SCOTT ALEXANDER
College Admissions Consultant
Former admissions officer at
The college search process is dear to me, particularly as a Pell-eligible and first-generation college student. My attraction to college admissions is the natural complement to my interests in policy and storytelling. As an admissions dean, I appreciated the intellectual challenge of making fine distinctions amongst very qualified candidates and aligning the selection process with institutional priorities. These experiences, along with composing interview evaluations for thousands of prospective students, make me keenly aware of the importance of personal and authentic narratives within college applications. Yet, my years as the financial aid liaison anchors my understanding too; colleges and universities are both educational institutions and businesses. In my master’s program, nearly all my Wesleyan classmates were teachers in public and private secondary schools. Listening to their first-hand experiences reminded me of the cultural importance of schooling and how college placement is a rite of passage in our society. As a college coach, it remains a privilege to be invited into the lives of the next generation, to hear about their lived experiences, and to learn about their aspirations. My gift as an educator is the ability to dance with prospective students and families, to instruct as well as to follow their lead through engagement and dialogue.
