A major part of an admission advisor's job is to conduct informational sessions. Most often, these take place during high school fairs or at regional recruitment events. Advisors usually divide the country into regions, and each advisor has a territory. Travel is a big part of the job, and the advisor often must set up booths or tables with outreach packets, brochures and contact information cards for students who would like to be on the school's mailing list. They also orchestrate major campus outreach events in the spring to attract accepted students and showcase the campus's programs and opportunities.
Admissions officers are largely responsible for evaluating student applications. They sort according to test score and GPA, as well as read student essays and additional materials, such as a resume or letters of recommendation. Officers must also consider whether or not the student is a first-generation college student, if she is from a socio-economic disadvantage or if she is being recruited for a particular sport. Based on the information, admissions officers then decide whether or not a student may be accepted to the university. Sometimes acceptances are decided in a committee format, and sometimes admissions officers work with other members of the campus community, such as coaches or offices of multicultural affairs, to decide whether or not to accept a student.
Many colleges and universities require an interview as part of the application process. Admissions officers are responsible for conducting these interviews, either on campus or at the applicant's home, and assessing the student's strengths and weaknesses. They must professionally represent the school while also asking careful questions to ascertain whether or not the applicant is a proper fit for the school. Afterward, they write up the experience and add it to the student's file.
Admissions advisors have direct information on the kinds of applicants the school attracts and who eventually enrolls. Therefore, they often compile statistical information on the student body for faculty and the larger administration. This information helps the administration know accurately what kinds of students are present so that they may target events, programs and resources.
Another aspect of an admissions advisor's job is to work with community colleges and other institutions to develop transfer policies. Advisors must evaluate another college's courses to decide if they might transfer in as equivalent courses at their own institution. Students interested in transferring, for example, from a community college to a state university may meet with an advisor beforehand to see which courses at the community college will satisfy university requirements. This helps the transfer student move faster through her studies, avoid retaking courses and capitalize on other opportunities while working toward her degree. It also strengthens relationships between the advisor's institution and other colleges and widens the pool of applicants.