The Admissions Director Journey

Editor’s Introduction
Julia Love and Katie Hunter have been involved in the admissions space for many years. I connected with Katie at several European OpenApply conferences, while I first met Julia in the inaugural cohort of the Laws of Transition Course offered by Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN), and subsequently interviewed her for the 2023 edition of the IAB. Meeting them in person, their positive energy and emotional intelligence shine through and highlight why they have been so successful as admissions leaders. In the following piece, Julia and Katie explore a new journey – that of the Admissions Director “emeritus” – as they collaboratively reflect on the parallels and divergences of their personal experiences as Admissions Directors and transitioning away from their roles.

IAB: While we’re busy talking about everyone else’s story… What about our own?
When talking about a school or prospective students we use terms like the transition, the growth, the right path… but what about the future of the Admissions Director beyond the school?

KH: I was inspired during the 2024 OpenApply conference in Vienna by a comment made about recruiting talent by Arjun Puri, Dean of Admissions at the Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad. He shared how becoming an admissions professional isn’t a career path people traditionally train for; instead, it attracts individuals with a unique spark, charisma, and a specific set of skills that naturally evolve over time.

IAB: How many of us have ‘fallen into it?’
Perhaps we were already in the hospitality or relocation business before, or were parents unknowingly training for their future job as they shopped for schools for their TCKs (Third Culture Kids) and made mental notes… the vast majority of us have morphed into these really special roles which are as much professionally rewarding as they are personally fulfilling. And just as it’s not straightforward to get into admissions, it’s also not clear how it translates into your next career move, once you step beyond your school.

JL: Unlike many of my admissions colleagues around the globe, I have spent a career (25 years) working in admissions. It is all that I have known professionally. That is why this past year I have felt a bit like a fish out of water as I have tried to not only navigate a big transition for my family, but my own transition away from the traditional admissions role. Finding my place and my purpose beyond the school world has been both challenging and rewarding, as this time has given me the space to reflect and the opportunity to dip my toes into new areas.

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