How To Write a College Admissions Counselor Resume
Your college admissions counselor resume should demonstrate an ability to make higher education more affordable and accessible to students, along with your skills in student coaching, advising, test preparation, and team collaboration. Throughout this guide, we’ll provide expert tips to help you create a strong resume highlighting the most engaging aspects of your experience in higher education.
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
1. Summarize your college admissions counselor qualifications in a dynamic profile
Creating a compelling snapshot of your career as a college admissions counselor is the best way to draw in the reader. Start by listing your job title, years of experience, and three to four specializations that align with the job posting.
For example, if you excel at explaining admissions and financial aid topics in easy-to-understand terms for families, include this in your profile. If you are especially resourceful in connecting potential students to academic information, highlight this in your summary.
Profile Example #1
Admissions Counselor with 5+ years of experience at a small liberal arts college. Dedicated to helping make higher education more accessible and affordable to underprivileged student groups. Combine broad admissions and financial aid knowledge with a willingness to learn new systems and procedures.
Profile Example #2
Collaborative College Admissions Counselor with 5+ years of experience. Skilled communicator who puts admission and financial aid topics in clear terms for diverse applicants and their families. Experienced public speaker passionate about conveying the value of higher education to prospective students. Adapt readily to new work challenges and conditions. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
2. Create a powerful list of your college admissions counselor experience
To craft a results-driven professional experience section, create bullet points that emphasize your career achievements rather than job responsibilities. Colleges and other higher education institutions are interested in results.
As a college admissions counselor, display the value of your contributions by incorporating data, metrics, and figures that demonstrate your success. Also, consider emphasizing your ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams and translate complex financial aid and admissions information into accessible language.
Professional Experience Example #1
College Admissions Counselor, MLS College, Boston, MA | August 2017 to Present
[One of New England’s top-ranked liberal arts colleges.]
- Coach and advise prospective students on all stages of the college admissions process
- Recommend and explain appropriate grants, scholarships, and other financial aid options to help prospective students defray current and future education costs
- Help students prepare application materials and schedule tests required for admission
- Organized and led a new 5-workshop program addressing FAQs about the college admissions process. Program exceeded all participation goals and was made a yearly school event
Professional Experience Example #2
College Admissions Counselor, TNN College, San Francisco, CA | August 2017 to Present
- Member of an 11-person admissions and career services team
- Ensure students understand all application essay requirements and offer tips and resources for managing the writing process
- Build positive, productive relationships with diverse high school students and their families
- Introduced a more efficient system for documenting each individual’s work and progress. System enhanced student communications and raised overall team efficiency by 15%
3. Include education and certifications relevant to college admissions counselors
In addition to your education, feature any relevant certifications you achieved throughout your career as a college admissions counselor. Although most employers will be more interested in your professional experience, obtaining additional credentials will show your drive to advance your career.
For instance, a National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential from the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) demonstrates a professional commitment to the counseling field with required hours of additional training to elevate your counseling skills.
A Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) from the American Society for Quality (ASQ) highlights your strategic planning skills, along with an ability to manage projects and analyze financial situations, which are all important aspects of college admissions counseling.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example
- Bachelor’s of Science (B.S.) Counseling
- Temple University, Philadelphia, PA | 2016
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- National Certified Counselor (NCC), National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), 2020
4. Make a list of your college admissions counselor-related skills and proficiencies
Most organizations rely on some form of applicant tracking system (ATS) to identify qualified candidates for job openings. To advance your resume past the initial screening process and into a hiring manager’s hands, incorporate keywords from the job posting into your profile, professional experience, and skills sections. Below is a list of key terms and skills you may encounter while applying for college admissions counselor jobs.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Application essay instruction | Career counseling |
| College affordability | College transition planning |
| Event planning and organizing | Procedure improvement |
| Program development | Public speaking and presentations |
| Reporting and documentation | Student and family relations |
| Student coaching and advising | Student financial aid |
| Team collaboration | Test preparation |
| Workshop facilitation | Writing principles and instruction |
5. Highlight your organizational skills
As a college admissions counselor, you will help potential students and their families work through the processes required to become a student at the institution. You will likely create reports and documentation, assist with financial aid applications, and offer insights to improve procedures. Highlighting your organizational skills will demonstrate your expertise in managing the many roles required for this position.
