Nominate deserving colleagues for Counselor of the Year (Deadline: Mar 16, 2018)

PCACAC is proud to have a strong membership of very talented people on both sides of the desk.  In an endeavor to celebrate some of the best among us, the President’s Council is bringing back the “Counselor of the Year” awards!  We invite you to think about PCACAC members who you believe go above and beyond in their work with students and nominate them for this award. Both the nominators and the nominees must be must be current PCACAC members. Self-nominations are accepted. The submission deadline is March 16, 2018.

The criteria for consideration includes:

• Areas of expertise
• Impact on constituents in the admission process
• Advocacy for students and colleagues
• Commitment to equity and access for all
• Thoroughness in their daily work
• Innovation in the industry

The selected recipients and their nominators will be notified by March 21and the awards presented at our 53rd Annual Conference in Dover, DE.  This is a recognition award and does not provide free registration, lodging, meals or transportation for the conference.  However, award recipients are guaranteed the Early Bird registration rate.

SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION TODAY

Thank you for all you do and we hope to see you in Dover!

Sincerely,

Robyn A. Lady
PCACAC President

Questions?  We’re happy to help!  Please contact our office at info@pcacac.org, 434-989-7557.

PCACAC's Annual Advocacy Day in Annapolis

PCACAC's annual Advocacy Day in Annapolis was a huge success! They were able to meet with some great leaders in Annapolis and discuss issues like need-based financial aid and resources for counselors that are important to us. In total, we met with Sen. Pinsky (first photo), who is the Chair of the Senate Education Subcommittee; Del. Leudtke (second photo), who is the Chair of the House of Delegates Education Subcommittee; Del. Ebersole, member of the House Education Subcommittee; and staff members from Sen. Carter Conway (Chair of the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee) and Del. Wilkins (member of House Education Subcommittee). We received great feedback on the issues important to us, and overall, it sounds like we have great support from our leaders.

A big, big thank you goes out to Jake, Katie, Adrian, and Karina, who were able to join Nick Orban on the trip and lend their personal experiences to our conversations, which I think made a huge impact and helped the members we met with understand the importance of our issues and what we do. Thank you!!

February Admission Practices Case Study

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 will offer a situation and discuss whether the issue is in compliance with the new Statement of Principles of Good Practice (SPGP):  NACAC’s Code of Ethics and Professional Practices. These cases are submitted anonymously by PCACAC members. All questions and allegations are treated as confidential; therefore, cases have been adapted, when necessary, to protect the identity of the professional seeking advice. If you have a question about a situation or CEPP: SPGP, please contact a member of the AP Committee.

• I am very interested in Fave College
• I am somewhat interested in Fave College
• I am no longer considering Fave College

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 bittinge@umbc.edu.

February Case:  In mid-March, the “Your Admission Decision” email finally arrived in Keegan’s mailbox. Although disappointed to be put on Fave College’s waitlist rather than being accepted, she accepted her place on the waitlist…and waited. Hoping to be taken off the waitlist prior to May 1, she held off sending her deposit to another college. A month later, Keegan’s heart was in her throat as she opened the “Waitlist Update” email. But, it was not a decision, Fave College was asking her, “What is your level of interest in Fave College now that you have received your other admission decisions?” and she had to reply with one of the following answers:

Discussion:  Is it okay for Fave College to ask Keegan this question in the new CEPP:SPGP?

Conclusions:  Is this compliant with the SPGPs? Yes, it is. In the SPGPs approved in 2017, Section II. The Responsible Practice of College Admission states in the second paragraph, “Since the number of students willing to accept an offer of admission from the wait list declines each day that colleges wait to extend an offer of admission, the SPGP: NACAC’s Code of Ethics and Professional Practices permits colleges to assess in advance a waitlisted candidate’s level of interest and financial need and to require a timely verbal commitment once an offer of admission has been extended.” And in subsection C 3.” Colleges may ask students who have accepted a place on the wait list to indicate their level of interest, but must not ask them to rank order or identify their other college choices.” Fave College is able to assess Keegan’s level of interest from her response, but does not know what her other choices are.

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. 

Only 4 days left to include your college fair/college night on our spring list...

Exciting news! Members can now login to our Member Center at www.pcacac.org to access our preliminary spring College Fair Schedule. PCACAC membership is not required to submit your college fair information. 

However, accessing the College Fair Schedule is a member benefit.  If you are not currently a member and would like to enjoy the benefits of membership, please visit www.pcacac.org and click on "Join today!"

If you are planning a college fair in the spring, let us advertise for you and help maximize the turn-out of college representatives! If you haven't already done so, submit YOUR college fair information for inclusion in our seasonal College Fair Schedule.  College representatives remain eager to have this information as they finalize their travel in our region.  It's easy to submit your information via our online College Fair Participation Form and we are eager to help you reach the largest potential audience for your event!

