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1/7/2010

I attended the NACAC National Conference in Baltimore this past September. Over 5000 high school counselors, college admission professionals, independent counselors and exhibitors attended. Over the course of four days, I was able to connect with hundreds of professionals who are committed to helping students gain knowledge and information and navigate the often rocky or overwhelming transition to college.

I attended my first NACAC National Conference in late September 2001 in San Antonio, TX. Yes, right after 9/11 I flew to Texas. Even though the attendance was drastically reduced, I was none-the-less hooked. Why you ask? The opportunity to network with thousands of colleagues from all over the world, to attend presentations facilitated by talented and knowledgeable professionals and to learn about the latest trends and issues in the profession are key reasons why attending the National Conference is critical to my success as a school counselor. In addition, many counselors take advantage of the numerous college tours in the surrounding area offered before, during and after the conference.

Okay, so call me a conference geek, but attending a professional development opportunity like a national conference is like no other. Many of my peers are either resistant to or unable to get out of their offices for such things. It baffles me as to why this would be the case. Yes, I understand that attending such an event can be a financial challenge when budgets have been severely limited and many counselors have lost their jobs. There is also a burden for the school counseling office when someone is out for multiple days at a time. No one fills in to do my job when I am out, unlike a substitute teacher who is hired when a teacher is out. Others may argue that students suffer as a result of my being out as they will have to wait to see me, unless of course it is an emergency. Still others are just not conferences goers.

I would argue that I am a better school counselor as a result of my presence at the conference. The cutting edge information that I receive, relationships that I develop with colleagues on both sides of the admission desk across the world and product updates are irreplaceable and in fact allow me to give my students an edge over their peers in other schools in which counselors do not attend. Yes my students may not get an immediate answer to a question when I am out, but I feel they benefit more by what I bring back to them.

Professional development conferences also allow me to grow as a professional and give my school some much needed attention that it is often lacking. Monson High School is on the map because I attend a national conference. Additionally I often present sessions about issues that affect school counselors. In Baltimore I presented about resources that can help school counselors improve their services and how to use data to improve their college counseling programs, both topics which have relevance and direct impact on student success. As a result of my presentation, I obviously have had to do research which helps me grow professionally.

On a more personal level, national conferences also give me an opportunity to connect with friends whom I have met at previous conferences. I may only see these associates just once a year at the conference, but the friendships and relationships are crucial to making the conference more than just learning about what is new in my profession.

So what did I learn in Baltimore? There were no real hot button topics this year. Standardized testing and colleges going test optional are still a buzz for some. Others were focused on the economy and how students will be able to afford higher education. But the tried and true sessions such as finding a college for the B/C student or using technology to develop “the list” are still big draws.

Next year I will be in St. Louis, September 30 – October 2. I’ll figure out some way to pay for it and yes, my students will miss me for a couple of days, but they will survive just like they did this year and undoubtedly will be better because I was there. Will I see you there?

Posted at 3:46 PM by Robert Bardwell | Category: Professional Development | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

12/9/2009

What Educational Sessions Do You Want to See in St. Louis?

The NACAC National Conference is widely considered to be the college admission counseling profession’s leading educational event. The Call for Proposals for NACAC’s 66^th National Conference is now open! Submit your educational session idea through the Call and help shape the educational content that will influence over 5,000 industry professionals.

Didn't see a session offered in Baltimore on a topic of interest to you? Want to share tips or tricks that will help your colleagues? Got interesting findings, stories or viewpoints on an issue affecting professionals’ everyday lives with students and families? Help NACAC’s Professional Development Committee broaden our offerings by submitting a topic idea.

Visit the National Conference Call for Proposals Web site for more information. Submit your session ideas through Friday, December 11, or forward this along to someone you’d like to see present.

Need more information? Contact pd@nacacnet.org.

Posted at 3:58 PM by Kristen Bourke | Category: Professional Development | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

9/29/2009

Conference Pricing on NACAC Audio Proceedings Extended Untill Friday!

Order your copy of the 2009 Annual NACAC Conference audio recordings before Friday, October 2 and receive conference pricing! Over 100 of the educational sessions have been recorded and are available as audio synchronized with the presentation slides. Catch all the sessions you missed or share the experience with a colleague!

The 2009 audio is accessed with a CD-ROM which you insert into your computer to connect to the Audio and Presentation online. Then you can view or download any sessions that you have access to.

Catch up on what you missed or review the sessions you found the most insightful!

Order today!

Looking for the handouts from the sessions? Look here. Or here.

