The Opportunity
Harlem Village Academies is a K-12 charter network committed to the ideals of progressive education. Based in Harlem, HVA is also the demonstration site for the Progressive Education Institute.
HVA High has a solid track record of success, with 95% of students accepted to college every year since inception. The College Counselor will manage the college admissions process and systems at HVA High. S/he will join a dynamic team of educators and will take our work to the next level, continually improving the quality of colleges to which our students are accepted.
Responsibilities
College Process
- Create, execute, and monitor systems that ensure an efficient and effective college application process.
- Provide one-on-one college counseling to a caseload of seniors through the admissions cycle including, but not limited to, creating a college list, writing and revising the personal statement, advising on financial aid, and making final matriculation decisions.
- Arrange strategic college representative visits to HVA.
- Collaborate with HVA marketing to promote HVA to national colleges and universities.
- Build and maintain relationships with colleges and universities to create partnerships benefiting both the school and students.
- Build strong relationships with teacher teams.
- Create communication systems to work effectively with students and parents.
- Track and ensure progress of all college initiatives.
- Accountable for accomplishing goals including but not limited to 95%+ of students accepted to four-year colleges as well as goals related to college matriculation and college selectivity.
College Readiness 9-12 Curriculum and Courses
- Collaborate with the team to teach and/or co-teach College Readiness courses, working directly with students.
- Collaborate with teachers and advisors to implement college and career curriculum.
College Admissions Testing & Reporting
- Maintain relationships and manage college testing processes for PSAT, SAT, ACT and IB, including but not limited to test dates and score reporting.
- Oversee ACT or SAT prep programs, both in-house and external, to meet goals.
- Ensure timely uploading and sharing of test data to inform college and school practices.
- Evaluate test results to identify possible school-wide intervention strategies.
College Culture
- Use data-driven practices to inform yearly benchmarks calendar, college lists, and financial aid timeline.
- Coordinate with advisors and grade level leaders to ensure collaboration and support of college initiatives in the school.
- Ensure operations and academic teams are informed, aligned and supporting the needs of the college team, e.g. transcripts, data imports from student information systems.
- Plan and execute strategic college visits aligned to the 9-12th grade scope and sequence.
- Develop strategic events that celebrate the success of HVA Seniors and build a school-wide college going culture.
Qualifications
College Advising Experience
- At least three years of demonstrated success in advising low-income, first generation college applicants and their families in all phases of the college and financial aid application processes including student admissions to selective colleges and favorable financial packages.
- Track record of results with college admissions such as over 90% of first generation, low-income applicants admitted to selective four-year colleges.
- Experience developing early college awareness programs resulting in student motivation.
- Wide knowledge of east coast and national colleges including degree programs, opportunity programs, diversity programs, admissions criteria, defining fit for first-generation low-income students, as well as familiarity with admissions personnel.
- Effective participation in local, state, and national college admissions counseling events and professional organizations leading to increased results for student admissions.
Educational Background
- Masters in higher education, school counseling, or related field preferred
Curriculum Development Experience
- Experience with college prep and/or college readiness curriculum development
- Teaching or training experience preferred
Skills
- Excellent organizational skills and acute attention to detail
- Ability to see multiple projects with many moving parts through from beginning to end
- Strong analytical and writing skills
- Focus on results and the flexibility and willingness to do “whatever it takes”
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
- Ability to work autonomously, as well as to take direction
- Exceptionally skilled at analysis, communication, persuasion, and negotiation
- Maturity, humility, strong work-ethic, sense of humor, and “roll-up-my-sleeves” attitude
- Solid technical skills and experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
Harlem Village Academies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to diversity among our staff. Applicants of diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.