It doesn’t matter what you major in, but you need to be someone who likes people, is organized and very self-motivated, and good oral and written communication skills are a must. My majors were in Political Science and Religious Studies — in my office we have former Studio Art, Communications, Music, Psychology, Business and Spanish majors, so we really run the gamut.

In college admissions we are responsible for admitting students. This means making admissions decisions, counseling students on whether we’re a good fit for each other, giving tours and information sessions to prospective students and parents, working college fairs to introduce students to the college and visiting high schools to meet with guidance counselors and intereted students.

It’s a lot like sales, but instead of selling pharmaceuticals or clothing, we’re selling the value of an education. We’re selling the school. And we’re trying to get 16 and 17 year olds excited about classes instead of just what fraternity they can pledge when they get here.

And nope, college admissions covers it. What I would suggest is if you’re still in college, try and get a work study or a summer job with your college’s admissions department so that you can see how it works and it it’s an environment that you enjoy. I love my job — it’s a lot of travel and a lot of smiling, but I love knowing that the people who end up enrolling at my college that I had a small part in helping them find where they belong. And it’s a good feeling.

Depending on the school, an admissions officer can have many different responsibilities. Because our department is fairly small, I am also involved with the registration and the records side of the department. Other duties involved in the admissions field are recruiting as well as curriculum evaluation (evaluating transfer credits).

You might consider majoring in Education Administration if you are interested in this field. Also, if your college has on-campus employment, see if there are any openings in the Admissions Office. I was an admissions assistant and a student services assistant while I was pursuing my baccalaureate degree.

Best wishes!