Reflections of a high school counselor turned college admission representive

Journal of College Admission, Summer 1999 by O'Brien, Patrick

Yes, there is life after high school counseling." The line got a laugh from groups of high school counselors who had gathered in the San Francisco Bay Area to learn what the California Regional College Admission counselors had to say about college admission. Their questions revealed that a number were starting to consider a career in college admission, using the same skills they had honed over an educational lifetime, following a "graduation" from high school counseling.

Yes, I made the unusual move from high school counselor to that of a regional admission representative based in Northern California, for Milwaukee's Marquette University. The area was previously covered by a busy counselor from campus who flew in for a few weeks a year. I felt good about Marquette because I had attended a summer program there on a Newspaper Fund scholarship program some years before.

Somehow I was able to convince Marquette that my experience would serve them well in attending to prospective students in my home area. This despite what Ray Brown, dean of admission, admitted to me later-that he had never hired a high school counselor before even though he had received many such inquiries. My 43 years in education, 27 as a guidance director, counselor, coach and newspaper moderator was just what they were looking for. So in 1997, I retired from Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento and promptly took the position with Marquette.

A Week on Campus Begins the

Process

During the usual week-long campus orientation in the summer, I joined three other new admission counselors for introductions and meetings with various college deans of the university. Like many others new to the admission profession, they were fresh out of college, "rookies" with great enthusiasm and lacking experience. In fact, by the end of my first year on the job, I was struck with the number of capable young admission reps, who after three years on the job felt they had served their time and were now headed for law school.

As the four of us new staff members attended orientations with deans, I suddenly felt alone in that I was the only one asking questions. I began to fear I was dominating the conversation. After the session, I asked them if I was coming across as controlling. "No," one said, "we didn't know what to ask." Then I realized that my background gave me insight into academic issues like accreditation, and reality issues like relationships between departments as well as no hesitation in talking to a professor as a peer. Following the experience, we rookies became good friends as we realized our strengths ... and weaknesses.

It seems we never realize how our experience has shaped us until given the test of a new situation. As I went through the traditional mock interview with Ray, a little nervous about making a perfect presentation, I kept responding that at Marquette they will do this for you, and at Marquette they will do that. After the interview, I asked Ray how I did. He smiled. I'll always recall what he said. "You've been at Christian Brothers High School for a long time, and that's great. It's not they at Marquette, it's us. Join us." And I began to realize that I was making a transition in ownership, to actually own the new institution I was representing.

Getting a Regional Office

Started

Following the orientations, I returned to my home near Sacramento to put it all together as a regional representative. One of the most challenging tasks was contacting schools to inquire about dates to visit. I had to laugh at my naivete when two counselor friends sent back notes gently reminding me to include stamped return-envelopes or stamped post cards for their convenience.

Other college counselors, especially Roger Anderson, California's gift to Hawaii Pacific, whom I had known as an admission counselor at the University of California at Davis, treated me as a welcomed co-worker rather than as a competitor. With his vast background of the field, he gave me all the information I needed about college evening programs, their dates and times, and contact people. He also willingly shared vital information about materials I would need to set up my home office. A group of about 30 regional representatives, the Regional Admission Counselors of California, was also very helpful and offered much support and information. They knew what it was like to be many miles from their campuses.

As a former counselor, I had many things going for me in the college admission field. First, was the personal interest in the student as a person rather than as a candidate for my or any other university. This attitude had been instilled into me from my first years teaching in inner-city Los Angeles at Cathedral High School, and I consider it my primary strength as an educator. My practical knowledge of the college admission process, application, selection, testing, financial aid, recommendations and curriculum guidance was also a given. In terms of recruiting, I already had a working relationship with many of the counselors of the area, a network of former co-workers and friends in education. For those I didn't know, there was an immediate trust when they discovered my school counseling background. I could tell by their eyes lighting up and the especially warm welcome I received.