What do admissions readers do?

Being an Admission Reader can be a challenging and demanding job, especially during the peak admissions season. It involves carefully reviewing a high volume of application materials, including essays, transcripts, and recommendation letters, while making important decisions that impact students' futures.

What skills do you need to be an admissions reader?

To be an effective Admission Reader, you need strong analytical skills to assess application materials, attention to detail for nuanced evaluations, and clear communication skills to articulate your decisions.

What does an admissions person do?

Admissions officers provide information about their institution to interested students and review applications to help determine which students will be accepted. You typically find admissions officers at colleges and universities, though some private high schools also have admissions officers on staff.

Do admissions officers read your whole essay?

Myth: No one really reads your college admissions essay

Fact: Of course admission officers read your essays! They wouldn't ask you to write something they didn't plan to read. Admissions professionals want to read your story, the one you feel is important to share with them.

How long do admissions officers read applications?

How many essays do admissions officers read a day? Every admissions office has a goal for the number of essays that must be read during any given week. However, college admissions officers and admission readers may read approximately 50 applications per day, spending approximately 15 minutes per application.

College Admissions: Inside the Decision Room

What is a red flag for admissions officers?

Plagiarism or Academic Dishonesty:

Any evidence of plagiarism or academic dishonesty in an application can have severe consequences and raise serious red flags for admissions officers. Academic integrity is highly valued by colleges, and dishonesty in application materials can lead to automatic rejection.

What do admissions officers read first?

In general, admissions officers start by doing a 1-2 minute scan of a student's application to assess their academic qualifications. Applications whose grades and test scores do not meet a certain threshold will typically be marked for almost certain rejection.

Do college admissions officers look you up?

College Admission Officers Can Look at Social Media Accounts

As such, they can access social media profiles — from Instagram to TikTok, LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Facebook (if any students are on the platform anymore). And, in most cases, it's pretty easy to find a student's social media footprint.

Do admissions officers compare you to your classmates?

Admissions officers sort applicants by region first, and then often subdivide within regions by other factors, which can include race, gender, intended major, or smaller geographic areas. Thus you are compared to other applicants from your high school, but not directly.

Do admissions officers see your name?

They tend to use fully automated, algorithm-driven evaluation. Someone will see a name if the student makes some other contact with the office, possibly to take a tour. Is there any way for universities to consider race/ethnicity in their admissions in a way that's fair to all?

What kind of people are admissions officers?

Whether they hold degree(s) in Education, worked for an education-focused non-profit, offered guidance to students as a high school counselor, or founded their own education firm — they're passionate about access to education and hope to bring more talented, interesting, and interested students to make up the ...

Should I reach out to my admissions officer?

Should I contact the admissions officer? Waiting is also highly stressful and you'll find that you have questions for the university. It's ok to contact the admissions officer either by email or by calling them. In most cases, admissions offices will be more than willing to help you.

Does knowing an admissions officer help?

In between school work, co-curricular activities, and everything else you have going on, adding in the task of getting to know your admissions counselor might seem stressful. However, working with your admissions counselor can help relieve some of your college search concerns.

Who reads your admissions essay?

Your essay will be read by the admission committee, which will include admission counselors and in some cases professors.

What are admissions officers looking for in essays?

Colleges look for three things in your admission essay: a unique perspective, strong writing, and an authentic voice.

How do you become a college essay reader?

What not to ask admissions officers?

What you do when you get to college is ultimately your business. But all the same, it's not a good idea to ask about the school's party culture or anything related to drugs and alcohol. Questions that make you seem uninterested. Don't ask the admissions officer questions that compare them to other schools.

How many admissions officers read your application?

Depending on the school, your essay might be read by one to three people. If you are not a clear admit (based on the school's admission criteria) there is a chance your application materials will be reviewed by other members of the admission committee.

How do admissions officers pick students?

Choosing a freshman class is actually a very subjective task: Besides good grades and test scores, the admissions office is generally seeking personal characteristics and abilities that will produce a well-rounded student body with diverse talents that fit with the school's mission.

Do admissions officers check your social media?

Unless you specifically call out your social media accounts in your application, college admissions officers probably won't go looking for your profile. If they do, "they're looking for information to corroborate other parts of the application," Nguyen says.

What GPA do college admissions look at?

In general, admissions officers want to see more As than Bs, so having an unweighted GPA of above 3.5 can make a big difference. A GPA below 3.5 indicates to colleges that you have more Bs than As, and anything below 3.2 suggests that you may have some Cs in the mix, too, which will be a red flag for many schools.

Do admissions officers read resumes?

It is important that you understand that admissions counselors review thousands of applications and resumes each year, so making yours easy to scan and to read quickly is vital.

How old is the average college admissions officer?

With a median age of just 30 years, 76% of its workforce is under 40 years old. Comparatively, only 44% of all higher ed professionals are under 40. Chief admissions officers and heads of admissions are on average 45 and 40 years old, respectively.

How old are most admissions officers?

58.6% of all admissions officers are women, while 41.4% are men. The average admissions officer age is 47 years old.

Do admissions officers remember you?

There is a considerable chance that they will not remember your name. They are more likely to remember a distinguishable piece of clothing or a question you ask. Your questions should be sharp. Ask about a specific academic program and how admissions consider applicants to that program.