College Reps are People Too
Mar. 30th, 2007 02:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chasingkerouacIt amazes me the sheer... I don't even have the word for it. Audacity? Rudeness? There's not a proper word that encompasses all of what people in my line of work experience on a day to day basis, especially during travel season.
What do I do, you ask? Why, I'm a College Admissions Counselor. I'm the one who stands behind the desk at your college fairs with piles of information, inquiry cards, and a smile and an answer to questions you have while beginning your college search. I'm the person who answers the phone when you call a college saying in a desperate voice 'I have a question!' or 'I don't know what I'm doing!' or 'Let me tell you a thing or two about your admissions/financial aid/sports teams/etc!' I'm the person who sits there patiently while you get out all of your frustration at the college process, whether it should be directed at me or not. I'm the person that sits down with you when you come up to the office, some having appointments, some not bothering or 'forgetting' to call. Sometimes I'll even take you on a tour of campus, if we don't have a student tour guide available. I'm the person who reads your application and makes a decision as to whether we wish to accept you to our institution of higher learning or not.
All in all, I think I'm a pretty nice gal. My job is to help you find out if we're right for you, and if you're right for us. If not, I'm more than happy to point you in another direction that might be more to your liking or your current academic standing.
What I am not is someone to be yelled at, demeaned, mocked or teased because you have frustrations with the process/the institution/your own personal problems leaking through so that they're being taken out on everyone around you.
I don't know how many people reading this are in the last stages of high school and doing the college search/application thing, but there are some things that I feel I should point out for your own benefit.
1. College Reps are people too. We deserve to be treated politely. Your mother raised you better than to be ugly to someone.
2. As such, if we tell you something that you don't like, don't act like a petulant child. We're a women's college and you just HAVE to have co-ed? Don't throw the material down like it's tainted and you're going to catch something. Small school and you'll just die if the school itself isn't bigger than your town? Don't laugh in our face with the expression of 'why would anyone in their mind want to go HERE??'. A religious school when you're aiming for secular? Don't make derogatory comments to try and press our buttons. Most of us are alums and there's something that we really loved about our school to come back and work for a very small amount of money -- cause seriously, you don't get rich doing this -- so don't make us defensive about something we love.
Your mother taught you better than this.
3. If you do do something childish and ugly, apologize. Quickly. And remember that admissions officers are a small, tight knit group. We all know each other. We all go out to lunch with each other after the fairs. If you made a fool out of yourself at my booth and I know that you want to go to, say, UNC? I will tell the Carolina rep about you and your childish actions. Your name will get around, and that may very well affect their view of you when it comes time to read your application. Because we look at more than your grades and SAT scores. We look at the whole person, and if the whole person can't act like an adult? Well, what makes you think you're ready for college?
Your name will get around and stories will get told. They are the war stories of our profession. We revel in them and tell them often -- and with names.
4. Unless the pens have the school name on them and the College Rep asks you if you want a pen? Don't take my pens. I only have a limited number and they have to get me through a fair. Nothing is so irritating as someone who takes your pen from your table thinking that they're being funny. You're not, you're being annoying and perhaps keeping someone else from getting the information that they'd like. Don't be that kid.
Again, your mother taught you better than that. Stealing is wrong.
5. Ask intelligent questions. 'I want to major in CSI' is not an intelligent question. 'Are you in a city or something more rural?' is an intelligent question. 'Is it hard to get in?' is not an intelligent question. 'What does your average student look like academically?' is an intelligent question. Do your homework, but don't be afraid to ask questions. Know what you're interested in but don't know what that would be called as a major, ask! Want to major in something a bit off beat and don't know if we have it, ask! If we don't, I'm more than happy to point you in the right direction.
6. On the same topic of asking intelligent questions, don't ask stupid questions for amusement's sake. You're neither as funny nor as original as you think you are. Seriously, I've heard just about everything. If you walk up to a women's college and go 'So, if I get a sex change, can I come to your school?' they will not laugh with you, they will refer to #3. And perhaps announce to the room what a brave decision you're making today. Do you really want that to follow you to the lunch room? No, you don't. So don't do it.
7. If you're there with your parents, don't let them do all the talking. Don't be shy, we don't bite. We want to talk to you, that's why we're there. We're not trying to gauge if your parents are a good match for the school, we're trying to match up with you! And on the same token, if you see your parents being ugly to us, don't let them do it. We remember rude parents just as much as we remember rude students. So don't let your parents do all the talking. Your parents think that you need to go instate, but you want to explore out of state options? Explore. Your parents biased against a certain school, but you think it might be nice? Explore. Let us know that you're interested is something. Don't just stand there looking at your feet while Mom and Dad ask everything, talk to us.
8. If we ask you to repeat something, please do. Sometimes you speak quietly, and we can't hear you over the din. It doesn't mean that we're dumb, or can't understand your accent, or whatever. We just didn't hear the question, and if you want to ask us a question, we want to answer it. Besides, most College Reps get very little sleep and were more than likely on a plane that morning to get to this fair on time without missing too much work at the office. Sometimes we just need to you repeat yourself -- it's no reason to get snappy with us if we ask you to repeat yourself.
There are more that I'll edit into this, but I have to go catch my flight to get back to welcome our new admits to campus. College is the best four years of your life, and we want to help you make the right decision.
Don't ruin my day by acting like an ass. Karma is a bitch.
EDIT: Added 7 & 8.
