admissions officer

director of student services

adjunct faculty

trainer

instructor

Strayer University

A typical day at work was a very pleasant one, I answered a few calls and looked a few e-mails and few reports and from there I structured my day. We would have morning team meetings which consisted of daily updates and individual departmental updates. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my career and time at Strayer. I strongly would recommend this company to anyone. Strayer has shaped me to think as a leader and analyse situations and properly forecast and properly plan for current and future situation as a leader. I learned from good management and senior leaders how to treat your employees and how to stay humble and out of uncompromising situations. 

The work place environment was good; despite having 3 employees out of my 6 years of working there who each became complacent in the same exact position. These employees only came around every other year when one of our veteran employees would get promoted. Never the less they didn’t last long because once a culture has been established their numbers and productivity will speak for itself. So overall the culture was GREAT!, because for the rest of there understood the mission, vision and goals of our company but mainly for our campus. 

The hardest part of the job was working with those certain departments whose division was separate from operations and who didn't share the same since of urgency as I and my other counterparts did. When each department had a pipeline that could create a streamlined system it became difficult when one person or persons who were vital to the completion would only give 20% of their efforts or purposely stall.

What I enjoyed the most about working for Strayer were the students. Here I was able to motivate and inspire students which in turn inspired me from our daily interaction and conversations. I was able to motivate students who have been out of school for a while to not only overcome the fear of getting back into the classroom, but to face the ultimate fear factor MATH!!! I always told students my story of how I failed out of Strayer with a 0.0 GPA back in  2013 as an employee. After telling this story I reminded them of how I had to get back on the horse and realized who I was getting this degree for, and once I completed my undergraduate degree I graduated with my Bachelors with a 3.4 GPA in 2015. After hearing my testimony about MATH and STATS who were my two biggest fear factors it gave them hope. When they left my office they felt inspired and more confident that that they too could start or finish that degree. For me there no greater feeling than seeing a student leave my office with the spirit that they were motivated and advised properly and that they weren’t given a line, but the truth of events that did happen. For that I was able to graduate 6-8 students under my advisement from 2013-2017. I "LOVED MY JOB" for that very reason.

I was lied to about the work hours during the interview process. After receiving the job, I learned I was required to work 2 Saturdays every month, although I was told one Saturday every 2-3 months. After getting HR and the Regional VP involved, the campus manager then shifted the story to "Saturdays on a rotating basis," which often equates to 2 Saturdays each month because this admissions staff consists of only TWO people. I have several years of admissions experience and have NEVER seen an admissions staff this small-the size leads to many of the issues there. There was no work/life balance, as they expect work to be your life and have very little regard for any type of family situation that renders an employee unable to work. The training was subpar and often set employees up to be "redirected" on areas they were never trained on to begin with. This fuels the ego of the campus manager who has incredibly low self esteem and allows her to feel as if she is the expert, neglecting to see she is breaking down her staff members in the process. The centralized training in Virginia doesn't adequately train employees on how things are done on the local campus, as every campus handles admissions processes differently. Very high-school like environment where verbal insults are hurled by the campus manager, and often during team meetings. Lots of gossip and behind-the-back manipulation that occurs, from everyone, regardless of job title. Toxic environment. From a student's or outsider's perspective, Strayer is a wonderful school, but having worked there and left by choice shortly after 90 days; I can from experience say the South Charlotte campus is as unethical as one would come to expect from any large, for profit institution. It's all about the numbers, although they will make you think it's not--until the campus is not hitting the numbers.The campus manager is a cancer that upper level management has refused to cut out and the market director is powerless to make any significant change to improve the employees' experience. Avoid this place at all costs if you desire to work in a positive, professional environment. If you just want a paycheck, go in, do what you need to do, and get out. Don't ever let them convince you they care about you as a person.

I worked as an adjunct (both online and on ground) for 2 years. 

I spent countless, UNPAID hours going through online training for eCollege, and then they switched to Blackboard. And, I had to immediately go through another horrific training course for that platform. Blackboard isn't half as good as eCollege, so Strayer made a huge mistake (probably to save the almighty dollar). 