Posted at 9:56 AM by Kristen Bourke | Category: Professional Development | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

9/25/2009

Educational Sessions Invite Attendees to Discuss Economy, Rankings, HBCU's, and Many Other Topics

Under the cloud of a burdensome economy, attendees of the 65th NACAC National Conference filled educational sessions to listen, discuss and debate the future of college admission.

"At first it's going to be a tough road," said a presenter of Using Technology to Navigate the Economic Storm in Higher Education. The session warned of the frightening and difficult properties of change and its inevitable ability to creatively solve problems.

"We're kind of facing these Wild West decisions where anything goes," another presenter said at the Economy and Beyond, a session with NACAC's Current Trends and Future Issues and Admission Practices Committees. The session highlighted data from a NACAC survey measuring the effects of the economy on the admission process. According to the survey, the number one strategy used by admission offices to meet enrollment goals is accepting a greater number of applicants. Other popular methods include establishing larger grant aid packages and offering more students grant aid.

The educational sessions, though, were not limited to how students and colleges are coping with the economy. In HBCU's in the Obama Era, the attendees and presenters benefited from insightful conversation during the question and answer portion. One attendee stressed the importance of visiting HBCU campuses to accurately gauge the institution's quality. "85% of my students go to HBCU's," she said. "Why? Because we take them there."

Another common theme was the effects of rankings on the admission process. A presenter in "Your Kid is Going WHERE?" spoke about her school's policy of surveying the students' college applications. Her students were asked to write down all the schools that they had applied to, which would later be posted on a bulletin board. The results shocked parents, who discovered the multitude of good colleges available beyond those traditionally ranked in top 20 lists.

Presenters explained to attendees the importance of explaining to students and families that the value of rankings lie in the categorized data on each school surveyed, and not the number rank. Something the average applicant may not consider are the weighted factors that make-up the final number in the U.S. News and World Report rankings guide: Peer Assessment (25%), Finances/Faculty Resources (35%), Student Inputs (15%), and Student Outputs (25%). For more information, download the session handout.

The presenter called the annual U.S. News ranking guide "a great place to look up information," as long as the reader learns more than the final number. Important factors to research are graduation rates, post-graduation experiences, and data from the National Survey of Student Engagement.

Are you at the conference? Use the comment box below to share your thoughts on the sessions and any other events.

Posted at 3:41 PM by Sean Nyhan | Category: National Conference | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

9/24/2009

The 65th National Conference Begins!

The 65th NACAC National Conference has begun in Baltimore, and attendees are taking advantage of a packed schedule of committee and counterparts meetings, educational sessions and a hilarious and poignant presentation from Keynote Speaker Nancy Giles in the opening General Session.

In her speech, Giles recounted her personal journey through the professional world of television and movies and expressed a fondness for the mentors who counseled her along the way. The CBS Sunday Morning contributor and film and television actress remembered a guidance counselor "who somehow saw that I could write and do creative things." Through her community outreach, she said it was difficult to teach young kids about hard work who are inundated with get-rich-quick schemes on reality television.

In the General Session NACAC also revealed the winners of the following awards:

Gayle C. Wilson Service to Education: Jack Blackburn for his longtime career of serving both students and his colleagues
Margaret E. Addis Service to NACAC: Sam Moss for his commitments of time, professional expertise and enthusiasm to the advancement of college admission counseling
Excellence in Education: Senator Richard Durbin for his support and sponsorship of the Pathways to College Act

Following the General Session, conference attendees engaged in educational sessions designed to inform and stimulate discussion on a variety of college admission-related topics. In SAT Test Prep - Sharing What Works, facilitators of test-prep services outlined the benefits and drawbacks to test preparation and stressed the fact that test preparation has different effects for different kinds of students with a variety of strengths and weaknesses.

In a more candid moment, one of the presenters highlighted significant drawbacks to the PSAT, citing its inability to accurately predict success on the SAT. The PSAT, he said, could needlessly convince a student that he or she is not ready for postsecondary education. Session handouts are available at nacacnet.org.

In another informative session, presenters from College Summit, a non-profit organization that helps high schools raise their college enrollment rates, discussed the process of Developing a College Culture. Tools outlined in the presentation can be found online.

Check back tomorrow for more updates on sessions and other events at the conference. Other updates are also available on Twitter and Facebook.

Posted at 6:15 PM by Sean Nyhan | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

9/21/2009

Redemption Time: Baltimore Matching Column #3 – The Last Crusade

This is it. Zero Hour. We are just days away from having 5,100 of our closest friends join us in Charm City. If you tanked on the last two matching columns, this is your chance for redemption.

1. _____ Pulitzer-prize winning author of The Accidental Tourist, she sets many of novels in Baltimore and resides in the Roland Park neighborhood of Baltimore.

2. _____ Baseball Hall of Famer born at 216 Emory Street in Baltimore

3. _____ It is both the State Flower and a drink

4. _____ One time home of both the Orioles and the Colts

5. _____ Historic civil rights organization, has its national headquarters in Baltimore

6. _____ Musician and Baltimorean who started the band, The Mothers of Invention, in 1964

7. _____ The ‘Sage of Baltimore,’ this Baltimorean journalist famously covered the Scopes Monkey Trial

8. _____ Baltimore-born novelist and author of Exodus and Trinity

9. _____ Nominated, in Baltimore, for president in 1832 by the Democrats

10. _____ Filmed in Baltimore, this 1987 comedy starred Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito

a. Leon Uris

b. NAACP

c. Frank Zappa

d. Tin Men

e. Anne Tyler

f. Black eyed Susan

g. Andrew Jackson

h. H.L. Mencken

i. Memorial Stadium

j. Babe Ruth

Many of you may be planning to eat like the locals by finding a place that serves blue crabs. Some might be a bit intimidated by the prospect of mastering the technique that liberates the delicious fresh crab meat from the crab’s shell.

Rather than risking personal and institutional humiliation, please click here and here for crab eating tutorials. Please also note that any shame incurred by eating fresh blue crabs alongside chardonnay, pino grigio or imported beer is regrettable, but well-deserved.

Suitable beverages to accompany and complement the eating of blue crabs are National Bohemian, Yuengling or, if available, one of Baltimore’s more recent hometown brews, like Clipper City, Raven Lager, or Backfin.

Today’s suggestions:

Can’t get through a few days without public radio? We are rightly proud of WYPR at 88.1 on your FM dial.

If you can’t get through the conference without taking in a few vigorous runs, the crackerjack staff at Charm City Run suggests the pathway around the Inner Harbor and then on to Fort McHenry. It is safe, historic and full of true Baltimore flava.

From Harbor Place at the Inner Harbor to waterside at Fort McHenry is just under 3 miles, for a round trip of less than six miles. The path around the Inner Harbor is often referred to as the Waterfront Promenade and is approximately 7 miles.

If you forget your running shoes, head straight to Charm City Run. There simply is no better place to buy running shoes in North America. Best shoes and best staff.

Need a break from all your zealous professional development? Check out the Canton Wine and Jazz Festival on Saturday, from 1-7pm.

For inexpensive and authentic Vietnamese food, cooked and served by the family who own the place, try the new and popular Mekong Delta Café.

A favorite breakfast and lunch destination for those in the know is Miss Shirley’s , nearby on Pratt Street.

Answers to matching column:

1-e, 2-j, 3-f, 4-i, 5-b, 6-c, 7-h, 8-a, 9-g, 10-d

Let’s see how you fared on the Maryland-Rivalry-o-meter…

10 correct - Gilman–McDonogh

9 correct - City–Poly

8 correct - Army–Navy

7 correct - Ravens–Steelers

6 correct - Hopkins–Loyola

5 correct - Maryland–Duke

4 correct - Shaq-Phelps

3 correct - Royce-Carcetti

2 correct - Ehrlich-O’Malley

1 correct - British Navy–Maj. George Armistead of Fort McHenry

0 correct - Orioles–Yankees

Can’t wait for you to get here!

Carl Ahlgren
Gilman School

Posted at 4:17 PM by Carl Ahlgren | Category: The City of Baltimore | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

9/18/2009

Restaurant Recommendations: When Each Meal in Baltimore Is VITAL!

Last month, NACAC member Steve Peifer, college guidance counselor at the Rift Valley Academy in Kijabe, Kenya, sent a posting to the NACAC E-list looking for restaurant recommendations. He explained to the E-list, because of his current location in Africa and the types of cuisine he is often served there, “Each meal I eat in Baltimore is VITAL!”

E-list members were very quick to respond. Steve concluded, “NACAC is SERIOUS about food!”

Quick to address this serious matter, NACAC’s 65th National Conference Blog would like to offer you a quick rundown of restaurants your colleagues have recommended in Baltimore.

