IECA Spring Conference

Collaboration. Engagement. Impact!

April 25th – 27th, 2018

Austin, Texas

Highlights from College Sessions Attended by the College Committee

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Dear IECA Colleagues, We are excited to present to you our second edition of Conference Session Highlights! As you might recall, the College Committee began this initiative with a pilot program after the fall conference in Washington, DC last year. We all agreed that it would be useful to have a post conference reference – a permanent document that included a brief summary of the key highlights from each session. The first pilot edition was well received with an emphatic, “keep doing this”. The College Committee worked with all the other Membership Committees and recruited many volunteer notetakers to make this happen in Austin. We received notes for 25 of the sessions, including two pre-con workshops. Please understand that our notes are, by design, brief. We want to peak your curiosity, allow you to peruse new topics, get inspired to attend the next conference, or better yet, lead the next great session. In other words, we want to give you enough information to make sure you don’t feel left out and excite you to learn more. We hope that you find this resource educational and inspiring. This project would not have been possible without the contribution of the notetakers. A big thank you to everyone that volunteered to help! If this initiative continues to move forward, we will be calling on you again. I can’t think of a better way to get engaged, stay engaged, promote the great work we all do, become inspired, and continue learning. I hope you are as inspired as we are, and we always welcome your feedback. Best, Susan Dabbar Past Chairman, IECA College Committee

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Effectively Communicating Your Brand to Build Your Client Base for the New(er) IEC ..........- 4 -

Dispatches from the Trenches: Tricks of the Trade for Working with Students with LDs .......- 5 -

Supporting Women in STEM: Following The Trail Blazed by Hopper, Johnson, Villa-Komaroff, and Millions of Women ..........................................................................................................- 6 -

How Much Essay Help Is Too Much? Practical Tools for Providing Ethical, Educational Feedback ................................................................................................................................- 7 -

I’m a New IEC and Very Overwhelmed—Where Can I Go?.....................................................- 8 -

Talent and Passion: the Value of Music Performance in College Admissions .........................- 9 -

Remote Control: Best Practices for Running Your Remote Business .................................... - 10 -

Money Matters from the Admissions World ........................................................................ - 11 -

What is This Thing-a-ma-jiggy?............................................................................................. - 12 -

Unpacking Demonstrated Interest in the Admissions Process ............................................. - 13 -

Are They Ready? Success Strategies in Autism Asperger Transition Programs. Working Early with Parents, Students, and Educators to Provide Support. ................................................ - 14 -

Mastering the Supplemental Sections: ZeeMee, Essays, and More! .................................... - 15 -

Not Just Pre-Med: Pathways to Canadian & American Medical Schools .............................. - 16 -

The Gap Year Advantage Today: Students, IECs & Gap Experts Tell All ................................ - 17 -

International Admission in 2018 .......................................................................................... - 18 -

When the Interview Counts: Preparing Students to Succeed ............................................... - 19 -

Managing a Full Senior Caseload (Without Losing Your Mind) ............................................. - 20 -

Get A Life! How to Navigate Work-Life Balance ................................................................... - 21 -

The Other Side of the Desk: Application Review in the Digital Age ...................................... - 22 -

True Insight: Using UC and UT Essays for College Readiness, Admissions, and Success ....... - 23 -

Decisions, Decisions: Insight into the 2018 Admissions Cycle .............................................. - 24 -

Featured Breakout: The Myth of Multitasking: Increase Your Value With the Power of Hidden Time! .................................................................................................................................... - 25 -

Can't Pay vs. Won't Pay: Dealing with Difficult Financial Aid Situations .............................. - 26 -

Information at Your Fingertips: Using Data to Build Smarter College Lists .......................... - 27 -

Growing Your Business Sustainably While Improving the Student Experience .................... - 28 -

Lost in Translation, Found in Cultural Norms: Understanding Challenges Facing International Students ............................................................................................................................... - 29 -

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PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP Effectively Communicating Your Brand to Build Your Client Base for the New(er) IEC Presenters

• Brooke Daly, IECA Associate • Mark Cruver, IECA

Overview Communicating your brand with clarity and confidence is crucial in building your business and gaining new clients, so let’s be clear! In an interactive format, two experienced IECs will share effective methods that will help you build your story, speak about your practice with confidence, and ultimately secure new clients through four steps: identifying your audience and differentiating your clients and customers, knowing your product and communicating your counseling services and what makes you unique, expressing your story by combining passion and experience to build confidence, and delivering your message in less than five minutes. Key Highlights Key Highlights

