My path to admissions was a bit of a curvy road – undergrad (4 years), Juilliard School (6 months), law school (4 weeks!), graduate school/teaching/overseas study/research administration (10 years) – and then, a chance phone call that set me on the highway to a career in college admissions. That was 24 years ago. Most of the best things in life are unplanned.

I’ve worked at both public and private colleges in counselor, director and VP roles. I feel immensely lucky to work in admissions and believe that our field unequivocally changes students’ lives for the better. So, while I still have a few years left before I retire and play pickleball full-time, here’s a bit of wisdom I’ve gathered over the past two decades.

1. As Napoleon Dynamite infers “you’ve gotta have some skills” -- communication, organization, interpersonal, nunchuks (okay maybe not those), analytical, and technical acumen. But don’t forget that people matter most. Admissions is about relationships. While skills and a good CRM help, in the end how you personally communicate and build trust and rapport with students, families, colleagues, and peers on (and off) campus will make or break your career.

1. Integrity matters. Trust matters. Character matters. Kindness matters. Being a good human matters.
2. Your career will be benefited by saying “yes” more than “no. “Yes” opens doors. Take on challenges and tasks beyond those listed in your job description (this includes Iowa ACAC committees!).
3. Always assume positive intent. Even when it appears someone is being critical, remember that most criticism comes from a good place. Parents want their children to be successful, coworkers want to improve processes, faculty are curious and want to help, administrators are trying to improve student outcomes. In the end, it takes a village to enroll and graduate a student. Learn to see things through other peoples’ lenses.
4. Analyze, strategize, plan, and then execute. It’s very easy to get wrapped up in the thought process of doing but…not…actually…doing.  So, you know, “just do it.”
5. If you want to advance in admissions (or higher ed in general), you’ll find a graduate degree opens up opportunities. Whether it’s an MA in student affairs (insert shameless plug for UNI’s online MA in student affairs), MS, PhD, EdD, DMA, MBA, or MSL – the credential matters less than how you apply the knowledge. My graduate degree is in music, which seemingly has nothing to do with my present career. But it turned out to be very good preparation for admissions. I learned to appreciate the importance of seemingly small things and how they influence the big picture. I learned to read and understand audiences, to work collaboratively with all kinds of personalities, to respect the faculty scholarship, and importantly, that the show must go on. These are all skills needed in admissions. (In retrospect, I really wish I’d taken my undergraduate statistics class a little more seriously. There is a lot of data in our field.)
6. Be a good teammate. Help each other out. Fill in when needed. Support each other. And yes, help give tours when asked.
7. Have a sense of humor and laugh with your team. Things seldom go as planned – that’s what makes life interesting.

Most importantly, remember your purpose, your internal “why.”  I know being on the front lines as an admissions counselor can be hard. The past few years in admissions have been especially tough - COVID, changes in affirmative action, DEI, and FAFSA delays naming a few. But our job ultimately is working with the student sitting right in front of us - helping each student, one by one, with their educational and professional goals. Our work is hard, but the rewards are well worth it. Never forget YOU have the power to transform lives. It’s a road I’ll travel time and time again.

Dr. Terri Snyders Crumley is currently director of admissions at University of Northern Iowa.  She is a past-president and assembly delegate of Iowa ACAC, and an empty nester. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Central College and master’s and doctorate in vocal performance/pedagogy from the University of Iowa.