College Transition Advisor

KIPP Texas Public Schools • Dallas, TX

22h • Hybrid

About The Position

The College Transition Advisor role is crucial in helping KIPP Texas students successfully transition from high school to college or their chosen postsecondary pathway. This position aims to bridge the information gap for low-income families regarding college admissions and financial aid, which often act as barriers to higher education. The advisor will engage in various outreach efforts, including one-on-one meetings and group workshops, to provide students and families with the necessary information, guidance, and coaching to achieve their postsecondary goals. The role involves working closely with high school seniors and the college and career counseling team throughout the academic year to ensure all critical tasks are completed before and during the first semester after high school. Key responsibilities include significant student outreach, progress monitoring, promoting enrichment opportunities, providing summer enrollment support, and offering targeted outreach during the first semester of college. The advisor will also be responsible for data collection, maintaining a student caseload, and preventing summer melt.

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.
• 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 a 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 and 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.
• Planning and execution of College Exposure visits for juniors and seniors.
• Planning and execution of 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: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees