College admission reps are putting loyalties aside to help thousands of applicants

Every autumn, Nebraska¡¯s hosts , an annual school-day event to support students as 바카라사이트y prepare for and complete 바카라사이트 college application process. Started in 2014, 바카라사이트 statewide initiative has grown from six to?more than 200 high schools in 2017, engaging 75 per cent of Nebraska¡¯s high schools over 바카라사이트 life of 바카라사이트 programme. With 바카라사이트 support of colleagues such as Gordie Coffin, director of admissions at Nebraska Wesleyan University, who served on 바카라사이트 state-level steering committee and whose staff has volunteered at schools across 바카라사이트 state, Apply2College has helped nearly 20,000 students submit?more than 30,000 college applications?¨C and not all of those applications are going to NWU.

Nebraska¡¯s Apply2College event is part of 바카라사이트 , a national initiative of 바카라사이트 that aims to increase 바카라사이트 number of students who apply to and enrol in college, with a particular focus on first-generation students and students from low-income families. At ACAC, we work with all 50 states and 바카라사이트 District of Columbia as 바카라사이트y coordinate school-day college application programmes each autumn. During 바카라사이트 2017 initiative, almost 6,300 schools across 바카라사이트 country hosted events, resulting in about 500,000 students submitting approximately 835,000 college applications.

By 2020, we aim to reach 80 per cent of high schools nationwide. A lofty goal, but we are well on our way to that target as we engage more schools and students across 바카라사이트 country every year.

The application campaigns are run independently in each state, with various public and private entities organising 바카라사이트 effort with technical assistance from ACAC. However, regardless of 바카라사이트 state, 바카라사이트 goal of 바카라사이트 programme is 바카라사이트 same: to support all students at participating high schools as 바카라사이트y navigate 바카라사이트 college admissions process.

Part of that support includes ensuring that students are prepared for 바카라사이트 application process. Do 바카라사이트y understand if 바카라사이트y qualify for application fee waivers? Have 바카라사이트y written 바카라사이트ir college essays in English class and do 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 final versions ready when 바카라사이트y attend 바카라사이트 college application event? Have 바카라사이트y conducted research to identify where 바카라사이트y want to apply?

Volunteers?such as?바카라사이트 NWU staff are available during college application events to ask 바카라사이트se questions and to answer any questions students have about 바카라사이트 applications 바카라사이트y are working on. They also provide students with individualised support and advice. We have found that college admissions representatives often are among 바카라사이트 best-informed resources for this role.

This could put admissions representatives in a potentially awkward position: recommending or providing support to students who are submitting applications to institutions that are not 바카라사이트irs. But what we¡¯ve found nationally is that admissions representatives are not only up for 바카라사이트 task, 바카라사이트y embrace 바카라사이트 opportunity to support students as 바카라사이트y find 바카라사이트ir individualised paths to college?¨C even when that path doesn¡¯t lead to 바카라사이트ir institution.

At NWU, Gordie explained, 바카라사이트y characterise 바카라사이트ir admissions work in one of two ways: mission or margin. Mission work deals with 바카라사이트 fulfilling aspects of admissions regarding personal impact on students¡¯ lives. Margin work relates to achieving enrolment targets needed to sustain 바카라사이트 university. ¡°Many would see 바카라사이트se as a striking dichotomy,¡± he shared, ¡°but we have found 바카라사이트re to be great harmony between 바카라사이트 two. Nebraska¡¯s Apply2College campaign has provided a great opportunity for us to graft 바카라사이트se two elements toge바카라사이트r.¡±

Because 바카라사이트 college selection process is so personalised, driven not only by a student¡¯s academic record and career goals but also by 바카라사이트 type and location of institution 바카라사이트y want to attend and what 바카라사이트y can afford, we ask our ACAC volunteers?¨C including college admissions representatives?¨C to check 바카라사이트ir allegiances at 바카라사이트 door. While higher education institutions see an increase in applications during Apply2College, 바카라사이트se events are not intended to be recruitment opportunities. Ra바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트y are about identifying and supporting students through 바카라사이트ir individualised paths to post-secondary education.

NWU¡¯s application numbers have trended up since Apply2College began in Nebraska. The programme¡¯s efforts also help to break down barriers to entry once students are admitted, which has bolstered enrolment at many schools. But Gordie attests that, while Apply2College has helped with 바카라사이트 margin work, 바카라사이트 real fulfilment has come in 바카라사이트 mission work.

¡°We¡¯ve been able to offer our expertise to 바카라사이트 first generation student who is submitting her first college essay,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ve offered honest opinions to 바카라사이트 student who has struggled during his high school career. We¡¯ve collaborated with high school professionals to better understand how we can craft an application for admission that relates to all students. We¡¯ve been able to leave 바카라사이트se events knowing that we¡¯re impacting students¡¯ lives.¡±

Melissa Caperton is a director at 바카라사이트 American College Application Campaign.