Our PCACAC friends were quick to note that the restaurants in the Inner Harbor are very touristy and (without pointing any fingers) to stay away from chain restaurants, or at least the ones that serve crab cakes. They recommended finding a genuine, working-class crabhouse for crabs and crab cakes. Whatever your budget is, you can always check out chowhound.com, donrockwell.com, egullet.com, the Baltimore Sun's Dining Guide, or Baltimore.org for great food recommendations in "Balmer."

During the conference, you can also stop by the City Information/Restaurant Reservations desk on the third floor of the convention center to find even more great Baltimore bites. They will be onsite Monday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Once you are done eating dinner, don’t forget to have dessert!

Restaurant Recommendations:

The Ambassador

Aldo's

Bertha’s Mussels

Birches (NOTE: They won’t win any awards for their speed of service but their food is fantastic. A nice slow meal. If you go, definitely try the Pink House Dip (crab dip).

Bo Brooks – Canton (at Lighthouse Point)

Brewer's Art on Charles Street

Charleston

Cinghiale

Da Mimmo

Faidley's in Lexington Market (long walk, short cab ride from convention center)

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Flemings Steak House

Germano's

GM Restaurant

Golden West (NOTE: Eclectic fare and eclectic space—about 10 mins north of downtown in an area called Hampden.)

Gyro Express (NOTE: At the northwest corner of Monument and Wolfe Streets.)

The Helmand

Ikaros

James Joyce Pub

Joe Squared

John Stevens

Kali's Court in Fell's Point

Lexington Market (NOTE: A market from 1782 loaded with local flavor/culture/cuisine. Faidley’s crabcakes are sold onsite.)

Little Havana

Miss Shirley's Cafe

Mo's Crab & Pasta Factory

Nick’s Fish House

Obrycki's Fells Point

Oceanaire

Ocean Pride

Phillips Seafood

Red Star

The Rusty Scupper

Sabatino’s in Little Italy

SAMOS

Vacarro’s (NOTE: Pastries and coffee––They have a small kiosk in the Harbor Place food court too!)

Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore

Where are you looking forward to eating in Baltimore? We want to hear from you, so please leave your comments (and favorite websites) below!

Posted at 2:18 PM by Kristen Bourke | Category: The City of Baltimore | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

9/17/2009

Eight Very IMPORTANT Things You Need to Know About the NACAC National Conference!

NACAC’s 65th National Conference begins next week, and we can’t wait to see you! In preparation for your trip, please review this summary of important information you may need to know before arrival regarding your name badge materials, transportation, registration hours, what to pack, and more.

Your golden ticket into the conference is your barcoded confirmation page. You will need this to check in at registration. Consider this like the American Express card. YOU DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE HOME WITHOUT it (your bar-coded confirmation page)! You will avoid waiting in (what could be long) lines this way. And you will smile and wave at your fellow attendees who are waiting in line (because they didn’t bring their confirmations with them!) as you breeze though the badge printing process. See item 3 below if you do not currently have your barcoded printout.

Eight IMPORTANT things you need to know about the NACAC National Conference:

1) Housing - If you need to change or cancel your reservation, call the hotel directly. Cancelations must be made within the hotels' cancelation policy to avoid any penalties/charges and made directly with the hotel.

2) Transportation - For information on taxi cabs, airport shuttles and car rental

3) Registration/Badge Information - All attendees are required to check-in at registration to print and pick up their badge/materials. Registration is located in the Pratt Street Lobby of the Baltimore Convention Center.

Tuesday, September 22
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009
7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, September 24, 2009
7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Friday, September 25, 2009
7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 26, 2009
7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

**You must bring your barcoded confirmation to registration in order to print badge materials.** To print your barcode from the Web, follow these instructions:

1) Log in to the NACAC Web site (www.nacacnet.org) and select View/Edit My Profile.

2) Select View Transactions from the top menu and click on View under the itinerary column.

3) This will display a copy of your invoice, which you can then print.

4) Bring the barcoded invoice to Registration at the Baltimore Convention Center and scan the barcode to print your badge materials.

NOTE: If you registered others, only you will receive a printed copy of their invoice, and only you will have access to reprint it online. If you were registered by someone else, only they will receive a printed copy of your invoice, and only they will have access to reprint it online.

Badges must be worn during all event activities.

4) Sessions and Schedule - All session seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Review the schedule before arriving in Baltimore.

5) Handouts/Evaluations - In our continued greening efforts, handouts and evaluations will not be printed and distributed on-site. Evaluations will be sent to you via email each day. Please be sure to have your badge scanned at the entrance to each educational session you attend to receive the evaluation for that session. Handouts are available for a majority of educational sessions now. We encourage you to print them before arriving in Baltimore.