• Product o Need to know how to effectively communicate the services you offer and

what makes you unique. o Ask the right questions like: Who is your ideal client? What is that person’s

desires, fears, etc.? o Know what your product is. o Understand and recognize the differences between Features and Benefits

• Price o Different models have multiple pros and cons (pricing evolution,

consumer satisfaction, pro-bono/reduced rate). o Don’t be afraid of change: Be competitive with your market: Price equates

value • Platforms

o Seminars; email lists, website marketing o Strategic partnerships (tutors, pediatricians, financial advisors, etc.)

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PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP Dispatches from the Trenches: Tricks of the Trade for Working with Students with LDs Presenters

• Kyle Kane, IECA • Joan Wittan, IECA • Larry Blumenstyk, IECA • Lauren Gaylord, IECA

Overview IECs—whether they specialize in placement for students with LDs or not—are continually challenged to meet the needs of increasingly complex students. In this session, you’ll explore creative and practical ideas for creating a decision tree to evaluate a student’s needs, assessing college disability services, prioritizing factors in achieving a good fit, and determining whether a multistep transition plan is necessary. Each topic will include interactive exercises and provide tools to use with clients. For the novice practitioner, the presentations will provide practical strategies and provoke consideration of the need for additional education. For experienced practitioners, the presentations will prompt new ways of seeing the landscape of learning disabilities. Key Highlights Evaluating Student Needs, Larry Blumenstyk An IEC must look at many factors and spend time getting to know the student in order to figure out what is needed for this particular student to succeed on college. They may need something as simple as audio books or as complex as a multifaceted services plan. Prioritizing Fit Factors, Joan Witton The IEC must evaluate IEPs, 504s, School Plans, and all assessments, and interview the student, parents and maybe others in order to achieve: Clarity (on what fit factors are needed for a good fit)); Consensus (everyone, especially the IEC, the student and parents should agree); Contract (unofficial agreement on finding campuses) Evaluating Learning Support Services, Lauren Gaylord Once you know what your student needs, what next? Compliance (services) vs. Comprehensive (structured programs) Use website, visits, and phone calls to determine what services a college offers, how they are coordinated on campus, and how the procedure to access accommodations works. Is a Multi-Step Transition Plan Necessary, Kyle Kane What if the student is not ready for prime time? A soft on-ramp to college may be needed and there are several options as the student grows and matures - PG Year, Community College, Independent Support System, LD Specific college, College with Developmental Programs, 4-year college with comprehensive programs, “Big Hug” colleges, GAP year.

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SESSION 101 Supporting Women in STEM: Following The Trail Blazed by Hopper, Johnson, Villa-Komaroff, and Millions of Women Presenters

• Smita Bakshi, zyBooks • Kate Biberdorf, University of Texas • Molly Gully, Vick Center for Strategic Advising and Career Counseling • Bob Carlton, IECA Associate

Overview In the United States, women earn only about 35% of the undergraduate degrees in STEM, a number that has remained unchanged for the past decade even though women account for almost 60% of college graduates. As IECs, we have the opportunity to help support young women as they consider academic programs and colleges that match their interest in STEM professions. Key Highlights Female HS students are significantly less likely than males to pursue a college major or career in STEM (15% vs. 44%). Male students are more likely to take engineering (3% vs. 1%) and CS courses (7% vs. 4%) Top ways to build interest with K-12 female students: greater encouragement from teachers, more STEM classes, and more female role models. Kate Biberdorf, PHD, UT Chemistry Dept. had a high school female mentor. She mentors by making chemistry “fun”. Smita took a HS CS track and majored in Computer engineering in college – went on to get a PHD in Computer Science, and MBA from Harvard. CEO of zyBooks. 47% of her employees are women. 51% have STEM degrees. 50% women on leadership team. 3 of our colleagues highlight how they support women in STEM: Margaret: Engineering Next – “Help them identify summer programs or extracurricular programs that are both technical and collaborative/team based (robotics in teams, coding in groups) so that they experience the camaraderie they enjoy while still exploring hands-on, project-based experiences”. Susan: AdmissionSmarts – “ALL of my Pro Bono work – 10% of my practice - is now allocated to female STEM students. I am also active in several initiatives in Washington DC that lobby for funding and mentorships for women in STEM including https://www.millionwomenmentors.com/” Ann: Ann Rossbach Consulting – “We consider the following in our research and discussions: examine the faculty – how many women are represented – show how many of the female faculty are involved in mentoring female students (you might have to dig for this)”.

