College Counselor

The Agnes Irwin School is seeking an experienced college counselor dedicated to empowering young women through a personalized, student-first approach to the college admission process. College Counselors work closely with students, families, faculty and college admission representatives to help guide students through a thoughtful and individualized college search process. The position, in the college counseling office, is a full-time, ten-month position on a team of three full-time college counselors, supported by an administrative assistant, with a caseload of approximately 30 - 35 students.  This is an expansion position, reflecting the School’s continued commitment to providing exceptional, individualized college counseling support.

The title for this position will be College Counselor, Assistant Director of College Counseling, or Associate Director of College Counseling, commensurate with the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. 

The Ideal Candidate:

• Embraces the Agnes Irwin School’s mission to empower each girl to learn, lead, and live a legacy, and are committed to the ethos of girls’ education.
• Embraces the richness of a diverse community and demonstrates a dedication to continuous growth and development of cross-cultural awareness; seeks to develop the necessary skills to engage with and learn from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. 
• Will become part of an inclusive school community that is willing to engage with empathy and understanding across differences.
• Regards collaboration as an essential component of professional growth and values working on a team. 
• Will immerse themselves in the life of the school and share their talents as a teacher, coach, advisor, chaperone, or club leader, etc.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the college application process for 30-35 senior and junior students, including writing unique, advocacy-centered recommendation letters; leading parent-student conferences; and guiding all aspects of the college counseling process.
• Lead the recruitment process in partnership with the Directors of Athletics on the recruitment process for a class of typically 15–25% of recruited student-athletes. Provide support to students and families navigating all stakeholders involved in recruiting, including college coaches, school coaches, club coaches, and college admissions representatives.
• Serve as Testing Coordinator; oversee the administration of AP exams, organize and execute the PSAT administration, liaise with the SSD Coordinator around standardized testing issues, and handle test prep vendors and AIS family requests for such services.
• Participate in several evening programs each year for students and families.
• Prepare and send school documents for each student’s applications.
• Design and execute high-impact guidance strategies and innovative student programming.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with college admissions representatives; co-host admission visitors during fall; represent AIS to colleges through communications, advocacy for students, and attendance at professional conferences and college tours.
• Remain current on admission practices and trends, including but not limited to the nuances of the financial aid process, athletic recruiting, and standardized testing; participate in professional conferences and visit college campuses as department and school budgets allow.
• Be a team player and work collaboratively with the college counseling team. 
• Have excellent organizational, communication, and planning skills.
• Flexible and resilient problem-solver with demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Maintain strict confidentiality.

• Participate in several evening programs each year for students and families.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred 
• Two or more years in college admissions or college counseling experience in a secondary school preferred
• Exceptionally strong communication, organization, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and enthusiastically tackle responsibilities