Admissions coordinators commonly are employed by schools and universities, and in many areas of the healthcare industry, including hospitals, nursing homes and urgent care facilities. In education-related positions, an admissions coordinator decides which prospective students meet a school's requirements to attend and must abide by the school's policies and regulations when deciding which applicants to accept and reject. When a prospective student is interested in a school, the admissions coordinator job description includes providing an information packet to the student and his family, assisting the individual with the application process, ensuring that the school's admission quota is met and conducting tours and student orientations. In healthcare settings, admissions coordinators are responsible for obtaining financial, medical and personal information about the patient and his financially-responsible parties before he is admitted into a medical facility.
In an educational setting, the first of the admissions coordinator duties is to ensure that all prospective students receive complete information packets about the financial aid programs, academic disciplines and extracurricular activities the school offers. An admissions representative also addresses the concerns and questions of the students and their families, and explains the various degree paths students can decide to pursue. Once a student has made the decision to attend the school, the coordinator helps him obtain the required information, such as academic records and transcripts needed to complete an application, and then assists him through the application process. He may also help to schedule financial aid interview for the student to determine if he is eligible for a student loan, grant or scholarship.
Throughout the school year, the admissions coordinator will also give campus tours to prospective students and their families. The coordinator represents the school as a whole, and should have excellent public speaking and communication skills in order to properly field questions from students. He also hosts student orientations and open houses, and maintains admissions records and files for both current students and individuals hoping to attend the school. In addition, the admissions representative plays an important role in generating referrals for prospective students from both current students and other schools, and is sometimes required to meet referral quota guidelines.
Admissions coordinators in the healthcare sector serve as the face of the medical department to arriving patients. While some patients arrive at the facility to undergo routine procedures, tests and examinations, others may be arriving at the clinic or hospital due to a serious or life-threatening condition. It is the responsibility of the admissions coordinator to provide encouragement and reassurance to the patient while simultaneously obtaining the necessary information to process his paperwork accurately, including his name, contact information, address, birth date as well as his employment and insurance information in jurisdictions where insurance is necessary. Hospitals and medical facilities rely on this information to treat a patient properly, to bill the proper party and to provide results to the facility's department of medical records.
After the medical admissions coordinator gathers the information, he enters it into the medical facility's computer system and sends the data to the appropriate department. These types of coordinators also provide a patient and his family and loved ones with information about the facility's medical and privacy policies as well as answers to questions about payment requirements, visiting hours, and other questions a patient or his family may have upon admission. The coordinator should have computer and organizational skills as well as compassion and excellent communication skills.