The final deadline to submit your information is Monday, February 19, 2018. A final schedule will be released on February 20.  

We look forward to advertising your college fair!

Sincerely,

Sanjay Mitchell
PCACAC College Fair/College Night Chair

QUESTIONS?  We're happy to help!

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College Fair/College Night Chair:  Sanjay Mitchell, samitchell@tmapchs.orgPCACAC office:  Rhonda Douthit, Executive Assistant, info@pcacac.org, 434-989-7557

Register now for PCACAC's 53rd Conference...

PCACAC promises many new and exciting offerings at our 53rd Annual Conference! Join us from Sunday, April 15 through Tuesday, April 17 at the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Dover, DE.  Our Conference Planning Committee (CPC) has been working diligently for the past few months to ensure that your conference experience will be exceptional and we are excited to announce that REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Early Bird rates are good through Monday, March 5, so don’t delay! And, if you want to pay member rates, you can now join first right from the conference registration form!

     

#NACACreads: Join Our Next Chat

Chat with author Benjamin Castleman

#NACACreads: 'The 160-Character Solution'

April 18 | 9 p.m. ET | Twitter Chat

Join Our Next #NACACreads Chat From identifying right-fit schools to securing financial aid and selecting classes — success in higher education is intrinsically linked to a student’s ability to make informed decisions about their future and follow through on their plans.  Discuss new ways to help students navigate this critical process during an April 18 #NACACreadschat with Benjamin Castleman, author of The 160-Character Solution: How Text Messages and Other Behavioral Strategies Can Improve Education. Castleman’s research shows that counselors and others can help more students succeed by leveraging the science of decision-making and using technological “nudges.” “Applying behavioral insights need not be the sole province of researchers and policy makers,” writes Castleman, who was tapped to help the Obama White House create Up Next — a mobile messaging campaign aimed at boosting college access. “My hope is that schools, community-based organizations, and state/federal educational agencies can draw on the lessons from this book to guide how they communicate with and support the students and families with whom they work.” New to #NACACreads? https://www.nacacnet.org/news--publications/publications/NACACreads/

Only two weeks left to apply for the SSG! Apply by February 23

Since 2013, PCACAC has been providing help through the Student Support Grant (SSG), an opportunity to recognize members who may not always have the financial resources to implement student programming and help underwrite worthwhile initiatives that directly benefit students in the college transition process. In 2017, the Student Support Grant was awarded to Tracy Kyttle, Program Manager at Collegiate Directions, Inc. Located in Bethesda, MD, Collegiate Directions provides mentoring, tutoring, counseling, and family support for students and their families. The SSG helped their counselors deliver a college transition retreat to their graduating class before going off to college, with a full day of food, sessions and team building activities.

PCACAC is grateful for members like you who make these programs possible! We encourage you to give some thought to a student event or project that you’d like to make happen in 2018.  Then, SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION by February 23. 

Who may apply? PCACAC members may apply for a Student Support Grant for their own student program or they may wish to nominate a community member whose volunteer work nurtures college readiness.  For detailed information about the selection criteria and application process, please review the Student Support Grant (SSG) guidelines. One $400 grant will be awarded for 2018. 

Grant applications will be reviewed by the SSG Program Committee and the selected recipient (and their nominator, if applicable) will be notified by March 9, 2018.  An award certificate will be presented to the recipient at PCACAC’s 53rd Annual Conference at the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Dover, DE, April 15-17, 2018.

If you'd like to support our 53rd Annual Conference and future PCACAC programs, you can give any amount by texting PCACAC53 to 50155 or by visiting www.pcacac.org/sponsoring-and-advertising.

Thank you,

Lucy Neale Duke
Student Support Grant Chair 

You Are Invited to "Principals and School Counselors at ED" Feb 13 @ US Department of Education) - RSVP by Feb 7

YOU ARE  INVITED!
As the U.S. Department of Education's Principal and Counseling Ambassador Fellows, we are writing to invite you to a day of learning at the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on February 13th. In our roles, we are working on emphasizing the importance of collaboration between and among the many roles of educators in a school. Collaboration is vital in order to have a productive school environment, thus resulting in a positive impact on students.

To this end, we are excited to include you in a new effort, Principals and School Counselors at ED, for which we are inviting principals and school counselors on February 13th from 8am-5pm for a full day of engagement in which school counselors and principals will work collectively, learn from each other, and discuss the research, innovative practices, and examples of effective programs of this essential goal.

Outcome.Reflect and advice on best practices that target creating a college and career readiness atmosphere in a school. Provide school principals, school counselors, and other members of the school community support strategies to help students make plans for life after high school. This important work is shared by all members of a school and greater community.

