Recruitment - Apply to be an NSA! - New Student & Transition Programs

NEW STUDENT ADVISORS ARE THE HEART OF
UCLA NEW STUDENT & TRANSITION PROGRAMS.

Submit your Application by Sunday, January 12, 11:59 pm Pacific.

View the NSA Job Description and Timeline

Alongside six professional staff members, NSTP staff is comprised of approximately 100 undergraduate UCLA students called New Student Advisors (NSAs). During the school year, NSAs assist with events to help students in their transition to UCLA and support office functions. During the summer, their roles distinctly become Blue Team and Gold Team.

The Blue Team works within the NSTP office, helping to run the department’s administrative aspects and serving as advisors for family members at New Parent & Family Orientation Sessions. The Gold Team are peer advisors who provide academic counseling and firsthand knowledge of the campus to students during first-year and transfer New Student Orientation sessions.

Being a part of the UCLA New Student & Transition Programs staff is a big commitment with great rewards! Whether you are on the Blue team or the Gold team, you have the potential to help new students and their supporters make a successful transition to UCLA. As a new student’s first impression of UCLA, you can instill Bruin pride, motivate for the road ahead, and help succeed at UCLA. Being a Blue or Gold will provide you with immeasurable work experience you can add to your resumé and enhance your own education at UCLA. Working within this close-knit staff often develops lasting, memorable friendships that expand your community.

Each position has a separate interview process. You can apply for both positions, but be prepared to go through two interviews – if you are chosen for both, you will need to decide which position you wish to take.

Please be sure to read through each section thoroughly so you understand the differences between the two positions,
the time commitment, the application process, and other pertinent dates and deadlines.

ABOUT

As one of the units that comprises the Division of Undergraduate Education, UCLA New Student & Transition Programs is designed to serve the educational planning, academic advising, matriculation, and adjustment needs of all entering UCLA undergraduates.

Program Goals
Each New Student Session is an educational planning process designed to promote students’:

I. Academic achievement
II. Persistence to graduation
III. Intellectual and personal development

Program Objectives
1	To help students clarify their intellectual curiosities and identify courses of study and other University opportunities which address their interests.
2	To facilitate students’ understanding of the University in terms of its mission, value, and intent regarding undergraduate education.
3	To acquaint entering students with relevant resources, opportunities, policies and procedures.
4	To provide a contextual understanding of the nature of a liberal arts education, how it is reflected in General Education course offerings, and how desires for intellectual growth, personal development, graduate and professional school preparation, and career entry are accommodated therein.
5	To increase students’ awareness towards UCLA’s values concerning intellectual and personal diversity.
6	To assist students in formulating academic and personal goals for their first year at the University and in planning for their adjustment to the college experience.
7	To help each student establish a Fall Quarter class schedule based upon 1) an assessment of preparation, skills and background knowledge; 2) intellectual interests and curiosities; 3) desired outcomes of their college experience; 4) an understanding of academic policies and graduation requirements; and 5) personal commitments and responsibilities.
8	To teach a course selection process which can be used throughout the undergraduate experience.
9	To facilitate the formation of friendships among entering students and help them to identify means of meeting continuing students.
10	To encourage students to approach their college experience in a balanced manner emphasizing academic achievement, personal development, and involvement in programs and opportunities available at the University.
11	To increase student awareness and stimulate their timely use of support services and resources.
12	To inform students about University expectations and goals for undergraduate education.
13	To acquaint students with the importance of personal involvement and quality of effort and their relationship to academic achievement and persistence.
Please note: all employment with UCLA New Student & Transition Programs is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory background investigation. See the job description packet for details.

BLUE TEAM

Before you begin filling out the application, please read this section thoroughly for training, time commitments, and other important aspects about the position. If you are invited to an interview, you will be expected to be familiar with the expectations of the position.

The New Student Advisor – Blue position is a blend of administrative and counseling duties. During the school year, the NSA – Blues work in the office on general departmental administration, and during the summer the NSA – Blues work in the office, lead workshops, counsel new students, counsel new family members during New Parent & Family Orientation Sessions, and staff the Young Bruins Program. Specifically:

1. When substituting as a Gold, act as an advisor to an assigned group of participants during New Student Orientation sessions.

