What is a college administrator?

If you become a college administrator, you will be wearing a number of different hats. College administrators oversee a variety of different student activities depending on which department they are assigned. These can include working in admissions to determine the criteria students must meet to enter the school, attracting the best students by preparing promotional materials like brochures and videos, and working in the registrar’s office, guiding students as they make their career choices.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an increase in enrollment, coupled with a large number of retirements, is creating a demand for college administrators in the coming years.

But what about online colleges?

Just because students attend classes online rather than at a campus does not mean that they do not have the same needs as other college students. As an online college administrator, you will guide students through the admissions process, help them choose their classes, and work to promote the school and its degree programs.

Do you have what it takes?

To become a successful online college administrator, you will need a very specific skill set. Some of them will already be part of your nature, others you will acquire though your formal education. Here are a few of them:

• A sincere desire to help others achieve their career goals.
• A high level of computer proficiency.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• The ability to organize your own work day.
• The ability to communicate with students electronically, while maintaining a personal and encouraging demeanor.

Where to start

To succeed in a career as an online college administrator, you will need a college degree and possibly some work experience. Some universities will hire people for entry-level positions with only a Bachelor’s Degree. Others will require applicants to have a Master’s Degree or a Doctorate, especially for higher-level positions. Relevant work experience might include working as an office manager or work in computer networking.

Here are the steps you will need to follow to start your career:

• Before you can apply to a college or university, you must complete your high school education. Some schools will accept a GED while others will require that you have a high school diploma
• Apply for admission at a brick-and-mortar university or an online college. Be sure that the school you choose has a degree program in an area such as accounting, business management or social work. All of these specialties will qualify you to work as a college administrator. Check out the school’s computer classes as well. You will need to include them in your program of study to qualify to work for an online school.
• Your next step is to get earn your Bachelor’s Degree. You core classes should include mathematics, business administration, accounting, economics and statistics. Your computer classes should include topics like network systems administration, electronic technology and even network security.
• Once you have earned your Bachelor’s Degree, you could wade straight into the work world. If you earned your own degree online, you will have the first-hand knowledge of online learning which will allow you to empathize with students’ problems and concerns.
• If you decide to continue your education, you will need to earn your Master’s or your Doctorate.
• After you graduate, you may consider joining a professional association like the American Association of University Administrators (AAUA). Being a part of such an organization can be a valuable asset to your career as well as part of your resume.

As an online college administrator, you will have the privilege of helping people start on their path to a more successful and fulfilling career, while working in the fast-paced world of electronic learning. If you’re interested in this exciting and rewarding career, fill out our sign-up form and we will send you more important information.