ˈæftɚ ɹᵻsˈiːvɪŋ sˈɛmɪkhə ɹæbˈɪnɪk ˌɔːɹdᵻnˈeɪʃən ðæt jˈɪɹ æt ðɪ ˈeɪdʒ ʌv twˈɛnti sˈɪks, ʃˈætʃtɚ bɪkˌeɪm ðə jˈʌŋɡɪst ɹˈɑːʃ jˈɛshɪvə æt ɹˈæbaɪ ˈaɪsək ɛltʃˈɑːnən θiːəlˈɑːdʒɪkəl sˈɛmɪnˌɛɹi ɹˈiːts, ænd wʌz ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd ɹˈɑːʃ kˈɑːləl dˈiːn ʌvðə kˈɑːləl wɛn ðə pəzˈɪʃən bɪkˌeɪm ɐvˈeɪləbəl fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ðɪ ˈælɪjə ʌvðə pɹˈiːviəs ɹˈɑːʃ kˈɑːləl, ˈæhæɹən lˈɪtʃtənstˌaɪn, ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti wˈʌn.
After receiving semikhah (rabbinic ordination) that year at the age of 26, Schachter became the youngest rosh yeshiva at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), and was appointed rosh kollel (dean of the kollel) when the position became available following the Aliyah of the previous rosh kollel, Aharon Lichtenstein, in 1971.