A Day in the Life of an Admissions Officer (and How You Can Make It Better)

A Day in the Life of an Admissions Officer (and How You Can Make It Better)

As summer gives way to fall and that back-to-school feeling sets in across the country, rising seniors turn their thoughts to life after graduation. Which college should I attend? Will I get into my dream school? How can I make a good impression?The hunt for the right school is on!In this exciting but hectic time, one figure stands tall as a gatekeeper for students’ dreams: the admissions officer.   These men and women have the daunting task of trying to create the best call possible for their respective institutions by choosing from scores of talented, passionate, and worthy students. Take it from this former admissions officer—it’s not easy!They read thousands of essays (and you thought it was hard writing them), log thousands of travel miles, and make connections with thousands of high schoolers. Their goal? To help the students they encounter find the best match.Chances are you’ll see an admissions officer from one or more of the colleges on your list at an event in your town, possibly even your high school, this very fall.Have you ever wondered what an admissions officer actually does while he or she is on the road?Besides trying to look polished and cool after getting lost on the way to your school, admissions officers come face-to-face with the reasons that make this profession worthwhile during travel season.Take a closer look at what goes on during a typical day in the life of a college admissions officer and learn some helpful tips on how you might be able to improve it.

Visiting Multiple High Schools

Most admissions officers schedule a week or two of travel around a particular location. They want to meet as many students, and learn about as many high schools, as possible. This firsthand experience gives them better context when they read your applications later on.When I was an admissions officer, I tried to visit at least four high schools per day during my travels. That often meant waking up very early in an unfamiliar city and trusting that the rental car GPS wouldn’t let me down as I fought through rush hour traffic.Helpful tip #1: If the admissions officer from the college you really want to see is late this year, then cut her some slack. Brighten her day with a friendly welcome to your school. Be a hero and offer a bottle of water and directions to the restroom before the information session begins. In the best-case scenario, an admissions officer will have an entire class period to spend answering your questions and learning about your high school, but their schedules do not always allow this.Be sure to get their contact information and stay in touch periodically throughout your application process. Thank them for their time and wish them well as they rush off to their next appointment.

Interviews in the Afternoon

Many times, admissions officers conduct in-person interviews at public places, like a local coffee shop, while they’re in town. It’s a great way for many students to get face time with the person who will read their application without having to travel to the college.Even though they almost always happened after a long and tiring day, I loved conducting interviews, because I learned so much about the students who would eventually apply.Helpful tip #2: Come to your interview prepared with thoughtful questions and answers. Your admissions officer will appreciate an engaging conversation after having spent much of the day doing all the talking. Mastering the interview is a helpful step in distinguishing yourself from your peers.  After I met a few students and had a few caramel macchiatos, it was usually time for a dinner break and a brief moment of relaxation. The day’s work, however, was not quite done. 

Evening Programs

It’s impossible for an admissions officer to visit every high school or meet every interested student while they’re on the road. One popular solution is holding evening events for larger groups.Often held in hotel ballrooms, these events give students and families a chance to take in the same material they would hear at an on-campus information session. There’s usually a PowerPoint presentation about the college and a period for Q&A.Sometimes, instead of an event run by a single school, admissions officers partner together and co-host joint events with colleges that share similar values.Still, in other cases, admissions officers participate in college fairs where students and their families wind through large halls trying to gather information about all the schools that might interest them.These events are definitely worth attending if it’s your only chance to meet your admissions officer in your city, but they often don’t afford the same amount of personal time that you might hope for at a high school visit or interview.Helpful tip #3: Use these kinds of interactions to set up future contact. By this time of the night, the admissions officer is tired and has met a hundred new faces. Take a brief, but meaningful moment of their time and follow up soon to arrange a more in-depth conversation later, when you can have that person’s undivided attention. Once the evening programs wrap up, the day is nearly done. Hopefully the drive back to the hotel isn’t too long. What an admissions officer does not want, more than anything, is traffic slowing down the march toward bedtime.

The Follow-Up

Before I could officially sign off for the day, I had one more task to complete—recording my thoughts about my experiences.Admissions officers make notes about each school, their general impression of the students, and how well the events on their schedule furthered their mission of meeting the best potential applicants.These notes help them make better informed decisions about which students to admit. Since the admissions officer traveling is often among the first readers of a student’s file, logging impressions in the moment is invaluable to the process.Helpful tip #4: Be a great self-advocate. If there are things about your high school’s grading system or structure that feel unique, then share that info with the admissions officer when he or she visits. Remember that your interactions with them are as much about creating an understanding of your circumstances as they are about your personal situation. The better an admissions officer understands your high school, the more accurately he can evaluate your application.

What Do Admissions Officers Do When They Return to the Office?

After a grueling but rewarding travel season that takes up most of the fall, admissions officers typically return to their offices to begin reading the already growing pile of early action and early decision applications.The hard work is never done!I always enjoyed travel season, but I was grateful to return to my own bed. After spending weeks on the road, I felt like I had a better understanding of what made my school appealing, and what students across the country were feeling.It always excited me when I discovered that a student I had interviewed, or given advice to, had decided to apply early decision. I felt like my time away from home was worth it.As I settled in for reading season and, eventually, the committee process, I would remember the students I met. I was able to put a face to the stack of papers before me, and that made my decision-making process much easier.Helpful tip #5: Always strive to make a positive impression. People will remember you longer than you might think, and that works both ways. It’s okay to have a bad day, but remember that not everyone you meet will know the real you or give you the benefit of the doubt. Be professional and kind. It works wonders.Hopefully taking a look into a day in the life of an admissions officer has helped you realize that they’re people just like you. Even though this process can be stressful, admissions officers want to help you find the best place for you to succeed. They may hope that this place is their college, but it’s more important that you get the info you need to choose the best fit.Use these tips to make a great impression the next time you encounter an admissions officer. You’ll be among their favorite students if you do.The expert admissions consultants at Wise World Prep have helped hundreds of students maximize their potential of being admitted to their top choice colleges and universities. Over 20 years, we have successfully guided students through each stage of the application process – from choosing competitive high school courses to building an appropriate college list to drafting winning essays to writing persuasive update and appeals letters. We would be happy to answer your questions and partner with you to create a successful admissions roadmap.Ready to get started? Schedule a complimentary 20-minute conversation today!Want to stay informed? Subscribe to our newsletter.See what others are saying about us