Demystifying College Applications, Tips from Jimmie Foster, VP of Enrollment Planning
07/25/24 • 18 min
On this episode of Speaking of...College at Charleston, we talk about the college admission process with Jimmie Foster, Vice President of Enrollment Planning at the College. The conversation covers various aspects of preparing for college, from when to start thinking about applying to understanding the importance of grades, extracurricular activities and campus visits. Foster addresses common misconceptions about college admissions, the reduced significance of standardized tests like the SAT and the holistic review process adopted by many colleges. Foster offers advice for parents on supporting their children and emphasizing the importance of finding the right fit financially, academically and socially.
Foster’s take away advice is that campus tours give students the opportunity to preform a bench Test. “Every student should have that moment where they can sit down for just five minutes by themselves on a bench somewhere on that campus and just watch and get that feel of campus to know if they can see themselves here.”
Featured on this Episode:
Jimmie Foster Jr. is vice president of enrollment planning as of May 2023. In this role, Foster leads the Division of Enrollment Planning, made up of the Office of Admissions, the Visitor Center, the Office of Financial Assistance and Veterans Affairs and the Office of Enrollment Information.
Foster returns to this position at the College of Charleston after spending three years as vice president of enrollment management at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Foster's experience at the College spans more than a decade where he held several roles including vice president of enrollment planning and director of first-year student admissions. Foster also served as dean of admissions and orientation at Northeastern University in Boston. He began his career in admissions at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
Before moving into higher education, Foster worked on national political campaigns, including time on a U.S. Presidential campaign. He has been a presenter at national professional development conferences including NACAC, ACT/NRCCUA and Ruffalo Noel Levitz.
Foster has enjoyed being a part of the College's First Year Abroad Experiences where he has been involved with the UK Soccer Experience course since its inception in 2012. Foster is passionate about English football and enjoys having the opportunity to work directly with first-year students by co-presenting the eight-week long seminar that culminates in leading study-abroad experiences to the United Kingdom based on the theme of the sociology, history and economics of soccer.
Resources from this Episode:
- Admissions website: https://charleston.edu/admission/index.php
- CofC Quick Facts: https://charleston.edu/admission/rankings-accolades/quick-facts.php
- How to apply: https://charleston.edu/admission/apply/index.php
- College at a glance: https://charleston.edu/about/college-at-a-glance.php
Office of Admissions Hours
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Phone
843.953.5670
Email
Office of Admissions
[email protected]
International Students
[email protected]
On this episode of Speaking of...College at Charleston, we talk about the college admission process with Jimmie Foster, Vice President of Enrollment Planning at the College. The conversation covers various aspects of preparing for college, from when to start thinking about applying to understanding the importance of grades, extracurricular activities and campus visits. Foster addresses common misconceptions about college admissions, the reduced significance of standardized tests like the SAT and the holistic review process adopted by many colleges. Foster offers advice for parents on supporting their children and emphasizing the importance of finding the right fit financially, academically and socially.
Foster’s take away advice is that campus tours give students the opportunity to preform a bench Test. “Every student should have that moment where they can sit down for just five minutes by themselves on a bench somewhere on that campus and just watch and get that feel of campus to know if they can see themselves here.”
Featured on this Episode:
Jimmie Foster Jr. is vice president of enrollment planning as of May 2023. In this role, Foster leads the Division of Enrollment Planning, made up of the Office of Admissions, the Visitor Center, the Office of Financial Assistance and Veterans Affairs and the Office of Enrollment Information.
Foster returns to this position at the College of Charleston after spending three years as vice president of enrollment management at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Foster's experience at the College spans more than a decade where he held several roles including vice president of enrollment planning and director of first-year student admissions. Foster also served as dean of admissions and orientation at Northeastern University in Boston. He began his career in admissions at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
Before moving into higher education, Foster worked on national political campaigns, including time on a U.S. Presidential campaign. He has been a presenter at national professional development conferences including NACAC, ACT/NRCCUA and Ruffalo Noel Levitz.
Foster has enjoyed being a part of the College's First Year Abroad Experiences where he has been involved with the UK Soccer Experience course since its inception in 2012. Foster is passionate about English football and enjoys having the opportunity to work directly with first-year students by co-presenting the eight-week long seminar that culminates in leading study-abroad experiences to the United Kingdom based on the theme of the sociology, history and economics of soccer.