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SESSION 103 How Much Essay Help Is Too Much? Practical Tools for Providing Ethical, Educational Feedback Presenters

• Brad Schiller, Prompt • Ethan Sawyer, IECA Associate

Overview You will be guided through an interactive workshop to answer two critical questions: 1) When are my values truly aligned with my behavior when it comes to helping students with their essays, and when are they not? 2) How can I ensure the feedback I provide is both ethical and educational? You’ll develop greater awareness of your habitual impulses and discover practical tools for offering actionable, educational feedback that helps your students become better writers, leading them to success in college and beyond. Warning: this session may provoke feelings of ambivalence, vulnerability, discomfort, affirmation, and empowerment. Key Highlights The purpose of providing feedback is to help a student become a better writer. Most of the session audience self-reported they felt comfortable giving students guidance on what to write about, suggesting some line edits in drafts, and suggesting examples of sentence ideas for a student’s reference, and giving grammar and proofreading corrections. 3 most effective ways to improve writing:

• Guidance and Instruction on content and structure • Actionable, instructional feedback • Revising based on actionable, instructional feedback

5 great questions to ask for revision: 1. What did I learn about the student? 2. Is it compelling? 3. What didn’t I learn that I wanted to learn? 4. Is it well structured? (was I confused at any point?) 5. What are the next steps to improve it

Ethan finds that if the student is writing about a common topic, helping the student make an uncommon connection helps it be more compelling. For example, we read a sample essay about how marching band helped a student learn leadership skills (common). But what if the student can make a more uncommon connection to what he learned from marching band, such as creating better boundaries.

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SESSION 104 I’m a New IEC and Very Overwhelmed—Where Can I Go? Presenters

• Brooke Daly, IECA Associate • Mark Cruver, IECA

Overview Many new IECs face challenges considerably different than their veteran colleagues. From wondering how much to charge their first client to finding the confidence to make the right decisions. New IECs often struggle with their first steps with little support and beginning their solo practice with few places to turn for answers and ideas. It doesn’t have to be this way—walk away with resources and practical steps to begin a business practice with direction. Hear from other IECs who have recently walked in your shoes and learn from their journey. Key Highlights In this session for newer IEC’s, attendees learned from the journey of two experienced IEC’s some of the biggest challenges facing IEC’s today and the steps to take to ensure successful growth. Key Highlights • Money/Income

o IEC’s tend to wrestle with funding and financial stability, so plan accordingly! • Marketing Plan

o Builds community awareness. o Does not require a lot of money — best use of time!

• Me vs. More o It can be quiet and lonely in the profession. o Build relationships with others/groups/colleagues.

• Managing Vast Amounts of Information o Get organized! o Practice time management

• Steps to Growth o One step at a time! o What next step makes sense to you? o Build that step! o Keep the landing in view!

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SESSION 106 Talent and Passion: The Value of Music Performance in College Admissions Presenters

• Geoffrey Scott, Rice University • Kelly Ibarra, University of Houston • Sarah Borshard, University of Texas • David Best, IECA Associate

Overview How can we help orchestrate talented musicians to their best fit music program? What career paths and graduate school programs are open to students with a music performance degree? Today, it is very important for IECs to better understand why some students are passionate about music and why their families should not worry their child is destined to being a “starving artist.” Key Highlights • Choice of program is key: Working with a great professor can be life-changing for a

musician and should be one of the student’s primary concerns. • Experience the program: Students should attempt not only to visit the university and

the School of Music, but also to arrange a sample lesson when possible with the professor with whom they hope to work. Attend a studio class to observe how that professor works with students. Visit the professor at a Summer Festival.

