Any Academic Advisors or Admissions Counselors here?

[acginkc]

I am looking into these fields at the university level (open to juco as well) and could use some advice from people who are working there now on how to start in these careers. Thanks.

[aggie94]

DH went into student affairs several years ago after working for a year as a Career Counselor. Even entry-level positions often require a master's in student affairs or a related field (his is technically a M.Ed. in Counseling & Guidance, with an emphasis in Student Affairs), and the pay is mediocre at best. That said, he's found it to be very rewarding as he loves working with students. He's worked in a variety of different departments (Multicultural Student Affairs, Judicial Affairs, etc.) at both universities and community colleges. He's currently the director of two Adult Basic Education programs at a local community college, so he supervises a team of advisors.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to post or PM me. I can also put you in touch with him, if you like. You might check out the Chronicle of Higher Education's job listings to get a feel for what different schools require for the positions you are looking at and what their starting pay is. I know many schools don't require a master's degree for an admissions counselor position, but most will require a bachelor's plus some years of experience or, in the alternative, a master's. Not to mention that as you move up through the student affairs ranks, you will quickly find that they expect you to have advanced degrees.

[krhm]

I'm not in the field exactly, but have some experience in this area. I agree with Aggie94 that most positions require a masters, but if you have a bachelors in a related field and could start at more of an entry level position, most public schools offer tuition reimbursement, so you could earn the degree for free while you work.

Along with the Chronicle, check out the National Academic Advising Association (http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/index.htm). They are based out of Kansas State University, and offer an online certificate program as well as an online MS in academic advising. I had the privilege of attending the summer institute this past year, and it was well worth it.

As more institutions move towards funding based on graduation and retention rates, there has been a huge focus on the role of academic advising. I know my institution is in the process of a complete overhaul. Supposedly as more baby boomers retire, there will also be a lot of opportunities in higher ed administration. So, this could be a good career choice from that perspective!

[acginkc]

Thanks for the info so far. I have a master's degree in counseling psychology currently so that part is covered. I lack experience and that is what's hurting me the most. I had practicum in grad school and that gave me a few really good skills. However after I graduated I had a really hard time finding a job in the field I was looking into at the time(HIV/AIDS counseling). I took a job in retail and have sort of gotten stuck there and I'm ready to actually do a job I find fulfilling. Pay is not too big of an issue for me. If I like what I do and I can survive I am happy. Trust me, retail management isn't exactly going to earn me my own jet ;). I have a resume, but all the HR people I know are in business so they aren't really familiar (according to them) with what universities look for on a resume or cover letter. I don't mind starting at the bottom and working my way up, I like knowing all the inner workings of a place. Thanks again for the help and any other that you can offer.

[Mpenny1001]

I work in a college admissions office. Most of our advisors these days have their masters but had to start their employment as an entry level classified position (that's what our state calls a support position). We call them student status examiners (SSE). These positions earn hourly pay that isn't terribly high, but it gets the person familiarity with our admissions and residency policies and procedures, system and university guidelines and the student information database we use. I can't remember the last time we hired an advisor who didn't have previous relevant experience, so my suggestion would be to find out how the admissions offices in your state work and start from there. In my state, you enter an SSE position by taking an exam. Those who score high enough are invited to interview and then can get hired. At that point you have some decent relevant experience to put on your resume that you use to apply for the advisor positions.

If you want to be an advisor in a particular school or college, that may be slightly different and I'm afraid I can't help you with that since that isn't my area.

Good luck!