I was very happy in my role before Trinity but knew I had a second career in me and, when the role at the school came up, I was keen to find out more. I was aware that Trinity was a leader in the field of providing outstanding education and incredible opportunity to a wide range of young people and with the lightest of touches. In reality, it has been all these things and more and I have been genuinely impressed by the dynamism of staff and the fast pace here. I have learnt that our students really are outstanding young people and that is evident in the smallest of day-to-day interactions as well as during more high-profile events.
Like many people, I graduated without a defined career path in mind. I moved to London and was fortunate enough to secure a role at the BBC in the team looking after marketing strategy. I thrived on the variety of projects, the support of talented colleagues and enjoyed the mix of science and art that marketing exposes you to. I felt privileged to work for the national broadcaster and always saw my role there as being the voice of the audience.
Whilst admissions and marketing are similar disciplines with transferable skills, the learning curve has been steep and ongoing. Helpfully, I really like learning and challenging myself: over the course of the last academic year, I studied for a qualification in School Admissions Management to further my understanding of this industry. The course gave me knowledge and confidence, and it introduced me to colleagues in other schools. I have always found that having a professional support network of people who do a similar job to you is very helpful and I enjoy learning from the experience of others and sharing best practice.
Admissions professionals wear many hats, and we are constantly juggling several competing priorities. Our aim is to ensure the best possible experience for applicants and their families, and we work hard to achieve that. However, we regularly review our processes to evaluate their suitability and effectiveness: if we fall short, we want to learn and to improve and so we try to garner feedback at each step of the admissions cycle.
The summer after I graduated, I worked as a tour guide in Italy taking groups of American high school students and their teachers on educational tours that typically lasted for 10-14 days. Pre-smartphone, we were renowned for our ability to execute complex itineraries to a vast array of destinations without notes, guidebooks or the internet. For the vast majority of the participants, it was their first experience of travel outside of the United States, and sometimes outside of their home state. It was such an honour to be part of their trips and wonderful memories were created for both guide and traveller alike.
As a team, we are keen that any student coming to Trinity feels as calm and as welcomed as possible. We recognise that many students are applying to more than one school which can make this an incredibly busy time for them and their families. Consequently, there is a lot to think about, and no two processes are the same. Our assessments are designed to limit the amount of preparation that is required in advance, which we hope alleviates some of the pressure.
So, my advice would be to try to approach the process with positivity and to be yourself. We are here to support you and to create a welcoming atmosphere where you feel relaxed and in which you can do your very best: we really want you to succeed. Subsequently, if you join us for interview, these are led by our teaching staff, who are extremely friendly and always look forward to having a chat with you and learning more about you. Speaking to families, it is clear that their sons and daughters are the ultimate decision makers in deciding which school to choose: with this in mind, we suggest you come armed with a few questions, to help you with that process.
Scroll right to see more stories
