Confessions of an Admissions Director

As the mid-October sun casts long shadows across the campus, arrays of scents dance through the corridors, mingling with the crisp air and the faint hum of anticipation—or perhaps anxiety—that circulates the atmosphere of my office. To my delight, the smell of freshly brewed coffee blends with the scent of autumn leaves drifting in through the window. But amidst these captivating smells, there's chaos waiting.

My desk is cluttered with papers, reminders, and a laptop with 57 glaring unread emails waiting for me. Among them, a particularly daunting message from a prospective parent with 32 pointed questions, as though each bullet point was a tiny thorn, consecutively challenging my sanity.

I briefly think back to opening this laundry list in a moment of ill-advised curiosity last night, only to find that the majority of questions had been meticulously addressed during their school tour the day before. Yet nestled among the forgotten answers to their questions, lies a gem of absurdity:

"If my child misses a day of school, do we still owe tuition for that day?"

My coffee, once steaming, now sits neglected and cold on my desk. The phone starts to ring incessantly, audibly reminding me that more people need my attention. Somewhere in the distance there’s a faint sound of crying, a poignant reminder of the human element behind the administrative chaos.

With a sinking feeling, I realize I’m on the brink of being late for yet another meeting, a never-ending carousel of appointments and obligations. As if on cue, someone appears at my door, bearing yet another question, while someone else lingers in the hallway, no doubt ready to add to my mounting workload.

Yes, I am the admissions director of a bustling school, and the admission season is, indeed, in full swing. A whirlwind of to-dos and opportunities where every moment teeters on the edge of pandemonium. But amidst the madness, there's hope in the form of support. Support from my team, support from the parent community, and support from Aryval.

You're probably wondering, what exactly is Aryval, and how can it possibly assist a busy admissions director like myself? Well, that's an excellent question, and I’d love to tell you more.