Admission Counselor

Posted: 01-May-26

Location: Houston, TX, United States,

Type: Full-time

Internal Number: 5760

Special Instructions to Applicants:
All interested applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:
Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff, and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name -- RICE -- Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.

Position Summary:
The Admission Counselor is an entry-level officer at Rice University, a highly selective research institution in the heart of Houston, Texas. Reporting to a Deputy Director, this individual will primarily focus on the recruitment and evaluation of undergraduate prospects and learning the work of the enrollment division. The Admission Counselor will have some project management responsibility. Such projects may include, but are not limited to, recruitment programs and outreach, counselor engagement, and student staff training and development. The Admission Counselor will interact with their supervisor regularly to provide updates on their work and collaborate with others.

Ideal Candidate Statement:
The ideal candidate will have knowledge of Rice University and/or experience in a higher education environment.

Workplace Requirements:
This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration, with a minimum of three days on campus after the six-month probationary period. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Proposed Hiring Range: $50,000 - $52,000 annually, dependent on experience and qualifications.
*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.*

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis, may be substituted
• 1+ year of experience
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis, may be substituted

Skills:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent reading comprehension and attention to detail
• Critical thinking and problem-solving abilities
• Highly organized with effective time management skills
• Ability to quickly learn and navigate admissions processes and programs
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build positive relationships
• High level of proficiency in MS Office Suite and Google Workspace
• Confident and effective presentation skills

Preferences:

• Employment in higher education administration or secondary school teaching
• Interpersonal skills that demonstrate professionalism, relatability, and collegiality
• High level of proficiency in MS Office Suite and Google Workspace
• Excellent organizational and time management skills

Essential Functions:

• Entry-level management of a specific recruitment territory and engagement in all aspects of recruitment, evaluation, selection, yield, measurement, and planning to ensure the development of a geographic pipeline to Rice
• Conducts informational sessions
• Establishes and maintains strong relationships with students, counselors, families, and community-based organizations
• Evaluates applications and suggests recommendations on selection utilizing the committee-based evaluation process
• Under general supervision, works with other members of the admission staff on projects related to recruitment, evaluation and selection, marketing and communications, access and institutional excellence, on-campus programming, alumni engagement, staff training, and staff development, as assigned
• May assist and collaborate with the supervisor on year-over-year planning, processes, and project management
• Maintains confidentiality in all aspects of the work
• Ensures compliance with federal and state laws concerning college admission, FERPA, and other applicable regulatory expectations
• Responds to inquiries in a timely manner, providing accurate information
• Performs all other duties as assigned