<p>The person who gave the information session at UVA said she had just graduated two years ago. She is now an admissions officer. Is this lack of experience unusual? (Her speaking skills were very lacking;this left me with a poor impression.)</p>
<p>At all schools kids graduate and go right into the admissions office at the lowest level. It’s extremely common.</p>
<p>I don’t think that she would be making the abosulte desicion whether someone gets in or not. I think she would just check to see which ones are qualified and send the applicantions to the higher ups. Thats just my thought.</p>
<p>the title “admissions officer” is pretty broad too…her job is probably minor, as in sorting through applications that are/are not completed, making sure everything is in a applicant’s file, recieving and organizing test scores/transcripts, ect…she might sit in on decision meetings, but she probably has very little/no input, as she’s still fresh and is learning…think of it as an internship, or residency for dcotors: shes doing minor, no-brainer work, but shes still active in the stuff that goes on at a higher level, so one day she can be there</p>
<p>
Our field has a lot of turnover. As you can imagine, the extensive travel and stress of the job isn’t for everyone. At UVA, the entry level positions are usually filled by young alumni who are great people to have making high school visits and going to college fairs because they can share their first hand knowledge of the school. </p>
<p>These people are not clerical staff members. They often serve as first readers of applications and at many schools will be responsible for one “functional area” of operations (event planning, publications, web development, tour guides. etc.).</p>
<p>“They often serve as first readers of applications”</p>
<p>Does a person in this position have the power to simply not pass on an application? </p>
<p>Based on this person’s presentation, I was left with the impression that this type of judgement would best be left to other more seasoned staff.</p>
<p>Dean J, from what I’ve heard/read, your field can be fairly competitive to crack into. A poster on another board I post on who had a graduate degree in education from an Ivy League school had a tough time finding a job in admissions at first. One of the jobs he applied for (at Brown) received ~100 applications. Ay dios mio.</p>
<p>
No. Every application gets a second read and sometimes a third. The final read is by one of the top three people in our office.
It depends on where one wants to work. I wouldn’t characterize jobs at local/regional colleges as particularly hard to get. Those with Masters degrees shouldn’t have trouble getting a job in the field, though there is definite competition to land a position at more selective schools.</p>
<p>Brown’s a bit odd in their hiring…they require candidates to read files and present them. While reviewing files is important, it can be taught. I’d be much more concerned with a road runner’s ability to connect to students and colleagues.</p>
<p>Thank you, Dean J for answering my questions. You seem to be very devoted to your job, coming on this Forum regularly and trying to help people. It is much appreciated. Goodnight!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Of course, of course - but I’d find seppuku preferable to working somewhere like JMU or CNU.</p>
<p>Cavalier, that’s a terribly arrogant attitude. I know plenty of intelligent people that are alumni of JMU and CNU. </p>
<p>You’d find ritual suicide more preferable to working somewhere like JMU or CNU? I know that’s grossly exaggerated (I hope) statement but that is a terrible display of arrogance.</p>
<p>Oh please. Sure there are smart people at every school, but there are a hell of a lot fewer at CNU than there are at schools like W&M and UVA. Get off yr high horse and realize that a success-driven person would be very unhappy at a school populated by mostly success-averse students.</p>
<p>If you look at the top CEOs, very few went to ivy leagues and I wouldn’t call them “success-averse” just because they went to state universities.
<a href=“http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06261/722875-28.stm[/url]”>http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06261/722875-28.stm</a></p>
<p>I would not use a strong word like “success-averse” to describe people at other institutions.</p>
<p>Either way, the point of my above post was not how many smart people are each school, it was the fact that you said you would prefer ritual suicide over working at two different institutions. I am getting a hint of arrogance from many of your posts and since you are a student at UVA, I think you should think carefully about what you say.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Again - give me a break. In this <em>one</em> metric, grads from top schools still handily outperform their peers from not-so-top schools. You’ve been reading the parents’ forum too much.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Lol.</p>