Making the Most of Admissions Phone Calls

Hi everyone and Happy February! I hope 2017 is continuing to prove to be a great year for you. Today I wanted to talk with you about the phone calls that you get/will get from admission offices. Depending on the college, they will most likely be once a month or so. In my experience, a lot of students don't know what to do when they get these phone calls, so I thought I would share my suggestions with you all!

First, I'll give you a little background about my phone calling experience. I have worked in an admissions office making phone calls to students for the past six years. Before then, I was on the receiving end of the phone calls. So I know all about the good, the bad, and the ugliest of phone conversations and how to help you make the most of them!

Confession, these phone calls are to answer your questions and help you make your decision and that is all. They are not meant to annoy you or turn you off from the college. They usually have a purpose behind them: congratulations on your acceptance, file your fafsa, review financial aid package, come to accepted students day, have you made a decision. Right there that is five phone calls that you could get from an admissions counselor. Plus, the conversations you will have with current students so they can answer your questions about their experiences. LOTS OF PHONE CALLS and lots of opportunities to get your questions answered, here are my suggestions:

1. When a question comes up in your head about a school, write it down. Keep all of your questions together so that you can grab that notebook or open the Notes App in your phone to ask the counselor or the student the questions you want to know.
2. Separate those questions into those to ask students and those to ask your admissions counselor. For example, students are a lot better to talk about how often they use the library and what type of events are going on throughout the week, whereas your admissions counselor would be better to talk with about your financial aid package. 
3. If they are calling too much, let them know! It is super okay to tell them, "Hey, I really like your college, but you are calling a little too much and I just need time to really weigh my options." I can't say that this will definitely work, but any self-respecting admissions counselor would lay off the calls for a few weeks. 
4. Do not, do not, DO NOT hang up the phone on someone. That is incredibly rude and should in general just not be done, especially to a professional who is just trying to help you. If you are not interested in a school anymore, then tell them! It might take a few weeks to get out of the system, but telling them sooner rather than hanging up on them will do the trick and will help you out in the long run. 

I have always loved interacting with prospective and accepted students through phone calls. It is a great way to learn more about a college and start building a connection with the people there. Use these phone calls to your advantage to help you make the best decision possible for your future! 

enjoy the chase,

skylar