How to Interact With Admissions Officers
Contacting admissions officers at your dream college, whether through email or in person at a college fair, is an essential step in the application process. But it can feel intimidating.
Fortunately, there are some helpful strategies to contact admissions in a way that conveys your sincerity and professionalism while simultaneously showing your independence and self-sufficiency.
Many students find they are more comfortable contacting admissions officers via email rather than on the phone or in person. It is essential to remember, though, that admissions officers will make assumptions and judgments about you based on what they read in your email correspondence.
Writing emails with care and consideration is so important. When communicating with an admissions officer, you’re telling them about your experiences as a student and goals for the future. Your email serves as an opportunity to showcase who you are as a person – show off your personality, character, and talents! To ensure the most successful email possible, do your research beforehand and craft it in such a way that demonstrates thoughtfulness and thorough research.
Additionally, always address the admissions officer directly by their preferred name and title and avoid using slang or informal language. Doing this will demonstrate that you are a mature student rather than simply trying to annoy them or ask for a favor.
College admissions officers are busy people who receive many emails daily from students with queries regarding their applications or admission process. To save them time answering similar queries from multiple students, try to write a concise email that will catch their attention.
When writing to an admissions officer, it’s wise to introduce yourself and include your contact information, including your email address. Doing this makes it simpler for them to locate you and respond back.
Additionally, be sure to express your appreciation for the admissions officer’s time and sign off on your email with Sincerely or Best Regards. Doing this will guarantee that they know you are an actual human being rather than simply another spammer from England.
After you submit your application and test scores, it is wise to follow up with an email to let the officer know all of your materials have been received. This becomes especially essential as the application deadline nears.
Phone
When applying to colleges, there are a few steps you can take to make the process go more smoothly. One of the most important is learning how to communicate effectively with admissions officers. Whether speaking to an officer at a college fair or sending them an email, make sure your communication with them is professional and on-brand.
When communicating with an admissions officer, it’s essential to keep communication brief and have a specific goal in mind. This includes using appropriate language, avoiding informal expressions, and making an honest effort to clearly state your query or concern.
Bear in mind that admissions counselors have a lot on their plate, so they cannot answer every question you pose. However, they often provide a concise response or clarification. This can be especially beneficial if you’re thinking about changing your major or have questions regarding your financial aid package.
When you have questions that cannot be answered on the school’s website or in your portal account, it is wise to reach out. Doing this demonstrates your dedication to research and the willingness to invest time into finding answers to your inquiries.
Finally, make sure to follow up with an email that includes both a sign-off and your full name so the officer can easily look you up if needed.
One of the most frequent mistakes students make when communicating with an admissions officer is to address them in an unprofessional manner. Remember, these individuals work for a college and their job is to guarantee the student’s acceptance into their desired college.
Therefore, when writing to an admissions officer it’s wise to use a standard email format. This includes including your full name and contact number so they can call you back if needed.
Colleges tend to be extremely busy during application season, so be patient and respectful of their time. Avoid bombarding them with meaningless inquiries that will only waste their energy and cause stress. Instead, attempt to build a relationship with them before submitting your applications; this way, they can get to know you better and understand why you are interested in their school.
In-Person
An in-person conversation is a great way to demonstrate your interest in attending college. Colleges value demonstrated enthusiasm and often have programs in place that track it. So even if you don’t already have a personal connection to the school, it would still be wise to meet an admissions officer face-to-face at a school fair or during the application process.
After meeting with an admissions officer during an info session, be sure to thank them for their time and ask any questions you have. Generally, admissions officers are busy people who don’t enjoy receiving too many emails or calls, so keep your queries brief and pertinent.
Your email should begin with a brief introduction of yourself, including your name, high school graduation year and home address. This information will help the admissions officer remember you when communicating again. If you have a phone number, include it as well.
Use a professional email address and always conclude your message with your full name, standard closure such as “Best wishes” or “Sincerely,” followed by your phone number. Doing this demonstrates your seriousness about attending the college and may make admissions officers more comfortable with your request.
It’s essential to ask thoughtful, insightful questions in your email correspondence with an admissions officer. Don’t send them a copy of the same question they’ve already answered on their website or in the information packet sent with your application.
Before asking a specific question, be sure to do some research and find the answer. Doing this saves everyone time and makes it simpler for the admissions officer to respond accurately and promptly.
Establishing credibility through in-person conversations can be an excellent strategy, particularly for schools that do not often accept emails. Reaching out to an admissions officer at a college fair, for instance, shows your genuine interest and dedication to the college process.
Social Media
Before social media, admissions officers relied on SAT/ACT scores, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation and high school report cards to determine whether an applicant was worthy for college acceptance. But with its rise in popularity among colleges, many now use social media as another tool in judging applicants.
According to a survey by Kaplan, an educational services company, more than 30% of admissions officers take time out of their day to learn more about applicants via social media profiles. And most say what they discover has an effect on their decision whether or not to admit them as students.
It’s essential to remember that what you share online can last in perpetuity. Posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter could potentially be seen by your friends and followers who might then spread the information onto others.
Your chances of acceptance to college may suffer if you share anything that could be considered offensive or inappropriate. For instance, Harvard rescinded admission offers to 10 students after discovering sexually explicit memes in a Facebook group they joined.
If you’re worried admissions officers might check your social media, the best way to prepare is with a clean profile. Remove anything offensive and ensure all accounts are set to private.
Snapchat is one of the most popular social platforms among teens, where users can post video that disappears after a few seconds. This has led to some disturbing stories, such as one three-second clip that caused an admitted student at the University of Tennessee to withdraw from school.
However, admissions officers have reported finding positive things in applicants’ social media accounts as well as negative ones. 37% of admissions officers say they have found something beneficial from an applicant’s profile on Twitter, compared to just over 32% who said something detrimental occurred.
Though you may be unaware that college admissions officers are looking at your social media, it’s an integral part of the application process. Make sure your posts reflect well on you and that any colleges you apply to are a good match for your personality, skillsets and interests.