Professional Burnout in the Contemporary College Admissions Office: A Job Demands-Resources Analysis 129 views

This study explores professional burnout among college admissions professionals in selective college admissions offices. It tracks the evolution of the college admissions industry and highlights contemporary reports of overwhelmed admissions workers to determine the burnout levels of college admissions professionals and the operation of the burnout phenomenon among them. To conceptualize burnout, this study applied the Job Demands-Resources Model of Burnout (JD-R) and utilized it to determine the interactions between specifics facets of college admissions work and burnout, with its dimensions of exhaustion and disengagement. From survey data, means analyses showed low to moderate levels of burnout on average but exhibited a range of responses indicating experiences of burnout among some admissions workers. The JD-R explained over three-quarters of variance in burnout responses, and job demands, job resources, and life satisfaction proved good predictors of burnout levels. Correlations among JD-R factors and burnout suggested areas of focus for admission leaders to promote worker well-being. This study recommends admission leaders work to better understand professional burnout and develop strategies like flexible scheduling, enhanced data visualizations, leadership frameworks, and professional development opportunities to combat burnout and its impacts on admissions work.

EDD (Doctor of Education)

burnout; college admissions; disengagement; exhaustion; flexible scheduling; holistic review; Job Demands-Resources Model; leadership development; professional development; professional burnout; worker well-being

English

2026-04-13