Resources from this Episode:
- Admissions website: https://charleston.edu/admission/index.php
- CofC Quick Facts: https://charleston.edu/admission/rankings-accolades/quick-facts.php
- How to apply: https://charleston.edu/admission/apply/index.php
- College at a glance: https://charleston.edu/about/college-at-a-glance.php
Office of Admissions Hours
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Phone
843.953.5670
Email
Office of Admissions
[email protected]
International Students
[email protected]
Previous Episode
"Teachable Moments," a Minute of Education for Students and Parents
On this episode of Speaking Of...College of Charleston we talk to Dr. Rénard Harris, associate professor of management in the School of Business. Dr. Harris is the host of Teachable Moments, a radio program about education topics for parents and students on South Carolina Public Radio.
Teachable Moments airs every Friday at 6:44 a.m., 8:44 a.m., 1:33 p.m., and 4:48 p.m., but you can listen any time on South Carolina Public Radio.org or today.charleston.edu/podcast.
Launched in April 2024, Teachable Moments covers topics that range from cell phones in the classroom to getting ready for college to teacher shortages. This is a great partnership between the College of Charleston and South Carolina Public Radio for many reasons, one of which is the opportunity to showcase the expertise of our faculty to the 315,000 weekly listeners across the state.
“The College of Charleston is proud to partner with S.C. Public Radio on educational content that will inform and, maybe, even entertain its listeners,” says President Andrew Hsu. “Professor Harris is a gifted teacher-scholar and he can pack a lot in only a minute of instruction!”
Dr. Harris says he loves hosting Teachable Moments because each episode is a conversation with the wider community. “It’s not about high-end research. Nobody’s going to get tested on it, nobody’s going to fail, we’re just having a conversation in the studio,” he says. “It’s a teachable moment that hopefully inspires listeners to talk about with their neighbor, family and community and hopefully those discussions will make those spaces better.”
Sean Birch, director of South Carolina public radio, says Teachable Moments aligns with their mission to keep South Carolinians informed and connected to the world around them in a way that’s entertaining and accessible.
“Dr. Harris’ energy and positivity – not to mention the tasty licks of his harmonica – are a natural fit for our public radio style. We are proud to partner with the whole College of Charleston team and look forward to growing our shared efforts in the future.”
Featured on this episode:
Dr. Rénard Harris is an Associate Professor of Management in the School of Business at the College of Charleston. He holds an Ed.D in teacher education. Since his time at the College of Charleston and several years prior, he has explored multicultural education, diversity, equity and inclusion, storytelling, cultural relevance and leadership. He is often called upon to serve as a keynote speaker, inclusion facilitator and consultant for businesses and educational institutions.
Resources from this episode:
· S.C. Public Radio and the College of Charleston launches “Teachable Moments”
· Rénard Harris Celebrates International Blues Day on Harmonica
Next Episode
Essential Tips for New Students: An Interview with Student Orientation Leader Hayden Cohen
On this episode of Speaking of...College of Charleston, George Johnson, Executive Director of Strategic Communications, interviews Hayden Cohen, a junior theater major and student orientation leader.
Hayden’s Tips for Incoming Students:
- Less is more when it comes to packing
- Speak up for yourself, ask for help when you’re feeling homesick
- Participate in Weeks of Welcome to meet people on campus
Featured on this Episode:
Hayden Cohen is a Junior at the College of Charleston majoring in Theatre, with a concentration in Youth Theatre, and is currently on track for a master's program at the college (M.A.T. in Performing Arts). She’s a former CofC Bridge program participant, Leadership Council Member, and Peer Mentor. She’s a second year Orientation Intern who started the Photography Club, is currently the Vice President of HSAB (Halsey Student Advisory Board), and is a member of CofC Hillel!
Resources from this Episode:
- Campus Housing: https://charleston.edu/housing/move-in-move-out/what-to-bring.php
- Campus Housing – Move in information: https://charleston.edu/housing/move-in-move-out/move-in.php
- Weeks of Welcome: https://charleston.edu/admission/admitted-students/next-steps/welcome-week.php
- Hillel: https://cofchillel.org
- Cougar Connect: https://cougarconnect.cofc.edu/
- Cougar Free store: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sustaincofc/
- Technology checklist out for students who are looking for a new laptop: https://help.charleston.edu/technology-resources/
- Student Wellness: https://charleston.edu/wellness/index.php
Speaking of ... College of Charleston - Demystifying College Applications, Tips from Jimmie Foster, VP of Enrollment Planning
Transcript
Hello, and Welcome to Speaking of College of Charleston. I'm Mike Robertson, Senior Director of Media Relations at the college. Today, we will demystify the college admission experience and hopefully, help students and parents get ready for the move from high school to college. My guest is Jimmy foster vice president of enrollment planning at the College of Charleston. Let's get started. According to Forbes magazine, over 7 million students
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