College Advisor

Position Goal: Provide leadership and guidance in college preparation for 9th-12th grade students, with the goal of helping the seniors gain admission and all necessary financial aid to attend their "best fit" college.

Overview: The Academic Success Program (ASP) is a non-profit, college access program that creates access to higher education in underserved communities by fostering a college-going culture in the high schools it serves. ASP works to raise our students' higher education expectations and to help them attend colleges and universities they might not attend without our help – whether that be a community college or a tier-one institution.

The Opportunity: The ASP Class of 2024 received over $430,000,000 in scholarships and institutional grants, and was accepted to a wide range of colleges, including Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, MIT, University of Southern California, Notre Dame, Babson College, Spelman College, UT Austin, Texas A&M, UT Dallas, and the local community colleges. ASP aims to continue its strong results in Dallas and Houston, as well as continue to expand to other school districts in the future. The College Advisor is integral to achieving these results. The position offers the rare opportunity to direct an entire program at the assigned high school campus and to witness firsthand the fruits of one's labor each year.

• B.S./B.A. required
• Must have strong English communication skills - written and oral
• Spanish is recommended, but not required.

Required Education, Experience and Skills:

• Received Bachelor's degree from accredited college or university
• A positive "Whatever it takes" attitude is essential
• Passion and commitment to working with students in order to improve their educational opportunities
• Ability to inspire, motivate, and advocate for ALL students
• Maintain high expectations for self and students
• Willing to go above and beyond in order help students achieve
• Ability to work well with diverse groups of people
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Must be deadline driven, able to prioritize, and execute goals and plans of the organization
• Must be committed to using and maintaining data to best support students
• Must be self-motivated but able to work within a group to achieve common goals
• Detail-oriented
• Ability to follow instructions and accept constructive criticism well
• Ability to remain flexible, open-minded, patient and positive
• Ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize work to maximize results
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher
• Willing to work some Saturdays and evenings as required
• Must be able to pass a Criminal Background Check

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Directly advising and counseling ALL students with college, financial aid, and scholarship applications
• Work with campus personnel, ASP colleagues, and district administrator to successfully achieve campus, organizational, and district wide goals

Implement ASP curriculum:

1. Provide individual academic guidance and counseling and support for college and financial aid processes
2. Coordinate and lead small-group meetings regarding the college, financial aid, and scholarship processes
3. Inform and help students register for the appropriate college entrance exams including: PSAT, SAT, ACT, TSI and ACCUPLACER exams
4. Through workshops and individual assistance, guide students and parents to systematically complete and submit all components of the college and financial aid applications, including: application forms, resumes, essays, fee waivers, recommendations, transcripts, test scores, supplements, FAFSA forms, CSS profiles, scholarships, preparing for college interviews, etc.
5. Build and maintain relationships with college admissions personnel to visit high school campus, follow up with students' college and financial aid applications, and attend annual Symposium for Multicultural Recruitment
6. Coordinate, lead and/or supervise ASP annual activities/events (i.e. ASP Ambassador Program, Academic Signing Day, Symposium for Multicultural Recruitment, etc.)

Modification of Duties & Essential Functions

ASP retains the right to change and/or modify the duties and essential functions of this position at any time. This job description is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee, but should give you an idea what to expect.