Director of Admissions

Although they’re filled with desks instead of disco balls, schools are a lot like nightclubs. Never mind that one has bass and the other books. Despite their obvious differences, both have a maximum occupancy — and a line full of people waiting to get in.

As a Director of Admissions, you’re like the Bouncer. Employed by schools — including private elementary, middle and high schools, as well as public and private colleges and universities — the Director of Admissions holds the guest list, which means they decide who gets in and who doesn’t.

Unlike Bouncers, a Director of Admissions is not looking for people with the best bodies and the most clout; you’re looking for the brightest students. To find them, you and your staff of Admissions Counselors create and distribute applications, then collect and review completed ones in order to find students that best fit your criteria, based on factors such as grade point average, test scores, extracurricular activities and personal character.

To further inform your decisions, you collect references, conduct interviews and administer admissions tests — all of which help you find the best students for your school.

To that end, you’re at once an HR professional and a sales and marketing expert. The former because you spend a lot of time recruiting students — working with feeder schools and alumni associations to identify top talent — and the latter because you’re tasked with attracting them, which you do by creating marketing materials and hosting events for prospective students.

Whether it’s at a state university or the Harvard of preschools, you’re the Gatekeeper — but without the velvet ropes.