The College Guidance and Transition (CGT) Program Associate will provide the highest quality student-driven college guidance and transition counseling, including supporting the 12th grade OppNet Fellows with honing their sense of college “fit, curating a “best fit” college list, completing all college application and financial aid requirements, assessing financial aid packages, and making their final matriculation decision. This role will simultaneously support the first year of college Fellows in navigating their transition to campus life, whether they are commuters or residential students. This role will also support many of the operational components and support services of the CGT department. The Associate will work with outstanding students, enjoy the freedom to create and collaborate, and seize a real opportunity to create social change.

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated ability to connect with high school and college-level students from historically underserved and underrepresented communities, with an awareness and familiarity of the overall college application process and a level of comfort in supporting students navigating their first year transition into college.

In addition, the ideal candidate will personally connect to the important work we do and value diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across the organization. The candidate will demonstrate DEI values by actively participating in all organization-wide learning sessions and self-reflection, as well as working with others to enact changes that contribute to meeting OppNet’s DEI initiatives.

Individualized 12th Grade College Guidance and 1st Year College Transition Support (50%)

• Advise and support a caseload of 25-30 high school seniors and their families throughout the college application process through one-on-one meetings and group sessions in which students will create balanced college lists, complete applications, and identify and apply for various types of financial aid

• Support the completion of financial aid forms (FAFSA, TAP, CSS Profile, etc.) and assist with the provision of relevant resources, including financial aid advising, for Fellows and families

• Liaise with college admissions officers to advocate for Fellows throughout the decision process, ensure that all college contacts are up to date, and build upon relationships with admissions teams across the country, including coordinating college exposure opportunities such as fall college info sessions and/or college interviews

• Conduct 1:1 check-ins with a designated caseload of 20-25 first-year college Fellows and conduct campus visits at local campuses throughout the fall and spring semesters

• Follow up with college Fellows to provide relevant resources to manage issues college Fellows are facing on campus, e.g., academic challenges, socio-emotional challenges, adjusting to college life, connecting with professors, etc.

College Guidance & Transition (CGT) Program Assistance – 20%

• Collaborate with the College Guidance and Transition and the OppNet Fellows team to design and deliver student-centered, student-driven, high-quality, high-impact events

• With support from the CGT team, support coordination for college exposure events and college application support services, including but not limited to: 11th-grade test prep services, 11th-grade college trips, fall college visit opportunities and info sessions, College Essay coach volunteer program, financial aid appointment completion appointments and support execution of weekly 12th-grade classes and seasonal College Application and College Transition Boot Camp intensives

• Coordinate and support communication to high school and college Fellows - e.g., marketing cloud, newsletters, text messaging platform, etc.

• Support College Guidance and Transition in streamlining team-wide protocols and systems and working cross-collaboratively among Fellows program teams in service of CGT programming

• Support scholarship data collection and implementation practices within the CGT team in support of Fellows being aware of scholarships and nomination opportunities and tracking their progress in SalesForce

Overall Fellows Program Assistance - 15%

• Track data, statistics, and competencies related to OppNet programming for reporting and evaluation purposes and use findings to build out ongoing and revised support for Fellows 

• Provide coordination and facilitate sessions on college access, transition, and success for all OppNet Fellows, primarily across 11th grade year through 1st year in college.

• Participate in Career Fluency® facilitation training

• Support recruitment visits/information sessions at area high schools, read and rate OppNet Fellows program applications and/or interview prospective Fellows 

Organizational  Learning, Development, and Program Reflection - 15%

• Participate in organization-wide DEI learning sessions, equity working groups, and optional identity-based affinity groups

• Attend weekly team meetings, All Hands meetings, All Staff meetings, team retreats, and annual institution-wide retreat

• Develop professional and personal intentions related to OppNet’s DEI commitment, incorporated into annual performance reviews.

• B.A. from a U.S. accredited U.S. college/university

• Two to three years of work experience, ideally in the in the college counseling/college success field;

• Demonstrated ability to connect with high school and college-level students from historically under-resourced communities, preferably within the context of the college application and/or college transition process;

• Familiarity with the components of the college application process, including college research and admissions requirements, writing and revising personal essays and the realm of financial aid; understanding of nontraditional situations (knowledge of varying legal statuses, under legal guardianship, seeking dependency override, etc.), scholarship opportunities, and HEOP/EOP/SEEK programs a plus;

• Knowledge of how higher education student services/affairs support college students in college transition and persistence a plus;

• Superb written, oral and interpersonal communication skills, and can facilitate interactive workshops in rigorous but dynamic fashion; understands how to be both nurturing and demanding; appreciates boundaries, but not afraid to push or challenge;

• Demonstrated skill set in project assistance and coordination, including the ability to support a project moving toward successful completion, ability to set and meet deadlines, effective cross-departmental communication, detail oriented, outstanding organizational skills, creative and critical problem-solving skills