University Counselor

DIRECT REPORTS

The University Counselor reports to the Deputy Director of University Counseling.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

- A degree and a minimum of three years’ experience as a University Advisor, University Admissions Counselor, or other appropriate educational administrator are pre-requisites.

- Candidates should ideally already be working as a University Advisor or University Guidance Counsellor in a similar environment or be well suited to making the transition to this post at UWC CHANGSHU CHINA.

- The ability to engage with students and to engender enthusiasm for learning is a pre-requisite for teaching at UWC CHANGSHU CHINA.

- Candidates should be willing and eager to participate in the five key elements of a UWC CHANGSHU CHINA education: Academic; Pastoral; Service; Activities; Outdoor Education.

- Expectations include enthusiastic participation in Professional Development, both that which is mandated by the College and that which is identified by the University Advisor.

- On average the College expects a yearly contribution of two sessions per week in each season to Activities and/or Service.

- Applicants should be enthusiastic about working within a multicultural environment. Flexibility of approach and a collaborative style are essential.

- It should be noted that the College is a dynamic and high energy environment: the rewards are high – but so are the demands on teacher time and engagement.

MAIN WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Head of University Advising, Other University Advisors, University Advising secretaries, Principal of ,Vice Principals of , Heads of Grade, Tutors, Boarding Houseparents, Counselors, Admissions, and External Tertiary Institutions.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

- To participate in the ongoing development and implementation of a careers education program for all grades along with other members of the University Advising department.

- To support students in their transition from Upper to Senior School with preliminary university information and guidance on IB subject selection.

- To provide Grade 11-12 students guidance, information and advocacy as they navigate their way through the university application process worldwide.

- To ensure that students feel well-informed, supported and empowered to identify appropriate universities that are a good match and present themselves to those universities in a manner that highlights their strengths.

TASKS

INDIVIDUAL GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING

- Establish a personal advising relationship to an assigned caseload of students in G11-12 to offer advice on a range of issues including:

- resources for researching universities worldwide; guidance on visiting campuses, informational interviews with Admissions staff, and questions to research

- short-listing reach/realistic/likely universities for applications following detailed research

- country-specific and individual university application procedures

- fee status/financial aid/scholarship opportunities & application procedures

- university planning and application procedures for gap-year and National Service plans

- career options available following tertiary education; university courses best suited for career plans

- strategies for strengthening academic and overall profile to ensure best possible application outcomes, including advice on ACT/SAT and other test preparation, work-experience, essays, interviews, etc.

- Arrange interview and mock-interview opportunities for students with visiting admissions personnel and UWC or other appropriate mock-interviewers.

- Identify financially needy students and provide detailed guidance and support to ensure good scholarship matches. Work intensively with UWC National Committee and other scholars who are seeking full-need scholarship places at university.

- Offer individual guidance interviews to G10 students about IB packages based on careers exploration, academic interests identified, and tentative university plans.

GROUP GUIDANCE FOR STUDENTS, PARENTS AND STAFF

- Inform students, parents, and staff about university systems worldwide. Run information sessions for parents of Grades 10-12 about university destinations and issues.

- Guide G11 and G12 students and UWC CHANGSHU CHINA graduates through the university application process via small and large group work (University Evening, assemblies, tutor group visits, lunchtime/after school/evening information sessions, etc.).

- Guide G11 and G12 students planning to take a Gap Year or do National Service on their

university plans.

- Advise and run workshops on personal statement and college essay writing. Provide

individual feedback on multiple drafts of students’ personal statements/essays.

- Guide G10 students on preliminary university exploration and university implications of their IB package selection via small and large group work.

- Run careers education and skills training workshops for G9-10 students via small and large group sessions.

- Participate in the advising process to support G8 students in their GCSE subject selection, as needed.

- Organise and run staff workshops on pertinent topics. Produce materials to support staff involvement in the careers education program (G9-10) and university application process (G11-12) as tutors and subject teacher referees.

ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNICATION

- Keep students, parents, and staff informed of relevant deadlines and support them throughout the varied application processes for multiple university destinations.

- Use Naviance eDocs for US application processing and UCAS for UK application processing.

- Manage and track university applications made by allocated students, including processing school-issued supporting documents, following up with university representatives and troubleshooting as needed.

- Contribute to printed and electronic communication (including a weekly University Bulletin, the University Advising website and blog, and other forms of communication) to inform students, parents, and staff about on and off-campus events, university information opportunities, deadlines, and other relevant tertiary information.

- Actively seek financial aid and scholarship opportunities worldwide and facilitate student

research for scholarships. Coordinate scholarship nominations and applications.

- Write or review, edit and collate references. Manage the production of high-quality references by contributing to insets and publications for teachers, tutors, and other relevant members of staff.

- Contribute to collation and analysis of university application and placement data, and use appropriate data analysis to inform various aspects of university guidance provided.

- Network with UWC CHANGSHU CHINA alumni regarding final destinations, sharing their university experiences with current students.

- Regularly update knowledge base on all university-related matters in a rapidly changing tertiary world through personal research, departmental Insets, and various professional development opportunities including visiting universities and making presentations at relevant conferences, very often during the school holidays.

- Regularly update knowledge on careers and aptitude exploration resources.

RELATIONSHIPS WITH UNIVERSITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

- Co-host visits from 200+ universities throughout the school year

- Arrange speakers to visit the College to talk to students about studying in their country, application procedures, specific institutions, visa information, etc.

- Liaise with universities and educational centres for various countries through a variety of forums, including mutual visits, regular email and telephone communication, sharing publications, evening and weekend information sessions and receptions, networking opportunities at conferences and during visits to university campuses, etc.

- Maintain on-going relationships with university representatives to better advocate for students and UWC CHANGSHU CHINA regarding admissions decisions, waitlists, conditional offers, financial aid awards, etc.

- Develop relationships with organizations and individuals who could contribute to a careers education and work-experience program for G9-10 students, including UWC CHANGSHU CHINA’s Alumni Relations office and Parents Association.

PART OF THE TEAM

- Work with the Principal and Vice Principals to develop and implement appropriate

procedures consistent with the College’s values and practices.

- Ensure through regular meetings, briefings, and other forms of communication that appropriate members of staff are kept informed of tertiary issues pertaining to students and of any changes in university systems worldwide that may have implications for IB package selection or any other aspect of academic and pastoral guidance provided to students.

- Liaise with relevant pastoral personnel when devising and implementing a careers education

program for G9-10 students.