6. Showcase your communication skills
Communication is central to your role as a college admissions counselor. For instance, you may be called on for public speaking engagements to share information about your college and to give presentations to prospective students and their families. Workshop facilitation and event planning are also often required in a college admissions counselor role. Additionally, you may have to collaborate cross-functionally while providing students with the resources required to access and advance their education. Many employers look for those who can communicate effectively to different audiences, both internal and external.
How To Pick the Best College Admissions Counselor Resume Template
When selecting a resume template, focus on structure and readability over visuals. Remember, content is the priority — information that explains your expertise and skills. Heavy use of colors and bulky graphics can distract the reader from your content. Choose a template that organizes your content effectively but also fits with your brand. Hiring managers will be more interested in your relevant achievements and qualifications than the style of your template.
College Admissions Counselor Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Amar Singh
123 Santa Maria, San Francisco, CA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Collaborative College Admissions Counselor with 5+ years of experience. Skilled communicator who puts admission and financial aid topics in clear terms for diverse applicants and their families. Experienced public speaker passionate about conveying the value of higher education to prospective students. Adapt readily to new work challenges and conditions. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
Key Skills
- Application Essay Instruction
- Career Counseling
- College Affordability
- College Transition Planning
- Event Planning & Organizing
- Procedure Improvement
- Program Development
- Public Speaking & Presentations
- Reporting & Documentation
- Student & Family Relations
- Student Coaching & Advising
- Student Financial Aid
- Team Collaboration
- Test Preparation
- Workshop Facilitation
- Writing Principles & Instruction
Professional Experience
College Admissions Counselor, TNN College, San Francisco, CA | August 2017 to Present
- Member of an 11-person admissions and career services team
- Ensure students understand all application essay requirements and offer tips and resources for managing the writing process
- Build positive, productive relationships with diverse high school students and their families
- Introduced a more efficient system for documenting each individual’s work and progress. System enhanced student communications and raised overall team efficiency by 15%
Education
University of California, Berkeley
Master’s Degree – Counseling | May 2017
Bachelor’s Degree – Counseling | May 2015
Affiliation
Member, National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC)
Language
Fluency in Spanish | Proficiency in Italian
Frequently Asked Questions: College Admissions Counselor Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for college admissions counselor resumes?-
It’s easy to get stuck when writing the experience section of your college admissions counselor resume. You might run out of action verbs to describe your work. To help you with this challenge, we put together the below list of common action verbs that describe college admissions counselor roles.
Try these action verbs when crafting your professional experience section:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Advise | Coach |
| Collaborate | Connect |
| Consult | Coordinate |
| Develop | Document |
| Enhance | Facilitate |
| Organize | Plan |
| Prepare | Present |
| Promote | Recommend |
| Recruit | Refer |
| Suggest | Support |
How do you align your resume with a college admissions counselor job posting?-
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for school and career counselors and advisors are projected to grow by 5% from 2021 to 2031, which is slightly faster than average compared to most occupations. This growth is primarily driven by a growing number of higher education institutions opening career centers to help students prepare to enter the workforce. Also, navigating the college admissions process is increasingly difficult for many students and families challenged with the cost of attending college. Schools have a need for college admissions counselors to guide students through the complex process.
Although these job outlook projections are optimistic, still align your resume with each job posting to secure interviews for the most attractive college admissions counselor opportunities. Higher education counseling is a competitive field, and tailoring your document to individual job postings will significantly increase your chances of landing your next job opportunity.
For example, suppose the hiring organization is looking for an expert in college transition planning. In that case, you’d highlight your experience helping students successfully transfer credits and acclimate to campus as they change schools.
What is the best college admissions counselor resume format?-
Most college admissions counselors should use the combination (or hybrid) format. True to its name, this format combines two important features of other resume formats: the chronological format’s experience section, and the functional format’s profile section. (The resume examples on this page all use combination format.)
By fusing these two features, a combination resume offers the best of both worlds. The experience section lets you outline your recent work history – essential information for most employers. At the same time, the profile section lets you display your career highlights at the top, regardless of whether they’re from that work history or another part of your background. As a result, you can present yourself clearly and strategically. With this format, you give hiring managers the best view of your experience and relevant strengths, so they can make an informed decision to call you for an interview.
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Crafting a strong cover letter helps your chances of landing an interview during a job search. The key to creating an engaging cover letter is to customize your document for the college employer’s job posting. Read our school counselor cover letter guide to learn how. For other related cover letter examples, see our entry-level counseling and recruiter cover letter guides.