• Pre-screening process: examples: Rice - pre-screens all and requires in-person audition. U of Houston - pre-screens only voice (2 songs: English & Foreign Language), requires auditions for those who pass;

• Auditions: can range from 10 minutes to 45, depending on the professor; in person are preferred even if videos are accepted. Not all programs accept videos. Some programs have day-long audition visit days.

• Decisions: Graduate programs have more autonomy than undergraduate programs which must coordinate and collaborate with Admissions Office. Being accepted by the Music program does not always mean being accepted by the university.

• Affordability: Houston - can get in-state tuition if awarded a $1,000 scholarship. Morse has own endowment and can offer stackable scholarships; UT Austin - 40% receive the tuition waiver, students automatically considered for stackable merit scholarships by Butler after auditions, recs come from primary professor; Rice – primarily need-based FA

• Outcomes: Students go on to graduate programs, some might enter directly into work with Orchestral Symphonies; Some Rice students work as substitute musicians for the Houston Symphony; Music Education graduates from both UT Austin and U of Houston have 99-100% job placement rate.

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SESSION 107 Remote Control: Best Practices for Running Your Remote Business Presenters

• Whitney Longworth and Drew Heilpern, Summit Educational Group • Don McMillan, IECA • Stephanie Klein Wassink, IECA

Overview As clients start to come out of the woodwork from other parts of the country and abroad, how do you keep up? This session will focus on best practices in working with students and families remotely—both domestically and globally. The panel will feature seasoned IECs with expertise in working with international students, students in other parts of the US, and navigating the college admissions process with students who are away at boarding school. We will also explore marketing your business abroad, using different apps and tools, online test prep, and overcoming the obstacles that come without in-person interaction. Key Highlights

• The International student market is expanding and growing rapidly. • The technology for remote working relationships is getting better, less expensive,

and simpler for all to use almost by the month. o Almost everyone gave a resounding Thumbs Up to Zoom. (You can record

your Zoom sessions.) Google Hangouts, (not very professional) o Cisco Webex, What’s App, (free) and Go To Meeting also got good

reviews. o FaceTime can’t share screen. Google doesn’t work in China; We Chat

works in China-can take multiple participants. • Your agreement and turn-around times must be crystal clear—use your time zone

AND their time zone. • In many other countries they’re not even aware of what the term Liberal Arts

mean. • Activities not emphasized; students go to Test Cram Schools straight after school. • When working with International students, differing social norms, expectations,

and cultural cues are already a concern; • Be very clear about the method of payment before you get started; international

transactions can be especially complicated. • REALLY get to know the country whose students you’re working with; read their

newspapers; learn the culture. • Make clear how you want the meeting to go (Sit at your desk; don’t sit in bed

while we’re talking, please, etc.)

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SESSION 108 Money Matters from the Admissions World Presenters

• Sara Brookshire, Brandeis University • Charlie Leizear, Occidental College

Overview Curious to learn how merit and scholarship aid is being used as a recruitment tool for admissions offices? This session, intended for beginners, will explore all things fiduciary in the admissions process. Come refresh your understanding of the terminology: need aware vs. need blind, meeting demonstrated need vs. gapping, net tuition revenue, discount rates, and the biggest conundrum currently facing the profession - the ability to pay vs. the willingness to pay for families. Key Highlights

• Meeting Full need: Whatever the gap is between COA and EFC- that’s the gap that colleges promise to full.

• 60-75 schools in the US will meet full need • Gapping: Loans needed to make it work. • Discount Rate: Ratio of total institutional grant aid relative to gross tuition

revenues. • Discount Rate trends 48.6%. Pay back nearly half of every dollar charged in

tuition and fees back into scholarships and grants for freshman. • All undergrads: 42.5%: 48.6% for first years. • Drew University reduced the Cost of attendance, changing the discount rate. • WICHE- tracks all the data • 10% of Brandeis’s applicants are test optional. Vast majority apply with testing. • Harder to get merit scholarships for low financial need kids applying test optional

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SESSION 109 What is This Thing-a-ma-jiggy? Presenters

• Curt Lewellen, The Fessenden School • Michael Mino, STEM 21 • Sara Shifrin, Gould Academy • Allison Matlack, IECA

Overview Some of the most dazzling spaces on school campuses are the Innovation and Design Centers. Laser-cutters, 3D printers, and an array of materials fill these bright, open spaces, but what are those tools and how are they used? A panel of directors of innovation labs and the founder of STEM 21 will show what these tools are, explain how they work, and describe how teachers across disciplines are integrating these resources into their curricula to deliver a deeper, more connected, and more meaningful learning experience for their students. In the end, participants will have a better understanding of both the tools and teaching strategies that make these spaces hum with the sound of student ingenuity. Key Highlights

• Innovation Center, Maker Space, and Fab Lab are all names for virtually the same thing: A space where students are encouraged to make, design, and develop.