6) Dress code – The dress code for the conference is business casual (slacks, khakis, skirts, button downs, golf shirts, comfortable shoes). For the social, dress is casual, and we encourage you to wear the jersey of your favorite sports team. The temperatures in the convention center and hotels will be cooler than outside temperatures, so bring layers for your comfort. For evenings or general outings in Baltimore, the standard, acceptable attire in most venues is casual.

7) Welcome Reception and Conference Social
The Thursday night Welcome Reception will be held from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall (BCC, Exhibit Halls EF). Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and friends, network with exhibitors and find clues to enter you into a drawing to win a FREE 2010 national conference registration. The Saturday Social will be held from 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium – Home of the Baltimore Ravens. Plenty of entertainment (including inflatable games, a live band, karaoke, photo booth, and more!) and food await you! Wear your favorite sports jersey and challenge a colleague to a game!

8) Give Back to Baltimore Donation Drive – NACAC will donate tote bags (from the 2009 conference or others you bring with you) to Per Scholas, a local organization that provides computers and computer equipment/supplies to low-income students transitioning to college. NACAC will also collect school supplies, with school logos, to CollegeBound Foundation. To donate, please place donated items into the appropriate bins located in the Quiet Zone area near Registration at the Baltimore Convention Center. Donations must be received by 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 26.

We look forward to seeing you in Baltimore and to an enjoyable, productive and successful 65th National Conference!

Sincerely,
NACAC National Office Staff

Posted at 3:53 PM by Kristen Bourke | Category: NACAC | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

Speak Up and Speak Out: Let NACAC Help Tell Your Story

“Who suffers, in what order, and how much?” One policy analyst’s perspective on the disintegrating finances in the state of California is a question facing states and localities across the country.

As local governments and school boards struggle with sagging revenue and diminishing state aid, college access and counseling programs are, more often than not, standing in the front of the line for cuts. Moreover, budget cuts for colleges continue, and may loom larger as state revenues are strained. These cuts will have an effect on our members’ lives and on the lives of the students we serve.

One of the important services NACAC provides for you is advocacy. During this year’s National Conference in Baltimore, we encourage you to share your stories about how the economy is affecting your school, your profession, and your students with us. NACAC public policy staff will be able to record your stories via digital video and audio. Visit the NACAC Booth in the Exhibit Hall, and ask the NACAC staff how you can share your story.

With your permission, we will post the stories we collect to a special Web page that we will share with members of Congress, state legislators, and other policymakers. Through this effort, we want to provide our elected officials with a clear picture of the challenges we face.

Also, don’t forget to take action to help us reach our goal of 15,000 messages in support of the Pathways to College Act, which would provide federal funds to help hire, train and equip school counselors in low-income schools to provide college counseling to currently under-served students.

Posted at 1:24 PM by David Hawkins | Category: Advocacy | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

9/16/2009

In the Field of College Admission, We Thrive on Goals and Competition

At the NACAC National Conference in Baltimore, we have an unprecedented chance to make a difference for students and college admission counseling. NACAC has helped create a bill that has been introduced in Congress and needs your support to stay alive!

NACAC helped write the Pathways to College Act, which will help hire, train and equip school counselors to provide college counseling in low-income schools. The Pathways to College Act was introduced in each the House and Senate on May 21, 2009. Our next step is to unite in our effort to acquire cosponsors! This will strengthen the bill for when it is brought to a vote. Here’s how you can help advocate:

Action Alert Participation Goal: 15,000 messages (or 5,000 participants)
NACAC Government Relations Committee Chair Craig Dodson announced that the Committee has established a goal of 15,000 messages to Capitol Hill. By using the one-minute Pathways to College action alert, each participant will send 3 messages simultaneously—to two Senators and one Representative. Attendees of the NACAC Conference are urged to participate in the Pathways to College Act action alert while in Baltimore. The action alert will be bookmarked on computers in Exhibit Hall to enable you to send messages to your senators and representative in only one minute. In addition, the NACAC booth will feature a thermometer that will chart progress toward our goal throughout the Conference.

NACAC members not attending the Conference are also urged to participate in the Pathways to College Act action alert.

Affiliate Competition
In a field of perceived competition among students and colleges, we believe a bit of friendly competition is in order! NACAC is challenging each state and regional affiliate to achieve 100% participation in the Pathways to College Act action alert at or prior to the Conference. The affiliate with the largest percentage of members who send messages to federal legislators will be publicly recognized.

Posted at 9:14 AM by Amanda Modar | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

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