Undergraduate Application Reader

Application Review Specialist

Come join our team in the Office of Admissions and Recruitment! We are admissions professionals dedicated to recruiting, admitting, and enrolling the next generation of UW-Madison undergraduates.

The Office of Admissions and Recruitment is seeking temporary part-time application readers. Readers have the flexibility to work remotely and will receive thorough training in holistic application review which entails the detailed review of transcripts, school profiles, activities, essays, letters of recommendation, and test scores if provided. Readers should have the availability to work a minimum of 20 hours per week during peak fall and winter reading season, with most hours worked during the traditional business hours of their time zone.

Prior experience in the field of college admissions, higher education or high school education is preferred but not required.

Readers must be located in the United States for the  academic year. Readers must be able to legally work in the United States without sponsorship. To avoid a conflict of interest, candidates for the reader position must not be currently employed as an admissions professional, high school counselor, or independent college counselor/coach/agent. Candidates should not be the parent of a rising junior or senior in high school.

The start date for this position is Tuesday, October 6, 2026 and new hires must be able to attend all initial training dates. Initial trainings will be held virtually on four dates:
Tuesday, October 6th;
Thursday, October 8th;
Tuesday, October 13th;
Thursday, October 15th (9:30am-12:00pm Central Time each day)

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a public research university and the flagship institution within the Universities of Wisconsin. Located within the Division of Enrollment Management, the Office of Admissions and Recruitment receives 70,000+ applications annually from prospective undergraduate students.

• Readers must be located in the United States for the 2026-27 academic year
• Readers must be able to legally work in the United States without sponsorship
• To avoid a conflict of interest, candidates for the Reader position must not be currently employed as an admissions professional, high school counselor, or independent college counselor/coach/agent. Candidates should not be the parent of a rising junior or senior in high school
• Laptop and software will be provided
• A small number of readers may be asked to support international or transfer application review
• Initial training is mandatory and it will be held virtually on four dates:
  Tuesday, October 6th;
  Thursday, October 8th, Tuesday, October 13th; and Thursday, October 15th (9:30am-12:00pm Central Time each day)
• Pay will be $22.50/hour (firm) for all newly hired remote readers

Tasks for this position include:

• Conduct a thorough first review of undergraduate applications
• Attend training and meetings as required
• Data entry and correction in SIS (Student Information System) as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Key job responsibilities include:

• 5% Unique Responsibility:
  Demonstrates commitment to the University's mission statement, particularly to be sensitive and responsive to those groups which have been underserved by higher education. Participation in related learning activities is expected
• 5% Other duties as assigned
• 90% Conducts comprehensive application review and selection for assigned programs

Department:
Division of Enrollment Management (DEM), Office of Admissions and Recruitment (OAR)

Compensation: $22.50 per hour (firm)

Required qualifications:

• Appreciation for the individual experiences and aspirations of each applicant
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in writing
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and efficiently around multiple deadlines
• Must have the availability to work a minimum of 20 hours per week during peak fall and winter reading season, with most hours worked during the traditional business hours of your time zone
• Must be located in the United States for the  academic school year
• Must be able to legally work in the United States without sponsorship
• Proficiency with computer office applications and software, email, and web-based communication
• Can be seated at a computer for 4-8 hours per day
• Ability to set up a private office space with high speed internet access
• Demonstrate high level of sensitivity and confidentiality around the review process and adherence to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)

Preferred qualifications:

Prior experience in the field of college admissions, higher education, or high school education preferred

Education:

Bachelor's degree preferred

How to apply:

To apply for this position, select either "I am a current employee" or "I am not a current employee" under Apply Now. You will be prompted to upload your application materials.

Important:
The application has only one attachment field. Please upload the following two documents in that field, as TWO separate files. Failure to…