The perfect gift for a deserving colleague!

Dear Colleague:

What better time than now to consider how you can help others in 2017! The Marion Flagg Scholarship Program gives you the perfect opportunity to provide support to colleagues and friends in the field of college counseling and admissions. 

Named for one of PCACAC's most outstanding members, the Marion Flagg Scholarship is awarded annually to a group of exceptional educational professionals who are not currently members of PCACAC and who have not previously attended a PCACAC conference. This scholarship specifically targets counselors who work with historically underserved students, minority students or students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Each awarded scholarship includes one year of free membership in PCACAC, one 2017 Annual Spring Conference registration, hotel lodging (two nights, double occupancy), and transportation. Scholarship recipients will be asked to confirm their attendance at the conference if selected.  Before submitting a nomination, please ensure the nominee is willing and able to attend the program if selected.
The deadline to SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION is February 6, 2017.
The Inclusion, Access and Success Committee oversees the selection of scholarship recipients. The recipients may be high school counselors, two- or four-year college admission professionals, independent counselors or individuals working in community-based organizations such as KIPP, Upward Bound, the College Success Foundation, AVID, etc. Selected recipients and their nominators will be notified by February 28, 2017.  Award certificates will be presented to recipients at the 2017 Annual Conference.

Thank you for supporting this professional development opportunity for admission professionals like yourself!

Sincerely,
Rachel Cleaver
Marion Flagg Program Chair

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QUESTIONS? We're happy to help!

Marion Flagg Scholarship Program Chair: Rachel Cleaver, rcleave2@gmu.edu PCACAC Executive Office: Annie Hilten, Executive Assistant, info@pcacac.org, 434-989-7557

Last day to submit a proposal for the 52nd Annual Conference!

Dear Colleague,

Thanks to those of you that have already submitted session proposals!  The array of proposals is impressive as well as the presenters behind the submissions.  This is just a brief note to let everyone know that today is the last day to submit.  For access to all pertinent information and the form to submit a proposal, visit www.pcacac.org/conferences.   

Again, thanks to all for the work that went into this effort!

QUESTIONS? We're happy to help!
Conference sessions: Robyn Lady, Sessions Chair, ralady@fcps.edu
General Conference: Rosemary Martin, Conference Chair, rmarti2@umd.edu

Other Conference Items: Annie Hilten, Executive Assistant, info@pcacac.org

New Interactive Admission Practices December Case!

Want a break from reading applications or proofreading last minute essays? Want to be quoted in our Case Study review? Want a hot drink on a cold day? Participate in our first interactive Case Study. The AP Committee will send a $25 Starbucks Gift Card to the member who provides the best insight concerning the below situation.

Just a reminder, as part of the PCACAC AP Committee’s desire to proactively discuss ethics, we will be sending out monthly “case studies.” In these cases, we offer a situation and discuss whether the issue is in compliance with NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practices (SPGP). This month’s case was submitted by Casey Zimmer,  a member of the PCACAC AP Committee as well as Director of College Counseling of Samford School (DE). If you have a question about a situation or SPGP, please contact a member of the AP Committee.

December Case: Charlie, the College Counselor for his school, was quite happy for his student, Schroeder, when Schroeder happily walked into Charlie’s office on December 15^th to share the news – he’d been admitted to Peanuts U Early Decision! Schroeder had also been responsible in keeping his options open, and he had already submitted several other applications Regular Decision.  Charlie felt that Schroeder had played his cards pretty well, getting his applications out of the way while making a prudent decision to apply ED to his first-choice school, Peanuts. He reminded Schroeder that he was supposed to withdraw his other applications, and Schroeder went on his way to play the piano for the school’s holiday concert.

One day in late February, Schroeder came into Charlie’s office and asked him, “So Mr. Brown, have you sent my mid-year reports to my other colleges yet?” Alarm bells went off in Charlie’s mind. Schroeder shouldn’t be worried about his other applications or mid-year reports! He sat Schroeder down for a talk, and found out the scoop. The Financial Aid Award presented by Peanuts to Schroeder and his family was way off what the family thought it could afford to pay for Peanuts.

Schroeder had not officially withdrawn his other applications after he had been admitted to Peanuts, because they had not yet received a Financial Aid package. Once they did receive it in late January, the family quickly started filing appeals with Peanuts – and Schroeder started to get concerned about keeping his other options open – hence his question about his mid-year reports. Schroeder was unsure when they would get a final decision from Peanuts.

To complicate matters, Schroeder proceeds to ask him to send materials to two new schools not previously on his list.

What should Charlie do? What are the ethical issues?

Discussion and Conclusion: E-mail your thoughts to PCACAC AP Chair Jake Talmage (jtalmage@stpaulsschool.org) by December 21. Winner does not have to be a member of PCACAC, but should work at an institution that belongs to a regional ACAC or NACAC. The PCACAC AP Committee will pick a winning submission and send out a comprehensive discussion that will quote from the winning, and possible other, submission by January 15. Submissions will be viewed in terms of content, not creativity or writing style. Please remember, the discussion should include how NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practices (SPGP) relates to the issue.

 __________________________________________________________________________________

If you wish to file a complaint, please complete a NACAC Confidential Complaint form. All personal information will be kept confidential, but the information will be forwarded to the appropriate affiliate AP Committee. This committee will follow up on the issue. 

