July 12, 2005
The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College
So this summer, we're reading The Gatekeepers : Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College by Jacques Steinberg.
I haven't gotten to far into it, but I've already been hooked in by some of the personalities introduced so far. Basically, the book follows an admissions officer at a selective university and tracks a handful of high school students in their journey through the college admission process.
Even though I work in undergraduate admission, I'm not an admission counselor myself, so this book was enlightening! I work on emails, postcards, and brochures but I'm not on the front lines in terms of making personal connections with the high school students out there. It was interesting for me to follow the adventures of a counselor as he travels from place to place trying to recruit the best and brightest students around.
Until I worked in this office, I had no idea how much went into the business of college admission. The workload is overwhelming most of the time, but it's also so rewarding. I don't know if I can put my finger on what is so attractive about this work. I think some of it has to do with the amazing potential of these amazing students that want to come here - that, and the promise of life after high school! Even though it's been many years since I was a high school senior, I remember feeling overwhelmed by the possibilities of what I could do with the rest of my life. It was overwhelming but exciting.
So I guess it's still fun to be part of that. It's great to give students some ideas on what they can do with their lives. So many colleges to explore! So many majors to choose from! I'm not sure why other people are drawn to admissions work but for me, I love being part of a campus environment. I'm surrounded by smart, caring people with innovative ideas - what could be better than that?
Lisa, Writer/Editor
Posted by lac20 at 05:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Online book club
Summer's here - you know what that means. Summer reading time for the undergraduate admission staff!
Last year, we read Millennials Go to College: Strategies for a New Generation on Campus by William Strauss and Neil Howe. At the end of the summer, the admission counselors engaged in a lively discussion about what they learned from the book. All of us gained some insight into the "Millennial Generation" and their values.
For me, it was interesting to pinpoint exactly how different this generation is from mine. College-bound students these days seem much more nurtured and connected than those from my day. It's not like I'm that old either. Or am I? *sigh*
Lisa, Writer/Editor
Posted by lac20 at 04:57 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack