Admissions telecounseling at Ball State University : perceptions of student telecounselors

The purpose of this project was to understand how student telecounselors at Ball State University perceive the telecounseling program. Focus groups were conducted during April 2003 consisting of a sample of twelve student telecounselors. They were asked about their perceptions of training, motivation, leadership team support, and overall program effectiveness.It was determined that the telecounseling program at Ball State University is perceived as an effective initiative. However, there are changes and adjustments that can be made that will greatly impact the effectiveness of the program and the experience of the student telecounselors.Admissions telecounseling is a growing trend among admissions offices and enrollment management departments around the country. Little research has been done on the experiences of the telecounselors that participate in this innovative procedure that many colleges implement. Using current research, the efficiency and effectiveness of the program, as well as the experience of the student telecounselor can be vastly improved.