Understanding Your Institution
It is important to understand your institution for severla reasons. For one, having a comprehensive understanding of your institution's academic programs, career services, financial aid, and placement opportunities makes the prospective student more confident in you as their admissions representative. If that student has numerous questions about their program and/or career services and you can't answer them, then as an agent for the school, you do not inspire much confidence or enthusiasm. Also, understanding your institution helps you as the admissions rep understand the importance of your role in the process and allows you to be a support system for your enrolled students following their intial enrollment period. That way you can assis them with what to expect throughout their program.
Communication between departments is the key to ensuring accurate information is provided to prospective students. Policies and procedures change often and it is crucial for the institution to have a communication plan with its employees to ensure all changes are communicated accurately and appropriately.
Technology helps you keep up with all the events and changes in your institution. My employer updates the website and the student site constantly with news, curriculum changes, events, etc. Many times I will answer student questions simply by logging into our website. It is very common these days for college employees to be too busy to communicate all updates and events across campus. The website with our school is always the most up to date resource.
Knowing who you work for is the most vital part of your position. It instills confidence, trust and belief in your program. You not only show value but I since of academic reinforcement to any perspective student.
