<p>i’ve often wondered when i would see a thread like this…</p>
<p>this is a very interesting question, but rather hard to answer objectively, simply because each individual institution has different priorities. i would forward that an admissions officer is doing a good job when they are able to balance these priorities successfully while still maintaining ethical and professional judgement in whatever they do. i would also add that any admissions officer who doesn’t remember that they have a social responsibility (as their employers surely do) isn’t too impressive. </p>
<p>all of this does, however, become very difficult nowadays, mostly due to the serious constraints - especially with respect to human resources - many admissions offices face. with the volume of applications and visitors many schools receive, reading 25-30 applications per day, 7 days a week, 10-12 weeks per year is tough. so is being on a plane every 5 days for 2 months in the fall and a month in the spring. and frankly, the pay ain’t great (although mho is if you’re working in admissions or education for the money, you’re not in it for the right reason!). with the time constraints and fatigue, things can easily be overlooked - we are human. nevertheless, i’ve definitely noticed people in my office and others who appear to be doing a much better job than their peers - like any profession, there are people who are extremely passionate about their work and others who just clock in and clock out.</p>