2. Act as a trained listener to help students clarify educational goals and objectives, personal concerns, and alternative solutions to possible dilemmas.

3. Assess student readiness to pursue certain academic directions and particular courses.

4. Familiarize students with academic requirements, college rules and regulations, scholarship requirements, and degree requirements.

5. Suggest courses and class sequences to balance academic loads and to enhance learning.

6. Counsel students about classes and majors including prerequisite and/or preparation requirements, course/major content, and performance expectations.

7. Advise students on graduate and professional schools goals.

8. Introduce and instruct students on various online resources, including registration and enrollment, degree information, and on-campus resources.

9. Describe the classroom experience for a UCLA student (e.g., the professor’s role, lecture and discussion section activities, etc.).

10. Share methods of maintaining motivation and interest necessary for achievement and for resolving potential conflicts between course requirements and other aspects of the student experience that consume time and energy.

11. Discuss the need to balance academic demands with social and recreational interests, personal responsibilities, and family obligations.

12. Describe opportunities for service and personal involvement within the campus community, and how to use student services on campus.

13. Plan and present workshops to address new students’ needs and interests.

14. Discuss the idea of a liberal arts education and how the degree and post-graduate plans can be met within realistic student expectations.

15. Increase student confidence and help them overcome possible feelings of doubt.

16. Describe pressures and sources of anxieties in the college experience and discuss personal experiences in resolving those conflicts (e.g., parental pressures, performance anxiety, career and major indecision, etc.).

17. Act as a responsible member of the program; express opinions for improvements as appropriate and follow through with the administration’s goals and programmatic decisions. Work professionally and responsibly as part of a team as well as on individual projects.

18. Act as an ambassador for the University.

19. When available, assist in transition onboarding programs such as Bruin to Bruin, as well as transition programs like Orientation Part 2 and the New Student Mentoring Program.

20. Conduct Bruin to Bruin sessions for newly admitted students: congratulate them on their admission to UCLA, address initial concerns, answer questions, and provide general information about campus services. A minimum of 8 hours during Spring Quarter is required.

21. Conduct tours of the campus.

22. Interact professionally among students, co-workers, campus partners, and visitors to the UCLA New Student & Transition Programs office and refer them to the appropriate people or places.

23. Answer questions pertaining to New Student Orientation sessions and New Parent & Family Orientation sessions academic policies, and students’ and/or parents’ concerns. Assist in this manner in the office, during walk-up counseling, at workshops, during transition programs such as Bruin Day and True Bruin Welcome Week, and in small group discussions.

24. Act as a New Parent & Family Orientation session counselor with an assigned group of family members and guests of new students at New Parent & Family Orientation sessions. Answer questions from parents and/or other family members about the campus and being a UCLA student. Strong communication skills, patience and professionalism are essential. As a Young Bruins Program counselor, coordinate and participate in children’s activities separate of the adult programming.

25. General administrative duties include fielding phone inquiries regarding departmental programs and general campus information, data input of counseling and program evaluations, confirming session reservations, typing and/or editing correspondence and publications, and filing. Basic knowledge of word processing software and computers required.

Eligibility Requirements

1. AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION (Winter 2025), you must be in good academic standing at UCLA (no probation or Subject to Dismissal) and be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at UCLA.

2. You must be able to complete all commitments to Spring Quarter training, including Blue Training Day (Sunday, April 27 9am – 5pm), Summer Training, retreat and all sessions during the summer.

3. You must be able to work during the summer (you are expected to work at least 15-30 hours per week in the summer).

Salary

New Student Advisors will be paid an hourly rate of $19.00 per hour. Housing is not provided during the summer for Blue Team positions (see FAQs for more information).

