3. Who Are We?
First and foremost, to create rapport
and share the mission and vision of
the college, the Admissions
Counselors must be acquainted
with the President of the University. If
this is not possible, a welcome
video of a current employee
interviewing the President, will be
shown to new hires.
4. Meet & Greet
The new Admissions Counselors
will participate in a one week
“Meet & Greet” program.
During this training, they will be
provided with materials on the
college, meet with the staff
members of each department,
and meet with the Dean of
each school of study to learn
about the majors offered.
During the “Meet & Greet”,
Admissions Counselors will learn
more of what is expected of
them as well as find direction
towards helpful campus
resources.
5. Shadowing
The new Admissions Counselor will
sit in with each current counselor
during their interviews and tours for
a week, following the “Meet &
Greet” stage. They will be required
to take notes and will have a
chance after this, to sit down with
the counselors and ask questions.
Active participation is encouraged,
as this will soon be their new role!
6. Policies & Procedures Review
A seminar will take place where the
Admissions Counselor will learn and
apply the institute's policies and
procedures to their daily jobs. An
online assessment test of these
important campus guidelines will be
given at the end of the seminar. It is
mandatory to pass this assessment.
The score given will be recorded
and placed in their employee file
for accountability purposes.
7. “Learning is the process whereby
knowledge is created through the
transformation of experience”
(David A. Kolb, 1984)
Learning Scenario
What is needed to create a sound training module?
8. Scenario Overview
A new Admissions Counselor has been hired into the
University
Training process will focus on:
Admissions process
College specific information
Process must be done effectively & efficiently
Department of Education
New restrictions & policies
9. How do Our Learner’s Learn?
A quick discovery lesson
10. Piecing Learning Styles with Learners
Kolb's experiential learning style theory is typically
represented by a four stage learning cycle in
which the learner 'touches all the bases':
1. Concrete Experience - (a new experience of
situation is encountered, or a reinterpretation of
existing experience)
2. Reflective Observation (of the new experience.
Of particular importance are any inconsistencies
between experience and understanding)
3. Abstract Conceptualization (Reflection gives
rise to a new idea, or a modification of an existing
abstract concept)
4. Active Experimentation (the learner applies
them to the world around them to see what
results)
12. Motivation Creators
Individual Motivational Factors:
Personal reasons for wanting to help others achieve their
educational goals-an inspirational story of their success may
inspire motivation within themselves and others
To retain their job!
This leads to the need for them to:
Effectively perform their job
Enroll students in the most ethical manner possible
Provide potential students with accurate information
Answer potential students’ questions correctly
14. Goals & Evidence
Goal
Relay accurate information to potential students
Evidence
Reviews by the manager and current Admissions
Counselors
Pass knowledge assessment test
Provider accurate information to secret shoppers
Provide superb customer service & satisfaction
Evidence
Reviews by the manager and current Admission
Counselors
Role-play with current Admission Counselors
15. Goals & Evidence Cont.
Goal
Ensure that the student is cognizant of all pertinent
information
Evidence
Students are able to recite and implement the
college’s expectations
Director of Admissions conducts a second interview
with each student
16. Assessment
At the conclusion of training, the
Admissions Counselor must pass a
knowledge test which will be
instituted at the end of the new
employee orientation. This test will
cover all aspects of what was taught,
i.e.; polices & procedures, role-playing
scenarios, etc.
A survey will also be given at the end
of the assessment. This will help the
university gauge the effectiveness of
the training. Questions posed will ask
for suggestions on how to improve this
training for future hires.
17. Knowledge Test Example
What is the college or university’s protocol regarding how
much financial aid information an Admissions Counselor
can give out?
How do you handle a phone caller if they are suspected
of being a “Secret Shopper?”
If a potential student asks about job placement or how
long the program takes to complete can an Admissions
Counselor give a definitive answer, why or why not?
If English is not the first language of a potential student
&/or their parents how do you handle the situation?
18. Knowledge Test Example
Did you feel the orientation covered all topics thoroughly and
efficiently?
Was each policy and procedure accurately and correctly explained?
Did you feel you received sufficient program specific information?
Which part of the orientation did you feel was the most beneficial and
why?
Which part of the orientation would like to see improvement on and
why?
Was the orientation facilitator enthusiastic and willing to answer
questions?
What suggestions do you have to further improve the orientation?
A self-paced study, via an online learning module such as Blackboard, will be provided for participants. It will be expected that they actively participate everyday, for the entire week by making discussion posts. The content of these posts will be a reflection of their big “take-away” for that day. A designated mentor (Senior Admissions Counselor, Director of Admissions) will monitor the discussion posts and respond. Over time, this could also aid in creating a Frequently-Asked Questions list for new hires.
The new Admissions Counselor will perform role-playing with current counselors, as well as be given a booklet of different situations in which they will have to describe how they would handle the situation. A sample of these situations would include how one would handle a limited-English speaking student, to quote or not to quote potential student salaries upon graduation, the first-time college bound student, etc. These sessions will be recorded and used to help further trainings down the road. With permission from students, certain real-life situations would also be recorded to help aid in the new Admissions Counselor's training.
