College Admissions Counselor

ConnectPrep•Westport, CT

About The Position

ConnectPrep is expanding its college admissions team and seeks counselors who are driven to help students succeed. The company provides families with a boutique, focused, and personalized admissions experience, helping students develop and present their individual stories. Counselors create a step-by-step application plan for families, help students work toward their goals, and guide them in preparing strong applications to their top-ranked colleges. Support may include reviewing curricula, internship options, extracurricular activities, and Early Decision, Restrictive Early Action, Early Application, and Regular Decision strategies. The position offers flexible scheduling and is a contractual opportunity intended as supplemental income, not a full-time-equivalent position. Compensation includes performance-based bonuses and growth opportunities.

Requirements

At least five years of experience working as an admissions officer or reader at a selective college, including experience as a high school counselor, independent counselor, or college counseling professional in a business setting.
Thorough understanding of high school curricula, AP and IB programs, and standardized tests including the ACT and SAT.
Experience working with students in grades 7–12, transfer applicants, and private or boarding school applicants.
Proven student-success record across academic programs, including specializations such as direct medical programs and engineering.
Successful methods for differentiating applications and building strong student portfolios.
Experience with athletic recruitment and other specialized endeavors.
Excellent writing skills and understanding of the current admissions landscape.
Knowledge of public, private, charter, and boarding school environments.
Expert knowledge of Naviance, Scoir, and other college admissions software.
Expertise with Common App, Coalition App, Apply Texas, and school-specific applications.
Thorough knowledge of the college process, school types, resources, and educational environments.
Track record of placing students in selective colleges, prestigious high school internships, and extracurricular activities.
In-depth knowledge of financial aid, scholarships, and other forms of aid.
Familiarity with the academic and social demands of high school culture and the competitive college admissions landscape.
Knowledge of academic programs and competitions such as DECA, Science/Math Olympiads, AMC math competitions, science fairs, and STEM competitions.
Strong communication, organization, and writing skills.
Creative, driven, energetic, patient, passionate, versatile, and dedicated to helping students excel; able to motivate, build teams, and mentor students.
Proficiency with technology.
Strong desire to grow in a fast-paced startup environment with significant autonomy.
Must be a U.S. citizen or national, a lawful permanent resident, or otherwise authorized to work in the U.S. for this employer.

Nice To Haves

M.Ed. in education.
Ph.D. in education.

Responsibilities

Guide students and families through the college admissions process and provide personalized support.
Create an application-process plan for families and help students develop applications that showcase their individual qualities.
Review curricula, internship options, extracurricular activities, and application timing strategies, including ED, REA, EA, and RD.
Create individualized plans covering course selection, academic interests, extracurricular activities, and summer programs.
Conduct ongoing research on school profiles, course catalogs, and academic programs to address students’ needs.
Guide families and mentor students throughout the admissions process.
Help students build life skills, self-esteem, and confidence through positive reinforcement.