Why work in admissions

Recognizing the cultural norms of your new workplace and adapting to them on your terms will allow you to maintain a sense of self as you navigate unfamiliar familiar territory.

Build bridges: collaborate across the quad. To that end, Ph. Leveraging this versatility of thought, involvement and perspective will allow you to see, and seek out, opportunities for interdepartmental collaboration.

Once you understand the culture and needs of your office, what are those of other offices on the campus? Where do drivers and interests overlap? What gaps could be filled, and how could you fill them? Building bridges across the quad drives innovative and collaborative thinking and allows Ph.

In my current role, I lead faculty engagement initiatives for the Office of Undergraduate Admission. This office, like that of so many other institutions, has formed a mutually beneficial relationship with its faculty members, who support admissions outreach and recruiting efforts with the hopes that intellectually vibrant students will continue to fill their seats.

Admitting -- not shying away from -- your academic background will allow you to build bridges across your campus and exercise a wider skill set and range of experiences. I can now add program development, corporate outreach and partnerships, and marketing communication to my skill set.

Rebbecca Kaplan is associate dean of undergraduate admissions and an instructor in the department of Spanish and Portuguese at Emory University. Expand comments Hide comments. View the discussion thread. We have retired comments and introduced Letters to the Editor. Share your thoughts ». About Contact Subscribe.

Career Advice. The Confessions of a Ph. By Rebbecca Kaplan. October 31, Why, you might ask? Whether your colleagues across the institution are aware of it, you enable them to do great things. Your work helps your institution survive and thrive. From day one on the job, new admissions staff members are given more responsibility and influence than their titles or salaries suggest.

Their efforts determine the financial success of their institutions and the future paths of millions of enrolling students, and yet they are often treated as temporary, interchangeable, and unimportant by members of their own campus communities. If you manage these young professionals, you have an incredible opportunity to shape their lives for the better, and to influence all the organizations, including many other colleges, for which they will eventually work.

These new admissions staff members are eager for your wisdom, training, and mentoring. They are the future of the profession, and they are looking to you to learn what being a professional means. If we choose unwisely in selecting students, that can also have a negative effect on our communities. At the same time, the admissions staff members are often called on to be a resource that can make local schools better and help prepare local students for college. We also have the opportunity to create changes in opinion.

For example, I work for a state institution. Many of our students have never been out of the country. Some have never been out of the state. VC: Yes, yes, and yes! It will only benefit you to build a rapport with your admissions counselor. Not only will it allow you to learn more about your desired college, but it will also allow your counselor to know you better. If you are on the fence of being admitted, your counselor at least has the possibility of vouching for you.

VC: The biggest piece of advice is to find a school with a mission you support. I cannot stress this enough! Working in college admissions is not equivalent to a sales job, while it may sometimes feel like it. Furthering your education is never a bad idea. Traveling alone has made me quite fearless, to be honest. I have fallen in love with cities that I never knew existed and have found hidden gems in each one. Second, working in admissions truly opens the doors professionally.

Because of my admissions experience, I feel more confident in public speaking, presenting, connecting with students and parents, and running events. Additionally, reviewing applications and essays is an extremely rewarding part of my job, as well as interviewing students. Third, the biggest perk truly is working with students. Millennials typically have the flexibility in their lives and energy to travel extensively, the ability to explore different professions, and the desire to help others.

Also, it is a very connected field with ample professional development opportunities. College admissions is not just about your GPA. In fact, many colleges accept a wide range of GPAs since there are so many other factors to consider so stereotyping a school based off who they do or do not admit is unwise.