A new Admissions Counselor has been hired and this person must be trained on the admissions process as a whole, as well as information specific to the college or university they were hired to work at. This process needs to be presented effectively and efficiently by the trainer. The trainers must create a lesson plan that will allow the new Admissions Counselor to be prepared enough to work on their own. Depending on the time of year hired, he or she may be thrown into the position without the proper time to train. With the advent of new restrictions, policies, and procedures set forth by the Department of Education; full disclosure and product knowledge needs to be presented to the prospective student correctly. Drawing upon Kolb’s learning styles, it will be imperative to closely follow
Knowing a person's (and your own) learning style enables learning to be orientated according to the preferred method. That said, everyone responds to and needs the stimulus of all types of learning styles to one extent or another - it's a matter of using emphasis that fits best with the given situation and a person's learning style preferences. Kolb's learning theory sets out four distinct learning styles, which are based on a four-stage learning cycle.Kolb explains that different people naturally prefer a certain single different learning style. Various factors influence a person's preferred style. For example, social environment, educational experiences, or the basic cognitive structure of the individual. When orienting Admissions Counselors to a new position, oftentimes there is not enough time to discover what style they are and tailor an orientation specifically for them. It is suggested that Kolb’s idea is presented to them as an introduction/ice-breaker to the new training orientation.
The learners’ motivation is first and foremost to keep their job. This is evidenced by the fact they are participating in the intense training. Secondly they are motivated to learn because in order to effectively do their job they must give out accurate information. Misinformed students can result in as little as nothing or up to a lawsuit. The Admissions Counselor must be compliant in all aspects of the admissions process. Individual factors may also be working against the motivation of the trainees. For one, a person in the position of Admissions Counselor must have a specific reason for doing so. This is not a “luxury” position where one can admit and exclude students at their free will. A Counselor must be “on at all times” and be able to adapt to a variety of social situations. They must also know that colleges are struggling to keep enrollments strong. One that may not have been considered a probable prospect for admission must be turned into a prospect that is. The Admissions Counselor is responsible for making sure all loose ends are taken care of without doing it for the student. Secondly, preconceived notions of the future Admissions Counselor can get in the way of caring properly for a student’s needs. For example, and Admissions Counselor may “give up” on a prospect because they are not understanding certain forms, educational requirements, etc. This can be viewed as a student not being ready to undertake the requirements of college. What this really translates into is possibly this particular student is the only person who has attended college in their family and is overwhelmed by the process or, that English is not their first language. This can be a motivation-killer of inexperienced Admissions Counselors who want the “easy, perfect, enroll-able student.”
The Admissions Counselor’s manager will sit in on their interviews and tours once a month, for the first six months, to ensure the correct information is being given. The new Admissions Counselor will also be required to pass an assessment on knowledge of the school and the admissions process. This assessment will be a requirement of “going live” (i.e. working as an Admissions Counselor). After the 90-day probation period, “secret shoppers” will contact the Admissions Counselor, pretending to be an enrolled prospect. Key indicators the shoppers will look for are adherence to the admissions process, i.e.; following all components of the interview, tour, financial process, etc.
As evidence, it will be important that the student recite the college’s expectations and apply them to their own success within the school. The student will also be able to provide in-depth examples of what is expected of them at this university. To demonstrate that the student retained the information the Admissions Counselor provided, a second interview will allow the Director of Admissions to ask the student pertinent questions in which the information had to have been previously delivered and discussed by the Admissions Counselor. In itself, this is a real-time mini assessment.
The Admissions Counselor’s manager will sit in on their interviews and tours once a month, for the first six months, to ensure the correct information is being given. The new Admissions Counselor will also be required to pass an assessment on knowledge of the school and the admissions process. This assessment will be a requirement of “going live” (i.e. working as an Admissions Counselor). After the 90-day probation period, “secret shoppers” will contact the Admissions Counselor, pretending to be an enrolled prospect. Key indicators the shoppers will look for are adherence to the admissions process, i.e.; following all components of the interview, tour, financial process, etc.
The Admissions Counselor’s manager will sit in on their interviews and tours once a month, for the first six months, to ensure the correct information is being given. The new Admissions Counselor will also be required to pass an assessment on knowledge of the school and the admissions process. This assessment will be a requirement of “going live” (i.e. working as an Admissions Counselor). After the 90-day probation period, “secret shoppers” will contact the Admissions Counselor, pretending to be an enrolled prospect. Key indicators the shoppers will look for are adherence to the admissions process, i.e.; following all components of the interview, tour, financial process, etc.
The Admissions Counselor’s manager will sit in on their interviews and tours once a month, for the first six months, to ensure the correct information is being given. The new Admissions Counselor will also be required to pass an assessment on knowledge of the school and the admissions process. This assessment will be a requirement of “going live” (i.e. working as an Admissions Counselor). After the 90-day probation period, “secret shoppers” will contact the Admissions Counselor, pretending to be an enrolled prospect. Key indicators the shoppers will look for are adherence to the admissions process, i.e.; following all components of the interview, tour, financial process, etc.
