Understandably, a lot of students and families have no idea who or what an Admissions Counselor is, let alone why it would be valuable to talk with them.

Which is… not great.

Because connecting with your Admissions Counselor can be really valuable in the college application process.

So below, we’ll dive into who these counselors are, what role they play, how you can find them, and why and how you should communicate with them.

Let’s dive in.

Who or what is an Admissions Counselor?

Your Admissions Counselor (also sometimes called an “Admissions Officer,” though on a college’s website, it will very likely say "Admissions Counselor”) is a member of the admissions staff who will evaluate your application.

Sometimes they are the “first reader” since they are the person responsible for the schools, counselors, and applicants in a geographic region (they are often known as the territory manager or regional representative).

They get to know the high schools in the region and may visit and attend college fairs. If not the first reader of applications from their region, they will be part of a committee review or other phase of the evaluation process.

Why communicate with your admission counselor?

These are generally the most important reasons:

To get answers to questions you have that are not answered on the website
To get advice on an aspect of the application process
To ask for help connecting with a member of the school community (faculty, students) who can help you with your specific questions
To connect on a personal level and stand out from other applicants
To let a college know that you are doing your homework and are serious about your interest ("particularly for those schools that consider Demonstrated Interest in their admissions decisions"?)

Admission counselors are there to serve prospective students and should be responsive to your communication.

If not, try someone else! Often admissions staff members change during the summer.

How to Identify Your Counselor

On a college’s Admissions website, there will be a section something like this:

Contact Us
Meet the Staff
Your Admission Counselor
Geographic Responsibilities
Map of Territory Responsibilities

Under each name/photo/email listed, there will be a list of the applicant types and geographic regions for which the counselor is responsible.

There is often a person responsible for transfer admission, multicultural recruitment, fine/performing arts, athletics, military, international students, and other specialty groups. You will see the countries and states (sometimes the counties) for which the counselor is responsible.

If you attend a boarding school, identify the counselor assigned to your school’s location.

Communication Skills

This is a moment to demonstrate that you are doing thoughtful research and can communicate clearly: skills that are used every day by college students.

Emails become part of your application and they may (or may not!) be read by other staff members. So think of this as a “Business Professional” moment—but don’t be intimidated.

You’ll want to do something roughly like this:

A Salutation:

You aren’t buddies so it’s appropriate to start with Dear Mr. Smith, or Dear Linda Jones.

An Introduction:

Context is everything!

My name is Mary Nichols and I am going to be a senior at South High School in Longwood, Pennsylvania. I understand that you are the admission counselor responsible for this region and am hoping that you can help me with a few questions…..

Your Question/s:

A very effective way to ask a question is to start with something that you know; this immediately lets the reader know that you are already doing research.

Example Question/s:

I understand from the description of the first year Engineering program that you don’t declare a specific major until after your second semester. Are all majors open to students at that point or is it a selective process based on grades?

I am involved in the recruiting process for field hockey and know what it’s like to juggle a varsity sport and a heavy academic courseload. Is there a way to connect with a student/athlete and talk with them “off the record” about their experience? The coach has been helpful but I’d love to connect with a student in STEM.

I go to a high school that does not send most students to college and have done very well, but have heard that I may not be as well prepared as other students who enroll. Could you connect me with a student from a similar background?

I am a practising Muslim and saw on the website that there is a Muslim student organization. Is there a way I could connect with a student who is involved so I can learn about their experience?

I’ve looked on the website and saw how credit is awarded for specific AP exam scores. Is there a professor or academic advisor I could talk with in the Pre-Med program about how to plan my course program in college and the advisability of taking the courses anyway?

I am working on a history research project on cross-cultural violence in colonial North America and have read several papers by Professor Jenkins in the History Department. I would really like to interview her but have not heard back after several emails; maybe she is away. Could you give me some advice on how to reach someone who would be willing to talk with me?

XYZ University is my first choice college and I’m seriously considering applying Early Decision. I was wondering if there’s a big difference between ED1 and ED2 and whether it would be better to wait for ED2 so that you see my first semester grades?

I'm planning a campus visit and am excited to get to know the college. I know that an admissions information session and student-guided tour are available; would it be possible to sit in on a class and meet a Creative Writing professor? Could I schedule a meeting with you?

Closing:

I am excited to learn more about XYZ University and the possibility of applying. If you plan on visiting South High School in the fall or hosting an admissions event in this area, I would be very happy to meet you. Thanks very much for your help.

Mary Nichols

Longwood, PA

Follow Up:

When the counselor responds, be sure to follow up with a thank you—and even an additional question (if appropriate). Always make each communication valuable and worth their time!

Things to Avoid:

Communication that has no point: be thoughtful and concise
Slang, overly informal teen-speak
Asking questions that are addressed on the website
Taking it personally if you get a canned response—or no response.
Thinking it doesn’t matter whether you contact them (especially if a college considers “Level of Applicant’s Interest” as stated in their Common Data Set Section C7—this is generally a way to demonstrate interest.)
Using an email address that you don’t check regularly or an email name that’s not professional
Overdoing it. Its quality, not quantity that makes a good impression

Remember, people in admissions generally want to help you understand the process and answer your questions—so don’t be afraid to reach out.

Just keep the guidance above in mind when you do.

Take care, and best of luck in your application process.

Susan Kastner Tree is a native New Yorker whose career in college admissions has included working both in selective college admissions and as a secondary school college counselor. Following her graduation from St. Lawrence University with a BS in Psychology, Susan moved to New England where she worked for twelve years as Associate Dean of Admissions at Bates College. She completed her Master’s degree in School Counseling at the University of Southern Maine and for the next 25 years worked with students from around the world as the Director of College Counseling at a college prep day and boarding school near Philadelphia. Since stepping out of that role, Susan has evaluated applications for two selective research universities and serves as College Essay Guy’s lead college counselor. Susan is a founding board member of the Character Collaborative, the Independent Curriculum Group, and the college access organization GoToCollege NYC; she has served on the Counselor Advisory committees of the College Board, the Educational Testing Service (ETS), and the Common Application. Her twins are recent college graduates.

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