We see this as a great opportunity for collaboration, so by decided to participate, we are also asking you to commit to several things, including:

1. Complete this verification of participation RSVP online form. Complete by February 7 . Your verification of participation confirms your full participation in the Principals and School Counselors at ED event on February 13th for the entire day (8:00am to 5:00pm).
2. Verbal approval from your superintendent (or other key education leader) before traveling to ED and a scheduled date to debrief your learnings with your homeschool / site and (or) leadership team/superintendent.

We are excited to invite you to take part in this opportunity at ED and sincerely hope that you will be able to join us.

Best,

Scott Crisp, Ph.D.
ED 2017/18 Principal Ambassador Fellow
Matthew.Crisp@ed.gov

Patrick O'Connor, Ph.D.
ED 2017/2018 Counselor Ambassador Fellow
POConnor@cranbrook.edu

Richmond Advocacy Day!

On Monday, January 29th representatives from the PCACAC Government Relations Committee including Past PCACAC President Anthony Ambrogi, NACAC Board Member Jayne Fonash, Suzanne Carter Co-Director of College Counseling at Visitation, and PCACAC Government Relations Chair Ginger Miller held eight meetings with legislators and their assistants for our Richmond Advocacy Day. 

We focused on these points:

• Access to quality counseling by pushing for the lowering the student to counselor ratio in high schools

• Need-based financial aid including in-state tuition for DACA students and maintaining or increasing funding for the Virginia TAG program as well as aid to public institutions

• Rigorous Curriculum options for all students

• Counselor relicensure in Virginia to include some required hours in the required professional development 180 hours be allocated to college and career counseling.  

• We also entered a discussion about possible SAT testing in high schools to give access to all students addressing the possible tradeoffs of such an event.

The most important take away is that we had a voice, advocating on behalf of NACAC as well as PCACAC at a time when federal funding is clearly affecting state funding for very important programs involving access to higher education and quality counseling.

Delegate Lopez is extremely supportive of access in education, and among other bills, is currently is sponsoring HB19 to cover DACA students with in state tuition in Virginia regardless of whether or not the federal government arrives at an immigration solution for Dreamers.

Photo Caption:

Delegate Alfonzo Lopez, Jayne Fonash, NACAC Board Member and Government Relations Committee Member, and Ginger Miller, Chair PCACAC Government Relations

Our preliminary spring College Fair Schedule is live!

Exciting news! Members can now login to our Member Center at www.pcacac.org to access our preliminary spring College Fair Schedule. PCACAC membership is not required to submit your college fair information. However, accessing the College Fair Schedule is a member benefit.  If you are not currently a member and would like to enjoy the benefits of membership, please visit the Membership Information section on our Home page at www.pcacac.org and click on Join or Renew. 

If you are planning a college fair in the spring, let us advertise for you and help maximize the turn-out of college representatives! If you haven't already done so, submit YOUR college fair information for inclusion in our seasonal College Fair Schedule.  College representatives remain eager to have this information as they finalize their travel in our region.  It's easy to submit your information via our online College Fair Participation Form and we are eager to help you reach the largest potential audience for your event!

The final deadline to submit your information is Monday, February 19, 2018. A final schedule will be released on February 20. 
We look forward to advertising your college fair!

Sincerely,
Sanjay Mitchell
PCACAC College Fair/College Night Chair
QUESTIONS?  We're happy to help!

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College Fair/College Night Chair:  Sanjay Mitchell, samitchell@tmapchs.orgPCACAC office:  Rhonda Douthit, Executive Assistant, info@pcacac.org, 434-989-7557

Time is running out to submit your Marion Flagg Scholarship nomination!

Have you submitted your nomination yet? The Marion Flagg Scholarship Program gives you the perfect opportunity to provide support to colleagues and friends (or yourself) 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. PCACAC and its sponsors provide up to TEN scholarships for counselors to attend the 53rd Annual Conference. Self nominations are welcome. 

This scholarship specifically targets counselors who work with historically underserved students, minority students or students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Each scholarship includes one year of free membership in PCACAC, one conference registration, hotel lodging (two nights, in room shared with another scholarship winner of the same gender or 50% of cost of housing if you choose to get a single room), and transportation. 
SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION by February 9, 2018.

The Inclusion, Access and Success Committee oversees the selection of scholarship recipients. Most of these colleagues work with minority populations or students from disadvantaged backgrounds. They may be high school counselors, two- or four-year college admission professionals, independent counselors or individuals working in such programs as KIPP, Upward Bound, the College Success Foundation, AVID, etc.  Selected recipients and their nominators will be notified by March 2, 2018.  Award certificates will be presented to recipients at the 53rd Annual Conference.  Nominee must make every attempt to attend the program if selected.

If you'd like to help support the 53rd Annual Conference, you can give any amount by texting PCACAC53 to 50155.  To partner with us on a specific conference event, visit www.pcacac.org/conferences for the 2018 Prospectus and Sponsoring and Advertising form (a new, easy to complete form!).

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!