FAQs about the position

SUGGESTIONS FOR APPLICATION

Read the complete Job Description packet
To make the New Student Advisor application easier, you should gather some information ahead of time:
- Your academic information (number of units completed and approximate GPA)
- Your resumé to upload to your application
- For Blue NSA applicants: approximate units planned/time off needed during Summer
Write your essay responses ahead of time and have them ready to paste into your application (see below).
You will be able to edit your responses after you submit, up until the deadline.
The application will shut off at midnight at the end of January 12. Incomplete applications will not be considered for an interview.

ESSAY QUESTIONS

Please answer the following questions and submit with your New Student Advisor application. Your responses will help determine whether or not you receive an interview. Keep answers to 1 page or less per question (approximately 250 words).

All applicants need to answer question #1. NSA Blue Applicants will need to answer question #2 as well.

All Applicants

1. Why do you want to be a New Student Advisor?

Blue Applicants

2. What do you believe is the top concern for parents and guardians of incoming students, and why?

Complete packet of job description and application details

BLUE FAQS

Can I apply if I graduate in Spring 2025?
Students that graduate in Spring 2025 are eligible to apply, however consideration will primarily be given to continuing students. The exception to this will be graduating transfer students who will be considered along with the continuing student pool.

Is my housing provided for during the summer?
No, as a Blue Team Member, you must find your own housing for the summer. You are paid on an hourly basis, for the shifts you work – no housing is provided.

Can I miss working any Sessions?
Yes, as a Blue Team Member you can request days off during the summer if you have other commitments. This position is more flexible if you need to take summer school, have another job, or are planning a vacation. The average NSA – Blue typically works 15-30 hours per week during the summer. During Spring Quarter, you will submit a request for hours and shifts for the summer. The shifts range throughout the day from 7:00 am – 9:00 pm depending on what’s going on during the session that day. Shifts can also be arranged around summer school courses, internships, or other commitments.

Can I miss any of training?
No, you may not miss any training days, whether they are during Spring Quarter or summer. Think of training as another class – you cannot schedule another class that overlaps with training, even by 10 minutes. Spring Training will be held in person.

How much work is involved?
Working on the New Student & Transition Programs staff requires dedication. The NSA position typically has flexible hours, and the shifts range from 4 hours to a maximum of 8 hours a day. There are shifts in the early mornings, mid-day, and late afternoon-to-evenings, and can work around your other summer commitments. There may be some times where you may be asked to work on a Saturday or Sunday.

Training during Spring Quarter and the summer is extensive, but it’s designed to prepare you for all the administrative and counseling situations that you will encounter during sessions. You will be counseling parents and students one-on-one, facilitating group discussions with parents, and giving presentations, so you will need to have solid knowledge of all the academic rules and regulations at the University, as well as a strong foundational knowledge of UCLA student services.

What are the benefits of being an NSA – Blue?
There are many benefits of being an NSA that go beyond the salary!

As an NSA:

You are part of a large, close-knit staff that works hard but has fun in the process.
You gain tremendous work experience that can be advantageous to you for graduate school or future employment, including:
- Working as part of a team
- Developing strong administrative skills
- Developing strong communication skills
- Creating and presenting workshops
- Leading discussions
- Providing academic counseling on technical information
- Making great friendships
- Learning about the University, from an academic, extracurricular, and student service perspective
- Learning how to mediate complex and often stressful situations

GOOD LUCK and we look forward to receiving your application!

GOLD TEAM

Before you begin filling out the application, please read this section thoroughly for eligibility requirements, training, time commitments, and other important points about the position. If you are given an interview, you will be expected to be familiar with the commitments of the position.

The New Student Advisor – Gold position works directly with incoming first-year and transfer students during New Student Orientation sessions, providing individual counseling, facilitating discussions, and making workshop presentations. The Golds are assigned a group of new students for each session, and are responsible for introducing those students to the academic opportunities and services available at UCLA. Specifically:

1. Act as an advisor to an assigned group of new students during New Student Orientation sessions.

2. Act as a trained listener to help students clarify educational goals and objectives, personal concerns, and alternative solutions to possible dilemmas.

3. Assess student readiness to pursue certain academic directions and particular courses.

4. Familiarize students with academic requirements, school/college rules and regulations, scholarship requirements and degree requirements.