I was given online classes that hadn't yet been developed, so I had to develop the classes before I could teach them. This, of course, was a surprise. And, I had to spend countless hours in short periods of time. I had to develop the classes in days, and the quality suffered. 

After working there 2 years, a student complained that I wasn't responsive. But, I showed emails proving I had responded (the same day) and the student had even thanked me for my flexibility. But, I was mysteriously terminated shortly after that. My attempt to prove my innocence was for naught. The center director recorded me trying to defend myself from the false accusation, and this recording was used as "evidence" against me somehow. The manager was already being taken to court for firing someone else without cause. But, I an not a litigious person. So, I just got royally mistreated.

I was a great instructor, and my students loved me. But, they just wadded me up and threw me in the trash before I even had a chance to earn a return on all of the hours of training (without pay) that I had invested. 

I have taught online classes for 13+ years at various other universities, and I can honestly say that Strayer was the worst of them all. I recommend people to run and not walk away from this so-called university. It is a complete sham. Stay away if you are smart. You can trust my comments.

Strayer University operates each campus like a call center. You may have some face to face interaction, but that is primarily with your co-workers. Expect high pressure to deliver on daily objectives. The company values people that can handle pressure and deliver results. 

I learned a lot about time management, interviewing, motivating employees and attention to detail.

Management for the most part is pretty strong, with the exception of those that were grandfathered in before degree requirements were mandatory. It is a good old boys network and promotion will only happen when you get on the inside of that circle. 

The hardest part of the job is that there is no time to celebrate your accomplishments because you must deliver daily. It can be unfulfilling at times as you make hundreds of dials a day and must be able to handle rejection. You may also feel pressure to enroll a person in school that may not have the best chance for success, but the need to produce a result will usually win. In addition, as you can see in many other reviews, they change the corporate structure often. This leads to lay offs and constant turn over.

The most enjoyable part of the job is a combination of the relationships that you will build with your students and your coworkers. Strayer usually does a pretty good job attracting good quality people. Seeing a student through to graduation is the greatest feeling the job can offer... if you can get the opportunity to go to a graduation ceremony.

When I first started, my direct supervisor was about to go on maternity leave so I didn't get much training. The unfortunate thing was that once she was gone, I had no guidance at all, and my co-workers were not interested in helping. They were a tight knit group and I never felt welcomed. On the contrary,  I could barely get anyone to spend 2 minutes to answer a simple question.  I only stayed for a few months and it was the most unrewarding eexperience I've ever had with an employer - total lack of direction,  no one who seemed to care enough to give me the tools I needed to do the job, and the lack of specific expectations and metrics to measure success were very disappointing.

To top it all off,  I became very sick within a few months of starting. I had numerous doctors appointments each week as well as tests and procedures. During this time, the Director did do the bare minimum to work with me in regards to flexibility and necessary paperwork for disability, etc. I had to stop working due to my medical condition and the thing I'll never forget about my supervisor,  co-workers and Director is the utter lack of human compassion. I was very ill, and it was the most difficult time of my life.  It was quite known what I was dealing with, but not a single person offered a word of support or even just a genuine smile. It was the most bizarre experience of my life. 


I find Strayer University to be a wonderful place to be an Instructor if you thoroughly enjoy teaching, helping, working with, and engaging with students.  If you are just in the profession for a paycheck, stay away, because the work required of you will not be worth what you're paid for it.

Like with many other large universities, Adjunct Professors can get lost in the crowd and not seen as a high priority by Deans and executive decision makers, who focus on growth and limited student complaints more than anything else.  You rarely get any opportunities to meet and interact with your peers and colleagues in a way that allows you to freely communicate your comments, questions, and concerns.

One very positive thing that stands out to me, when it comes to teaching at Strayer, is that you are pretty much left alone to create the Learning Environment for your Classroom -- Online and at a Brick-and-Mortar Campus -- and meet all Instructor Requirements for your course(s).  This can be especially comforting when you have large classes; I average 34 in my Online courses I teach.

