes a school’s practical market reach, perceived affordability, applicant pool, yield, and family experience - and how admissions leaders can identify this often-hidden barrier even when they do not manage transportation operations.

The conversation will be followed by examples from other independent schools illustrating how schools can assess family needs, build internal support, introduce transportation options, and grow participation over time.

Attendees will leave with a Reach–Convert–Retain framework for evaluating transportation as a strategic enrollment investment, practical questions to bring back to their leadership teams, and examples of how schools can move from identifying a transportation barrier to developing an appropriate response.

Suggested learning objectives

Participants will be able to:

- Identify where transportation creates friction across the enrollment journey.

- Explain how “price and proximity” influence market reach, affordability perception, yield, and retention.

- Describe the role admissions leaders can play without owning transportation operations.

- Recognize practical approaches for assessing family demand and introducing transportation options.

- Identify one action their school can take to make transportation more visible in enrollment planning.