Jennifer Scott
Director of College
Counseling
Norfolk Academy (VA)
How long have you been in
admissions/college counseling? Share your College counseling journey story!
My how the years
have flown. This year marks my 18th in the profession, the first 15 of which
were spent in partnership with incredible people doing important work on the
college side, most recently as Associate Dean of Admission at the College of
William and Mary. In November of 2012, I transitioned to the other side of the desk
to serve as Senior Associate Director, and then Interim Director of College
Counseling here at Norfolk Academy. This spring I am experiencing the joy of a
formal transition to our office’s Directorship and am elated to have the
opportunity to lead the fine team of professionals who support our students and
community. As the college admission landscape continues to become increasingly
more sophisticated and confusing for students and their families, I look
forward to serving as a guide and helping to shape institutional philosophy and
tone in all the areas of our work.
How did you get started in college counseling/admissions?
Interestingly, my dad worked in college admissions, so one could say it’s been
in my genes. Like many of us however, I was also tour guide, an interviewer and
a summer intern in the admission office at my alma mater, the University of New
Hampshire. I enjoyed every moment of sharing my enthusiasm for a school I had
grown to love. I also appreciated the passion I observed as I watched the
professional staff work with families and extend information about the
institution. They loved to talk to people, made connections easily, appreciated
all different kinds of learning, understood what a powerful time in the life of
a young person being a high school senior is, and were down right FUN. I
quickly realized it was a profession I wanted to be a part of and one where my
ENFJ personality type might thrive. Following graduation I had the opportunity
to work for several small private colleges before landing in Williamsburg,
Virginia for my graduate work and a position as Assistant Dean with the William
& Mary admission staff. After more than a decade as a member of the Tribe I
transitioned to the other side of the desk for the opportunity to lead and to
engage with families in a more
personalized way.
What's your favorite
admissions/counseling memory?
Gosh, this one is almost impossible to answer. There. Are. So. Many. The thank
you notes I treasure, the weeks on end of powerful committee conversations each
spring, the ways I've been tested and pruned and strengthened by incredible
students and colleagues on both sides of the desk. I could talk about the
waitlisted student I fought for, certain he would be an incredible contributor
to campus despite a lower than ideal numeric profile, and the joy it was to
watch him take campus by storm over the course of his subsequent four years at
the College. I think my favorite however, is the story of my oldest daughter’s birth.
She arrived on a day I was scheduled to present an essay writing workshop to
the juniors and seniors at a local high school. Unexpectedly, and four weeks
early, my water broke while I was meeting with the Headmaster and Director of
College Counseling. Needless to say it was a life changing personal and
professional moment. I’ll never forget the silence on the other end of the
phone when I called a colleague to say, “Unfortunately, I don’t believe this workshop
is going to take place today.”
What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue membership in
PCACAC and/or NACAC?
Dive right in. Start by attending a conference and make sure to take part in
the first timer’s session. PCACAC and NACAC are organizations full of people
ready and waiting to pull you into the fold, eager to have your help, your
support, and take advantage of your expertise. Be an active listener. There are
so many people to learn from. Take the time to hear the perspectives of others
and at the same time, know that your opinion matters. Building a professional
support network is an incredible way to enrich your day- to- day work experience
and establishing connections through these organizations is a great way to
begin.
If not working in admissions/college counseling, what else could you see
yourself pursuing?
This one is also tough. I love to be creative. To write, to take photos, to
appreciate the outdoors… but for much of my life I was very actively involved
with athletics, primarily as a gymnast. One of my dreams was to do work for the
Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, making use of my Exercise
Physiology degree. So, perhaps something supporting the training and coaching
of athletes?
What's one thing that most
people don't know about you?
I have an abnormal and somewhat irrational fear of sharks. I’m convinced, *not
really* that it’s because I was born in September of 1975 immediately following
the Jaws craze. My mom spent some time at the beach that summer, reading the
book, not swimming, definitely not swimming. Whatever the cause, I’m not going
out any further than the furthest person in the water, ever. I know, I’m
working on it.
What's a current trend or future issue you're passionate about right
now? And why?
The elephant in the room on this one is the rising cost of higher education and
the many related issues surrounding equity and access to college. It seems to
me however, that so many of these are connected to a larger issue related to
our collective definitions of success and fit in the college search process. So
many students and families begin their college search with the idea that
success will only be achieved if they are admitted to one of the most
selective, and therefore “most prestigious,” schools in the nation. I’m so
pleased to hear more and more industry conversation about the value individual
students bring to their own college experiences and about the breadth of
incredible educational paths students can and should consider. I’m hopeful that
we can continue to expand this understanding.
*** To Celebrate Potomac Chesapeake's 50th Conference Anniversary, we're highlighting some of our current members. Each week until the conference at The Homestead in Spring 2015, a new member will be posted. Interested in participating? Email Aundra Weissert at aweissert2@washcoll.edu to get started.***
