What are the Different Opportunities for Employment in Higher Education?

A person may find many opportunities for employment in higher education. For example, a person who is interested in a higher-education career may work toward a career as a college professor or advisor. Individuals interested in higher-education jobs may also seek employment as admissions representatives. Additionally, a person may also find a place in the higher-education field as a financial aid representative.

Perhaps the most well-known job in higher education is that of a college professor. A college professor has the job of educating students in a subject he has studied extensively. For example, if an individual has an advanced degree in biological science and is hired as a biology professor, he teaches his assigned classes college-level biology. In many cases, however, a college professor isn’t limited to teaching just one class. He may, for instance, teach a basic biology course as well as courses in microbiology and genetics.

Another well-known opportunity for employment in higher education involves working as an academic advisor. An academic advisor has the job of assisting students through their educational programs. This may include such tasks as explaining the curriculum requirements, helping students choose a major, and assisting students with registering for classes. It may also include helping students create plans for fulfilling the requirements of a degree program in a particular amount of time. An academic advisor may also provide guidance for students in achieving academic success and help students choose courses of action when they are performing poorly in school.

Opportunities for employment in higher education also include admissions representative jobs. In most cases, a person with this job is required to recruit and evaluate students who may wish to join a higher-education institution's student body. He may interview students and answer their questions about the opportunities the school provides. He may also review and evaluate a potential student’s application and supporting materials, including transcripts, recommendations, and pre-admissions test scores. An individual with this title may also decide or help to decide which students the college or graduate school will admit.

A person may also find opportunities for employment in higher education as a financial aid representative. A person with this title typically evaluates student financial aid applications. He also reviews a student’s financial information, such as income and asset details, to determine whether or not the student is eligible for financial aid. Additionally, he may assist students with filling out financial aid forms and answer questions posed by students and their parents.