• These spaces can be created with very little money. Some schools just have a cart that they push from class to class. Other schools will spend millions.

• The design of the space should be flexible to accommodate a variety of different types of projects and evolving demands over time.

• Innovation Centers can “level the playing field” in several (sometimes surprising) ways.

• Girls tend to excel, especially when it comes to design, often out-performing their male counterparts.

• Quieter, shyer students can take on leadership roles • Students with learning differences can be the best performers in the class

• The innovation center director doesn’t necessarily need to be a math or science teacher - it just needs to be someone who is ready to learn, try new things, and be open to new possibilities.

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SESSION 201 Unpacking Demonstrated Interest in the Admissions Process Presenters

• Julia Pitassy, Trinity College • Arun Ponnusamy, Collegewise

Overview Holistic admissions in US college admission is sometimes neat and tidy. Mostly, it isn’t. In this session, we’ll explore the role that the sometimes mystical concept of “demonstrated interest” plays in the admission process, both from the perspective of the IEC and that of the admissions office. We’ll also consider how to best discuss this topic with your students and their parents and we’ll examine the schools that care—and don’t —about this factor in terms of admitting students. Key Highlights

• As colleges get more obsessed with Yield, there is now more attention on Demonstrated Interest. When you spend more money to demonstrate interest e.g. you show up, the yield is higher. ED is a sign of demonstrated interest.

• NACAC admissions test survey 2016 o American Early 84.7% acceptance, Regular: 23% o St. Johns, 82.6% vs. 24.1% o Northwestern: ED 1061 admitted for 3022 (35%) - RD is 8.5%. 2690 Admits from

32077 applications • Trinity filled 55% of class via ED; NESCAC schools: 50% to 55% in ED Rounds • A great supplemental essay can be a determinant in the admissions policy- and a way to

show evidence that you understand the institutions. • Full pay kids have a huge advantage in Wait lists. • Easier to give a call a full pay kid- than to call the financial aid office and try to find

money for a kid who needs money. • Or the kid who’s sent a letter saying that if you give me an offer of acceptance, I will

accept it. Makes it easier to make that call from the admissions office- when they need to find another 40-50 students to make the class work.

• Tracking Demonstrated interest. Embed links on website- and see where, how long, where they are accessing it from, log phone calls, text messages, every touch point can be tracked and factored in.

• Scoring DI: • High: Exceptional Contact with the College: Each one counts: Interview, on campus or

alum, overnight visit, participation in multicultural recruitment event, connection with faculty.

• Medium: Traditional level of engagement: Each one: campus tour, info session, high school visit, college fair.

• Low: Minimal contact despite available opportunities- context matters.

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SESSION 202 Are They Ready? Success Strategies in Autism Asperger Transition Programs. Working Early with Parents, Students, and Educators to Provide Support. Presenters

• Sharona Sommer, College Internship Program • Carmen Tercilla, IECA

Overview For many individuals on the autism spectrum and/or with learning differences, navigating the world after high school can be very daunting. In this interactive workshop, IECs will develop a deeper understanding of the key soft skills necessary for your student’s success; self-advocacy, social skills, and executive functioning that can impact a young adult's future success in careers and academics. Presenters will discuss how to avoid invisible but obvious pitfalls. Specific strategies and creative approaches will be taught in an interactive manner providing the practical tools and skills necessary to support individuals with ASD/LD to excel in their desired academic field of choice. Key Highlights • Established that College Readiness was a combination of factors which included

academic ability, social/emotional maturity, and independent living skills and they all need to be developed to ensure success. Going away to college requires more than academic ability.

• Anxiety is becoming increasingly present in our students and we need to be able to support and teach students to build the skills they need to cope. Work with students in preparing for the unexpected.

