Externship with UCI Admissions Counselor Laura Trudeau Elementary

Externship with UCI Admissions Counselor Laura Trudeau, Elementary Teacher, Capistrano Unified School District December 2009 University of California at Irvine

Goals for Externship • To learn the job responsibilities of an academic admissions counselor • To observe the daily routine of an admissions counselor • To understand the skills and abilities required to become an admissions counselor

Kim Perry Admissions Counselor - Continuing Student Evaluation - Second Baccalaureate Program

Job Responsibilities • Job responsibilities vary because admissions is a cycle driven job, depending upon the time of year. • Two main cycles are the application period and the update period. • There are several application periods during the course of the year.

Daily Routine The Application Period: During this time, a typical day involves: • Reading applications • Updating transcripts • Answering phone calls & emails

Daily Routine Application Period Freshman applications must be checked for eligibility: • Required coursework, GPA, and test scores used • Supplemental information: read personal statement, check clubs & activities, volunteer work

Daily Routine Application Period • Transfer applications- eligibility based upon the selection of the transfer’s major and the UCI selection criteria • Example: Math Major- admissions counselor must check for: 1 year prerequisite Calculus course with a 2. 8 GPA, prep classes with a 3. 0 GPA

Daily Routine Updates to clear admission period After student is admitted and returned the Intent to Register, the Admissions Counselor must: 1. Get transcripts 2. Evaluate them to check that they were correctly reported 3. Award units for transfer

Skills to Succeed • • • The following skills are desirable for an Admissions Counselor: Analytical Detail oriented Work well with deadlines Be flexible, as admissions criteria is always changing Good communicator

Ways to become an Admissions Counselor • There are several different routes to becoming an admissions counselor. • The most common route is as a student worker, a student representative, or through a field project. • Most university jobs are offered to current employees, transfer opportunities, before being offered to the general public.

Promotions • Admissions Counselors are promoted based on reaching benchmarks. • A counselor may start as an Outreach Counselor. They would go to high schools and present an overview of the university to high school students. • The next benchmark would be to work on Freshman applications.

Promotions • A counselor might then work as a Community College Outreach. • Admissions counselors may take on different specializations (such as foreign student admissions, Second Baccalaureate Program , Continuing students)

Lessons to incorporate into my classroom: • Field work or student internship opportunities can lead to careers and should be seen as a valuable learning opportunity. • Many skills practiced in classrooms can transcend into career, such as communication skills & mathematical analysis. • There are many different career opportunities in the field of education.

Thank you to: Kimberly Perry and the Office of Relations with Schools & Penelope Skaff and CTE Advisory Committee at Saddleback College for this externship opportunity.