Emily Pacheco
Assistant Director of Admission
Loyola University Chicago
What drew you to the world of college admission counseling?
My love of international travel was the initial spark that drew me to college admission counseling. I grew up internationally and had the opportunity to study internationally as a university student and wanted to help others have the same opportunity. I decided I wanted to help students from around the world access educational opportunities in the United States. Straight out of college, I embarked on this path, supporting international students as they navigated the often complex and daunting admission and immigration systems in the U.S.
Over the years, my role has evolved, but the heart of my work has remained the same: empowering students to pursue life-changing educational opportunities. I’ve had the privilege of working with a diverse range of students in a variety of contexts. During the Middle East uprisings of the 2010s that led to the fall of the Gaddafi regime, I supported Libyan-sponsored students through the era’s uncertainty and upheaval. Later, I played a pivotal role in building a business-focused certificate program at UC Berkeley Extension. From the ground up, I helped establish the program, recruiting its inaugural cohorts from around the world.
Most recently, I’ve been working with undergraduate students on the West Coast, helping them navigate the college admissions process while representing a Jesuit university in Chicago. Across all these roles, spanning over 20 years, I’ve witnessed the profound impact that educational access can have on a student’s future. I’ve seen students discover new paths they hadn’t considered, paths that not only transform their professional trajectories but also enrich their sense of purpose and potential to positively impact the world around them.
At its core, college admission counseling is about possibility. It’s about helping students see beyond their current circumstances and supporting them as they pursue opportunities that might have once seemed out of reach. For me, the counseling aspect of this work is one of the most rewarding parts. It’s a chance to make a direct, tangible impact on individual lives and, in turn, contribute to a more connected, educated, and thoughtful world.
What is your favorite part of the job?
My favorite part of the job is hearing the stories in the world of college admissions. Throughout the year, I have the opportunity to visit many high schools and meet with college counselors and other administrators in their college counseling offices. These conversations offer a window into the day-to-day realities of supporting students through the college admissions process. I’m particularly drawn to the insight they provide about the current landscape, the emerging trends, challenges, and victories counselors are experiencing in real time.
There’s a unique energy in these discussions, as they reveal what’s happening right now in classrooms and counseling sessions across the country. Listening to counselors talk about their direct work with students allows me to better understand the needs of students and the evolving dynamics of college admissions. I find immense value in building strong, symbiotic relationships with these counselors. It’s a true partnership where we exchange ideas, offer support, and strengthen each other’s ability to guide students. These relationships are not only rewarding but essential to staying connected to the heart of this work, helping students find their path to higher education.
How has NACAC played a role in your career?
I am genuinely energized by my work with NACAC to build the AI in College Admission Special Interest Group (SIG). Recognizing a critical need for more resources and guidance in the rapidly evolving world of admissions, I saw an opportunity to address the growing role of artificial intelligence in the process. It was thrilling to find that NACAC shared this vision and agreed that the timing for an AI-focused SIG was right.
Since its inception in mid-2024, the AI in College Admission SIG has grown to over 1,200 members, a clear signal that NACAC members are eager to understand AI’s role in college admissions. Members are seeking not only to harness AI’s potential in thoughtful and strategic ways but also to approach this emerging technology with ethical awareness. The SIG serves as a space for members to engage in meaningful dialogue, ask critical questions, and build their understanding of AI’s impact on their work.
By fostering these conversations, the AI in College Admissions SIG creates an inclusive environment where NACAC members feel empowered to participate in shaping how AI is integrated into college admissions. It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of a movement that helps demystify AI and encourages collaboration among educators, counselors, and admissions professionals. Our shared goal is to ensure that AI is used to support students equitably and ethically, while also making the admissions process more accessible and transparent.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our profession today?
I’m obviously a little biased here, but I think the biggest challenge facing our profession is how AI will shape college admissions over the next decade. While the possibilities are vast, one thing is certain: The technology isn’t going away. Unfortunately, our field has been slow to adopt and engage in conversations about these tools, a pace that feels misaligned with the speed at which AI is evolving. Given AI’s potential to revolutionize how we recruit students, how students apply, and how we build cohorts, it’s clear we need to be doing more right now.
A major challenge is ensuring that we’re having open, proactive conversations about AI’s role in the admissions process. The AI in College Admission SIG has been working to encourage universities to create clear, transparent policies on AI usage in admissions. Right now, only a handful of universities have taken this step, but we anticipate this will shift as enrollment leaders recognize the need to provide students with guidance on acceptable AI usage. Just as important, admissions staff must be prepared for a world where students are already using AI tools as part of their application process. Addressing this challenge will require bold, thoughtful action — and it needs to happen now.
When you aren’t working, what do you like to do?
These days, when I’m not working, I’m often building the AI in College Admissions Special Interest Group (SIG). It’s like having a second job, but one that feels incredibly energizing and rewarding. Contributing to this community gives me a sense of tangible impact, which keeps me motivated to devote my free time to its growth.
Outside of that, I play as much pickleball as I can fit in, love exploring thrift stores and flea markets in new cities, and I’m always daydreaming about and planning my next international adventure. I also have a 10-year-old who keeps life interesting. We love playing board games together and even team up for doubles on the pickleball court.
If you could be any fictional character, who would it be and why?
If I could be any fictional character, I would be Alice from Alice in Wonderland. I admire her curiosity, her courage to embrace the unknown, and her willingness to carve out her own path — even when it defies logic or convention. Her journey is anything but straightforward, filled with unexpected twists, challenges, and moments of uncertainty. But that’s exactly what makes it so fascinating. Like Alice, I’m drawn to the adventure of discovery, the thrill of navigating unfamiliar territory, and the idea that the most interesting paths in life are rarely the most conventional. It’s not always easy, but it’s far more rewarding.
Published Jan. 20, 2024