• Important to communicate to students that the reality of college is not perfect. 71% of new college students assumed college instructors would get to know them personally. But, many college instructors teach part-time or are adjunct professors so students have to work harder at getting to know instructors.

• Self-Awareness requires the student or parent to be realistic about readiness. We have to work to help them see the benefit of other options such as work & internships; gap year/transition programs; art, theater or programs with a focus on creativity; community college or 2-year college; certificate or trade programs.

• Questions to Ask the Student to assess and advance readiness: o Do you consider yourself an independent learner? o Do you have a system for taking class notes? o Do you know how to read for college? o What is your study strategy for an exam on 8 weeks of lectures and 22 chapters of

textbook reading? What if you multiply that by 5 classes and include several papers?

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SESSION 203 Mastering the Supplemental Sections: ZeeMee, Essays, and More! Presenters

• Will Powell, ZeeMee • Nina Berler, IECA

Overview For college applicants, having a great traditional application (personal statement, grades, and test scores) simply isn't cutting it anymore. That's why so many students are focusing more on the supplemental parts of their applications: social media, essays, and other creative outlets. This session will provide an overview, case studies, and examples of application supplements, including essays, social media, and tools like ZeeMee. We will share how accepted students wrote in an authentic voice and used supplements effectively to show a college the person behind the application. In addition, we will provide insight from admissions officers to help you understand what makes a successful applicant. Key Highlights Traditional Approach:

• Our Gen Z students test to procrastinate and expect immediate results. If left on their own in the college process, they may

o Sweat the Com App personal essay o Leave supplemental questions until the last minute o Use the same supplemental essays for different colleges o Maybe not even complete the optional essays –nothing is optional!! o Barely submit by the deadline

IEC Approach:

• Regarding essays, the major tasks of the IEC include: o Making sure the personal statement is complete o Reinforcing the importance of supplemental questions o Checking to be sure that the supplements are college-specific o Keeping everything on schedule

New IEC Approach: The IEC needs to explain to the student that the applications come to life using:

• A unique Personal Essay • Highly customized supplemental essays • Proactive social media (e.g. following colleges etc.) • A ZeeMee link

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SESSION 205 Not Just Pre-Med: Pathways to Canadian & American Medical Schools Presenters

• Laura Thompson, The University of British Columbia Overview Students don’t know what they don’t know about pathway programs into medical school, so they often default to “pre-med.” Once they arrive at college and start exploring, they begin to discover other possibilities. What if we can start identifying those pathways before they enroll? Might their college choices be different? Might their high school classes be different? Might they consider alternative medical-related fields of study? This presentation explores academic and extracurricular options for students looking to eventually apply to a Canadian or American medical school. Key Highlights Unbeknownst to many students and parents, American and Canadian universities offer almost limitless paths for students who eventually hope to pursue medicine.

• Students and parents sometimes don’t even know what they don’t know about pathway programs into medical school.

• So they often default to deciding they will major in the (mostly) nonexistent major of “pre-med.” This term actually means little to nothing.

• Once students arrive at college and start bumping up against the challenging academic road ahead, they often give up their goal completely.

This doesn’t have to happen, necessarily, with a little more awareness and guidance. • What we IECs can do to smooth these bumps is to start identifying those various

pathways before students even enroll. • For instance, might their choices of some high school classes be different? An

example is: Follow your passions and talents as opposed to grinding through yet another AP Sci class that doesn’t truly interest the student.

• In evaluating a medical education, the student should have experiences that confirm they’re really interested in a medical career: volunteering and joining clubs and organizations reflect interest in the Health fields and in helping others.

• Before the student heads to college help her become aware of, and consider, alternative medical-related fields of study within the broader Health Services field. A few examples of these include: Nutrition Sciences, Certified Physician’s Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, Doctor of Optometry, Podiatry, and Health Advocacy Health Law.

• As undergrads, students can and should consider studying something outside of the narrow Bio/Chem paths.

