External Admissions Reader (4511U) Office of Undergraduate Admissions #87387 About Berkeley
At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff. As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic, and social value. We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles , Principles of Community , and Strategic Plan .
At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.
Departmental Overview
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions must provide a fair opportunity for every applicant to obtain admission to the University, operate in a professional manner that ensures positive staff morale and values hard work and dedication, communicate and collaborate effectively, present a coordinated effort to standardize procedures and document best practices, offer a variety of methods for professional development, and provide first-class customer service in a cost-effective and transparent manner.
Position Summary
The External Admissions Reader is trained to independently review applications for admission at the first-year level. This position uses professional judgment and a comprehensive knowledge of educational processes, gained through training sessions led by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, to evaluate applicants for admission. The External Admissions Reader is expected to perform with a high level of integrity and professionalism, often reviewing and interpreting complicated and/or sensitive information.
Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is: July 28, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.
Responsibilities
Performs holistic evaluation of all available applicant information for domestic first year undergraduate applications.
Evaluates information encompassing academic, socioeconomic, geographic, ability/disability, talent, extraordinary circumstances, school and family context, and personal achievement factors.
Uses holistic review to make comprehensive recommendations on each applicant.
Assess applicants for motivation, initiative, leadership potential, work/life experience, extracurricular involvement, socioeconomic status, ability/disability and educational/personal hardship.
Attends and participates in all training and norming sessions.
Support Office of Undergraduate Admissions goals for reader competence and process effectiveness by contributing to group discussions on sample applications.
Provide feedback on the overall training/norming process.
Meets specified weekly and cycle numerical reads completed goal.
Uses professional judgment to review complex applications for admission recommendations to the University.
Reviews mixed record applicants, applicants to special programs, homeschool applicants, and non-traditional first-year domestic applicants.
Acquires and maintains knowledge of systems used for the reading process, including Slate, Google Suite, Zoom, Slack, and Canvas.
Using extensive knowledge of college/school/department requirements and applicant pool, assess each applicants overall record and experience for final admission recommendation.
Required Qualifications
Working knowledge of academic programs, including curricula, and admissions requirements.
Thorough knowledge of secondary school policies and practices, particularly as related to curriculum, standardized testing, extracurricular activities, transcript issues, etc.
Ability to read and score applications online.
Must maintain awareness of own scoring patterns in relation to normed scoring patterns, and must adjust scoring practices as required.
Must demonstrate high level of discretion and sensitive judgement and must be able to utilize a background of professional knowledge and experience to interpret guidelines which will apply to a large, complex, detailed array of objective and subjective information.
Superior communication, analytic, time management, decision-making and interpersonal skills.
Must attend norming and training sessions, meet workload deadlines and work independently.
Thorough knowledge and experience working with a diverse student population.
Ability to interpret policy and apply it to practice.
Candidates need to be adept at setting up a home office with access to the internet and have the ability to problem-solve a variety of issues (including both technology and procedural) independently.
Candidates must have a personal computer with up-to-date security and internet browsers.
Successful candidates must demonstrate a high proficiency with technology and web-based applications as all applicant files are reviewed electronically via an online platform.
Preferred Qualifications
Knowledge of and/or sensitivity to issues related to the multiple identities students come with and may write about in their application.
Knowledge of K-14 higher education issues.
Previous experience as a UC Berkeley undergraduate application reader, or an application reader for another institution or program.
Education / Training
Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training
Salary & Benefits
For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.
Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.
The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $25-$27.
This is a non-exempt, bi-weekly-paid position.
This is an 4-month, part-time (20 hours/week), limited position that is eligible for UC benefits.