Should probably do a list of good things to do for Admissions Reps as well, cause there are a lot of positives we love... and remember. Maybe when I get back home since I'm mooching airport internet right now *lol*
What do I do, you ask? Why, I'm a College Admissions Counselor. I'm the one who stands behind the desk at your college fairs with piles of information, inquiry cards, and a smile and an answer to questions you have while beginning your college search. I'm the person who answers the phone when you call a college saying in a desperate voice 'I have a question!' or 'I don't know what I'm doing!' or 'Let me tell you a thing or two about your admissions/financial aid/sports teams/etc!' I'm the person who sits there patiently while you get out all of your frustration at the college process, whether it should be directed at me or not. I'm the person that sits down with you when you come up to the office, some having appointments, some not bothering or 'forgetting' to call. Sometimes I'll even take you on a tour of campus, if we don't have a student tour guide available. I'm the person who reads your application and makes a decision as to whether we wish to accept you to our institution of higher learning or not.
All in all, I think I'm a pretty nice gal. My job is to help you find out if we're right for you, and if you're right for us. If not, I'm more than happy to point you in another direction that might be more to your liking or your current academic standing.
What I am not is someone to be yelled at, demeaned, mocked or teased because you have frustrations with the process/the institution/your own personal problems leaking through so that they're being taken out on everyone around you.
I don't know how many people reading this are in the last stages of high school and doing the college search/application thing, but there are some things that I feel I should point out for your own benefit.
1. College Reps are people too. We deserve to be treated politely. Your mother raised you better than to be ugly to someone.
2. As such, if we tell you something that you don't like, don't act like a petulant child. We're a women's college and you just HAVE to have co-ed? Don't throw the material down like it's tainted and you're going to catch something. Small school and you'll just die if the school itself isn't bigger than your town? Don't laugh in our face with the expression of 'why would anyone in their mind want to go HERE??'. A religious school when you're aiming for secular? Don't make derogatory comments to try and press our buttons. Most of us are alums and there's something that we really loved about our school to come back and work for a very small amount of money -- cause seriously, you don't get rich doing this -- so don't make us defensive about something we love.
Your mother taught you better than this.
3. If you do do something childish and ugly, apologize. Quickly. And remember that admissions officers are a small, tight knit group. We all know each other. We all go out to lunch with each other after the fairs. If you made a fool out of yourself at my booth and I know that you want to go to, say, UNC? I will tell the Carolina rep about you and your childish actions. Your name will get around, and that may very well affect their view of you when it comes time to read your application. Because we look at more than your grades and SAT scores. We look at the whole person, and if the whole person can't act like an adult? Well, what makes you think you're ready for college?
Your name will get around and stories will get told. They are the war stories of our profession. We revel in them and tell them often -- and with names.
4. Unless the pens have the school name on them and the College Rep asks you if you want a pen? Don't take my pens. I only have a limited number and they have to get me through a fair. Nothing is so irritating as someone who takes your pen from your table thinking that they're being funny. You're not, you're being annoying and perhaps keeping someone else from getting the information that they'd like. Don't be that kid.
Again, your mother taught you better than that. Stealing is wrong.
5. Ask intelligent questions. 'I want to major in CSI' is not an intelligent question. 'Are you in a city or something more rural?' is an intelligent question. 'Is it hard to get in?' is not an intelligent question. 'What does your average student look like academically?' is an intelligent question. Do your homework, but don't be afraid to ask questions. Know what you're interested in but don't know what that would be called as a major, ask! Want to major in something a bit off beat and don't know if we have it, ask! If we don't, I'm more than happy to point you in the right direction.
6. On the same topic of asking intelligent questions, don't ask stupid questions for amusement's sake. You're neither as funny nor as original as you think you are. Seriously, I've heard just about everything. If you walk up to a women's college and go 'So, if I get a sex change, can I come to your school?' they will not laugh with you, they will refer to #3. And perhaps announce to the room what a brave decision you're making today. Do you really want that to follow you to the lunch room? No, you don't. So don't do it.
7. If you're there with your parents, don't let them do all the talking. Don't be shy, we don't bite. We want to talk to you, that's why we're there. We're not trying to gauge if your parents are a good match for the school, we're trying to match up with you! And on the same token, if you see your parents being ugly to us, don't let them do it. We remember rude parents just as much as we remember rude students. So don't let your parents do all the talking. Your parents think that you need to go instate, but you want to explore out of state options? Explore. Your parents biased against a certain school, but you think it might be nice? Explore. Let us know that you're interested is something. Don't just stand there looking at your feet while Mom and Dad ask everything, talk to us.
8. If we ask you to repeat something, please do. Sometimes you speak quietly, and we can't hear you over the din. It doesn't mean that we're dumb, or can't understand your accent, or whatever. We just didn't hear the question, and if you want to ask us a question, we want to answer it. Besides, most College Reps get very little sleep and were more than likely on a plane that morning to get to this fair on time without missing too much work at the office. Sometimes we just need to you repeat yourself -- it's no reason to get snappy with us if we ask you to repeat yourself.
There are more that I'll edit into this, but I have to go catch my flight to get back to welcome our new admits to campus. College is the best four years of your life, and we want to help you make the right decision.
Don't ruin my day by acting like an ass. Karma is a bitch.
EDIT: Added 7 & 8.
Should probably do a list of good things to do for Admissions Reps as well, cause there are a lot of positives we love... and remember. Maybe when I get back home since I'm mooching airport internet right now *lol*
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Date: 2007-03-30 08:16 pm (UTC)