Though compensated well, I struggled to enjoy this job. As an admissions manager, I was required to meet enrollment quotas or face the wrath of a merciless campus director. My team was constantly borated and threatened if numbers were not met. And when goals were met, the celebration was brief and forgettable.

I was often forced to enroll students I knew were doomed to fail. At some point, you begin to lose a sense of yourself in the ruthless sales hussle of it all.

Strayer encourages a "dog eat dog" culture where only the most fierce, competitive people will thrive in leadership. The turnover for most positions is very high due to this disastrous company culture.

Also extremely top heavy, Strayer has far too many executives and senior leadership teams who are so far removed from the campus, I doubt their actual understanding of this company's daily operations.

Let me be clear, I enjoyed the perks of a generous benefits package, awesome salary, and luxury retreats. However, I endured the firing of multiple employees, 11 hour days with no lunch, and the brutal feedback of a mentally imbalanced boss, who was rewarded for her behavior. Simply put--I quit without a job lined up because poverty would be more enjoyable than another minute with Strayer.

If you are a cut-throat sales genius, this company is for you. If you are not, run far, far away.

A typical day for me is to prepare and present those concepts and theories that answer the objectives for the week and create those opportunities or projects that will allow me to share my leadership experiences with adult learners who are seeking business degrees.

I learn a great deal of information by empowering others to share their experiences and knowledge of their current work industry, ethical ,and view of current world issues, especially regarding health care.

Management with great leadership practices are key in the workplace for me. Opportunities for growth and development is in the forefront of such leadership practices. This encourages excellence and commitment. 

My co-workers and I are engaged and believe in excellence and therefore continue to build on those skills or performance measures that will promote the best outcomes for others. 

The hardest part of the job is making sure that I am able to reach all learning styles, cultures, and needs by reviewing their goals, reading, researching, preparing the right Powerpoint presentations and creating the right project to ensure comprehension and application of concepts immediately in the workplace.


The most enjoyable part of the job is observing how well students are able to apply discussed concepts, experiences and knowledge to address real world business issues.

•Serve as the liaison between upper-level management and associates while coordinating and implementing enrollments of continuing students.  
•Managed admissions staff towards meeting new student enrollment/recruitment and conversion objectives.
•Assists staff and management with administrative functions, including (but not limited to) copying, faxing, filing, printing, and data/document processing
•Establish partnerships by effectively communicating with other department leads such as the Business Department, Academics, and Corporate when necessary to properly finalize the enrollment process.  
•Performs strong communication skills either by phone, email, or in-person, while maintaining student confidentiality. 
•Performs basic office duties such as answering the telephone, directing calls and taking messages, sending/receiving emails, and sending/receiving faxes
•Attends regular meetings local/state regarding the university’s agendas, goals, and/or other matters affecting the daily operations of the university.

This school or should I say company is the absolute worse place to work for in the admissions department. Most students would never get accepted into colleges that require min GPA standards, ACT/SAT scores, and motivation. No one is denied they accept everyone as long as you can pay the tuition! Admissions Officers are glorified sales/telemarketers who are never acknowledged for getting the enrollment numbers. The only position in admissions worth the stress is the Campus Director position and they lack management skills. At one campus on Campus Director doesn't even have a college degree not even an associates! The job requires a minimum of a B.S. this is just one example of the unethical culture at STRAYER. 

I loved my co-workers they are great people to work with,but we share the same concerns about the unstable work environment and extremely high job turnover rate. We also agree that management can not be trusted. If you speak up you will be targeted. No one cares about employees as long as enrollment goals are met. Do yourself a favor and apply to another college. Avoid the admissions officer position. The business office and academics positions are more rewarding. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Admissions officer 18 salaries reported	$24.87 per hour
Director of student services 1 salary reported	$24.63 per hour
Adjunct faculty 44 salaries reported	$2,484 per month
Trainer 13 salaries reported	$60,000 per year
Instructor 6 salaries reported	$32.75 per hour

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