Want to review previous case studies? 

View all of the Admissions Practices Case Studies on The Anchor here.

Want to submit a case for consideration? Please e-mail the PCACAC AP Committee Chair at jtalmage@stpaulsschool.org

PCACAC President's December Message

Dear Colleagues,

I was at a meeting last week of admission deans and directors of Virginia private colleges. It's always in early December, right in the heart of early application reading season. It makes for a good break and a chance to catch up with colleagues, talk about the landscape of our profession, and just breathe for a day. It's easy to get bogged down by the craziness of December - not just with work, but the increasingly frenetic pace of the holidays - and you start to count the hours until the holiday break. But anytime I have a chance to sit down with my fellow professionals, I'm reminded how important our work is, how hard we work at it, and what a fantastic group of people we have in our field. That December meeting inspires me enough to get over the hump of these last weeks before the holidays. 

This has been a challenging fall semester with so many changes (including the Department of Labor adding another wrinkle for those of us on the college side). That's why it's fortuitous that the holidays and all of its festive cheer falls when it does. It's a good reminder that, as important as our work is, there are a few things more important than the perfect essay, the strong test score, or even which notification letter arrives in today's mail. That's often a hard concept to explain to teenagers, and sometimes even to ourselves. The message of peace of Earth and good will toward all isn't just a broad appeal for global affairs, but also a reminder for each of us and our everyday lives. 

So, as we wrap up for 2016, finish our shopping, start our cooking, and dream of a white Christmas (but not too much...some of us have to travel, you know), let's all take a moment to appreciate our students, our colleagues, and the work that we do, and most important, take time to appreciate our family and friends during this season. 

On behalf of PCACAC, let me tell all of you how much we appreciate you and all that you do for your students. I wish all of you a happy holiday season. 

Anthony Ambrogi   

Director of Admissions and Enrollment Research | Randolph-Macon College

President | Potomac & Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling

Partner with PCACAC at the upcoming 52nd Annual Conference!

Dear Colleague,

If you attended PCACAC's conferences in the past, you were a witness to the amazing things that partnering with PCACAC can do to support those who work with students in the transition between high school and college.  Contributions received helped to fund programs like our Marion Flagg Scholarship Program, the Student Support Grant, and provided opportunities for our colleagues, both new and veteran, to expand their networks and educate one another while continuing to ensure PCACAC's fiscal health.  This feat could have never been accomplished without your personal and institutional investments in the mission of PCACAC.  We truly appreciate your continued support!

To guarantee the success of PCACAC's 52nd Annual Conference at the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, VA on April 23 - 25, 2017 - and the future success of our programs - we once again ask that you and your organization partner with PCACAC.  We want you to know that our sponsoring partners, exhibitors and advertisers earn a variety of benefits!  Download the 2017 Conference Prospectus to learn more about these opportunities.  Whether you choose to support a local counselor, partner with us through a designated gift or undesignated monetary donation, join us as an exhibitor, or simply advertise in our Conference Program, we want to thank you for making a difference and helping us bring together admission and counseling professionals like yourself.

To contribute to one of these programs, please visit the "Partnering with PCACAC" section at www.pcacac.org/conferences by March 24, 2017. We look forward to an amazing 52nd Annual Conference with you!

QUESTIONS? We're happy to help!

Visit the PCACAC Conference Page: www.pcacac.org/conferences

Sponsorship Committee:  Ashley Woodard, awoodard@umw.edu

or Katie McEnroe, Katie.McEnroe@holton-arms.edu

General Conference Information: Rosemary Martin, Conference Chair, rmarti2@umd.edu

Registration: Annie Hilten, PCACAC Executive Assistant, info@pcacac.org, 434-989-7557

Nominations open for Marion Flagg Scholarships

Dear Colleague,

What better time than now to consider how you can help others in 2017! The Marion Flagg Scholarship Program gives you the perfect opportunity to provide support to colleagues and friends in the field of college counseling and admissions. 

Named for one of PCACAC's most outstanding members, the Marion Flagg Scholarship is awarded annually to a group of exceptional educational professionals who are not currently members of PCACAC and who have not previously attended a PCACAC conference. This scholarship specifically targets counselors who work with historically underserved students, minority students or students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Each awarded scholarship includes one year of free membership in PCACAC, one 2017 Annual Spring Conference registration, hotel lodging (two nights, double occupancy), and transportation. Scholarship recipients will be asked to confirm their attendance at the conference if selected.  Before submitting a nomination, please ensure the nominee is willing and able to attend the program if selected.
The deadline to SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION is February 6, 2017.
The Inclusion, Access and Success Committee oversees the selection of scholarship recipients. The recipients may be high school counselors, two- or four-year college admission professionals, independent counselors or individuals working in community-based organizations such as KIPP, Upward Bound, the College Success Foundation, AVID, etc. Selected recipients and their nominators will be notified by February 28, 2017.  Award certificates will be presented to recipients at the 2017 Annual Conference.

Thank you for supporting this professional development opportunity for admission professionals like yourself!

Sincerely,
Rachel Cleaver
Marion Flagg Program Chair

---

QUESTIONS? We're happy to help!

Marion Flagg Scholarship Program Chair: Rachel Cleaver, rcleave2@gmu.edu PCACAC Executive Office: Annie Hilten, Executive Assistant, info@pcacac.org, 434-989-7557