College Transition Advisor

KIPP • Dallas, TX

8h • Onsite

About The Position

The College Transition Advisor role is part of the KIPP Forward program, which aims to transform college and career dreams into reality for low-income families by closing the information divide regarding college admissions and financial aid. The advisor helps students successfully transition from high school to college or their postsecondary pathway of highest rigor, ensuring they receive necessary information, guidance, and coaching. This involves working closely with KIPP high school seniors and the college and career counseling team throughout the school year to complete critical tasks through their first semester after high school. The role includes significant student outreach for advising sessions, progress monitoring, and promoting enrichment opportunities. Advisors also provide summer enrollment support and resources, targeted outreach during the first semester of college, collect data, maintain a student caseload, and work to prevent 'summer melt' as KIPPsters matriculate and enroll.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution
• Professional development course provided by the KIPP Foundation, and other college and career readiness partners, is essential
• Prior experience working with college students and helping them achieve academic success, primarily first-generation, minority, and low-income students
• Strong active listening (i.e. seeks to understand the needs and motivations of students.) and coaching skills
• Demonstrates knowledge of and respect for the cultures of the community served
• Demonstrates a growth mindset with the ability to inquire and be open to feedback
• Outstanding project management skills, with an ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously and meet agreed upon deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Proven ability to collaborate and build relationships with stakeholders across functional and organizational lines
• Proficiency using computers, printers, copy machines, fax machines, scanners, and telephones
• Strong command in using the internet and social media websites
• Articulate, professional demeanor with strong self-confidence and initiative
• Good interpersonal skills; Ability to work with a wide-range of people including teachers, parents, students, alumni, corporate partners, vendors and admissions personnel
• Proficient knowledge of college admissions and persistence
• Proficient knowledge of the financial aid processes
• Proficiency in using online databases to track student data
• Proven written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational and planning skills
• Comfortable using data dashboards
• Demonstrates a high proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Drive, and has previous experience utilizing a database, i.e. Salesforce

Responsibilities

• Oversee the successful transition of high school seniors into college, training, and careers.
• Develop positive, appropriate, meaningful relationships with students, parents, college and financial aid advisors, and fellow staff members and teachers.
• Support in building college going culture with students during the fall of senior year through small group pull-outs and Passion, Purpose and Planning advising.
• Engage in one-on-one conversations with current KIPP high school seniors about their postsecondary plans.
• Assist each student with postsecondary enrollment, orientation, financial aid verification (review and accept awards, loan counseling, SAP eligibility, graduation requirements, etc.), and ensure student registration.
• Plan and execute College Exposure visits for juniors and seniors.
• Plan and execute Parent and Family Education Nights in the fall and spring.
• Develop and deliver college and career transition lessons to high school seniors during senior seminar class.
• Collect and track matriculation steps and critical forms (financial aid award letters, final high school transcripts, FERPA forms, DD4, etc.).
• Support a caseload of alumni during the first semester of college.
• Engage in consistent outreach to students and alumni to confirm and verify fall enrollment.
• Conduct one college campus visit per week in the fall semester to check-in on alumni in person.
• Provide advising and coaching to help alumni navigate the critical challenges often faced by underserved communities when enrolling into college and training programs.
• Update and maintain the alumni database.
• Track and maintain records of student contact information changes, coaching calls, pulse-checks, matriculation steps, and verification of enrollments of alumni in college using the Alumni Database (Salesforce).
• Assist with data collection for annual report and program evaluation.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans with coverage options for employees and their families.
• Competitive vacation and flexible paid time off (PTO) policies.
• Paid family leave.
• Flexible spending account or high-yield HSA.
• Employee assistance programs.
• Legal plans (employee-paid).
• LifeLock identity protection (employee-paid).
• Life insurance (employee-paid).
• Disability insurance (employee-paid).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees