How to become an admissions officer/reader?

Applying to College
1

Hi, I was just wondering what steps could be taken to become an admissions reader/officer. I mainly wish to do this because I feel like I want to complete the cycle of my admissions and to promote a positive change in admissions to my future school. Granted, I do not wish for this to be my career, and so I only would want to do this if it would not take away from my career planning. This would mean that I would most likely only do it for 1 year if not part time if possible. How would I go about doing this? Is there certain internships I would need or connections? Can it only be a 1 year thing? Do I need to have graduated or can I do it while in school? Thanks. Any advice would be appreciated.

Also, if becoming a reader is too specific/time-consuming to not be a career, is there any other job in the college admissions process/in college in general that I can take that is less demanding but still can influence others in admissions/have an effect? I know the simplest job would be a tour guide, and that is a factor in a lot of the want to apply, but is there something that actually affects the decisions? Thanks.

2

Maybe you could do alumni interviews instead? That’s something people do in their spare time because they want to give back. I don’t think I’d want to entrust actual entire apps to someone temporary or uncommitted.

3

@bodangles I would, but I am going to a school that does not do interviews. I will if this changes, but for the foreseeable future I do not see it changing. Personally I still wish to try as my school’s admissions department may not have an issue with temporary readers and I wish to have them determine that, no offense.

4

You want to “promote a positive change in admissions to my future school”. What does this mean? It sounds like you would be admitting students whom senior admissions officers would not be admitting. That will not happen.

5

@TomSrOfBoston I mean that I wish to disrupt the echo chamber of admissions a little bit. While my voice will not matter much, and I will most likely not promote students that much away from the standard deviation of acceptance, I just wish to be a part of the process and promote a different perspective, and actually affect someone’s life.

6

Then you’d be better off mentoring a HS student who is first-generation or has other disadvantages.

7

You need much more experience behind you, much more perspective, to be a reader. This is far, far from peer reviewing in a high school class. You have to know the U in detail, what it offers, wants and needs, and what kids today can accomplish. Contrary to what CC often says, this isn’t about a sobby essay or whatever. And yes, being a reader is very time consuming, in season. High pressure.

Many kids do work/study in admissions offices- but it’s admin work. If you want to “promote a positive change in admissions to my future school,” get involved as a tour guide, blogger for admissions, or with group tour events (special weekends or programs.) Or once you’ve got some experiences behind you, vol for a mentor group in your community.

Right now, I don’t think you know how admissions works, at your college, what they actually do, to be thinking of “changes.”

8

Students who work in admissions offices usually are the ones who answer the phones and tell inquisitive callers that “decisions will be out by April 30th”.

9

@ANormalSeniorGuy what year are you in school?

I am not sure that many schools use current students as application readers, and in my experience admissions staff is full time. However, check with your school to find out what opportunities there are for current students to be involved.

10

You haven’t started college yet! Reading applications is generally a full time job, not something you can do as a student. I don’t think there is anything meaningful you can do to “disrupt” or change the process with part time/short time involvement.

If you want to make a meaningful contribution on a part time basis as a student, you may want to mentor disadvantaged students through the application process.

11

What school are you attending? You cannot be a reader as an undergrad there is an inherent conflict of interest with that. Get involved in other ways. For instance I was recently hired as an Engineering Ambassador for my school and I work as a housing tour guide.

12

UC Berkeley? Not a chance. They hire extra readers with much targeted U experience and from working with students in diff ways.

1 Like
13

You’re talking about changing the culture of your university. Application readers don’t get to shape the culture to meet their own standards. Those types of policies are determined elsewhere.

14

Some smaller schools hire their new grads as deans, often as a break before grad school.

15

Deans? You mean junior AOs?

16

This is a dream so it is time to wake up. The college doesn’t want a reader who is going to disrupt the echo chamber. Unless you become head of admissions, that will not be happening. The college likes its echo chamber just fine.

@lookingforward , of course.

17

Even Admissions Deans are beholden to the U, its self image, what it, as an entity, has determined works to maintain that.

18

There is a no longer updated blog called “Admissions Problems.”

Search for it, find it, read it, and think about it. If you still want to be an admissions counselor, there are hints in there about how to do this.

Good luck, and good for you wanting to make the world a little better place.

19

“Deans? You mean junior AOs?”

Whatever schools call their new grads they hire to handle a region, reporting to the Dean of Admissions.

20

Many schools do hire alumni as admissions officers,you would start off going to career fairs and HS’s in your regions to “sell” your school.