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SESSION 206 The Gap Year Advantage Today: Students, IECs & Gap Experts Tell All Presenters

• Ethan Knight, Gap Year Association • Alia Pialtos, USA Gap Year Fairs • George Levesque, EF Gap Year

Overview Do you have students that might not be prepared to face four years of academic responsibility in order to succeed at university? Do you have high performing students that want to see more of the world before they dive into their rigorous academic future? Gap years are not for just one type of student—they can be beneficial for all different types of learners. Come hear different perspectives on taking a gap year and how IECs have worked with families to find the right program for their student. Gap alumni and their parents will explain how they benefitted from taking gap time, what they found the most challenging, and how it changed their path in life. Please come with questions for gap alumni and their parents! Key Highlights

• “College is far too expensive to figure out your future while you’re there” • A Gap Year is semester or year “on” (not “off”) between HS and colleges in order

to deepen one’s personal, practical, and professional awareness. • 90% of gappers attend college the very next year. No need to worry about them

being complacent. • Five classifications: Volunteer/Service learning, Career/internship, Work,

Exploration time, Life skills • Ideal students for gap year:

• Top students with a plan (deferred) • Top students with safety school acceptance • Academic challenges (lack of direction) • Require maturity before college • Curious students

• Gap students perform better in college. More leadership roles. More socially responsible. More satisfied on their jobs. Skills learned in a gap year:

• Hard skills: Language, service, business experience, team building • Soft skills: Cross cultural awareness, self-awareness, maturity, self-

confidence, self-reliance • You do NOT have to go international to do Gap Year. • 20-25% of UK students take gap year, as do 50% in Scandinavia and a majority of

Australians. And 1% in U.S.

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SESSION 301 International Admission in 2018 Presenters

• Charlie Leizear, Occidental College • Sara Brookshire, Brandeis University

Overview With dramatic increases in applications from international students over the past decade, how are highly selective US colleges and universities choosing among talented international applicants? Learn about current trends in international enrollment, the use (and mis-use!) of standardized tests, language exams for international students, and how third-party interviews can give students an edge in the admission process. We will also discuss how international students can pursue financial assistance and how seeking international aid can change the admission process at many institutions. Key Highlights 1. The current Landscape: The sharp increase over the last decade of international

students studying in the US continues to have an effect with a 3.4% increase in 2017 over 2016. NEW enrollment however is down by 3.3%, hidden by the growth in continuing students (those that are here are staying).

2. China represents 33% of international students and India 17%. Most international

students are on an F-1 Visa (students who stay through graduation, primarily China) or a J-1 Visa (exchange student programs, primarily Europe). Though most attend private or religious schools, public schools are beginning to allow F-1 visas as well.

3. Testing: The speaking sub-score of TOEFL or IELTS is viewed as most important.

Language test waivers vary and colleges are moving away from providing a SAT/ACT threshold waiver (due to fraud). When a student asks for a waiver, it raises questions as to why the student doesn't want to share TOFEL scores. At Brandeis the average TOEFL score is a 110; Occidental is a 107-108. An average TOEFL score of 80 won't cut it.

4. Interviews: Two major 3rd party interview services: InitialView (primarily colleges)

and Vericant (primarily schools). InitialView is free to colleges and they are beginning to provide colleges with data from their interviews, such as overlap schools for students who are applying to their school from a certain region. InitialView is seen to provide a feel for the student’s true language capability and allows a personal dimension.

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SESSION 303 When the Interview Counts: Preparing Students to Succeed Presenters

• Mark Efinger, Interview Skill Coaching Academy • Peter Gilbert, Salisbury School • Amy Markham, Mt. Holyoke College

Overview An experienced IECA member will lead the panel reflecting on the role of an IEC preparing students for interviews. Attendees will hear from a college dean of admission and a prep school admissions director on how their institutions use interviews in this changing landscape to differentiate candidates: what candidates can expect to encounter, criteria used to evaluate candidates, and the do’s and don’ts for successful preparation. An interview coach will provide strategies to help students select stories representing relevant achievements with worksheets that IECs can employ to support an authentic interview presentation. Key Highlights The purpose of interviews: An opportunity for an institution to learn an authentic piece of information about the student, and a way for students to provide some color to their profile.

• Is an interview required or recommended? • There are many ways to interview:

o On campus with admission officer or senior intern o Alumni interview – online or in person o Third party – Vericant, InitialView, etc. – Amy finds these very useful

• How do we use these interviews? o Very few interviews are tipping point experiences because students often

present the same way as their file o Interviews can be influential when things do not align

• What do we want from students? o Students should be able to articulate and discuss topics – we are looking

for students who are going to engage in our communities o Students need to come in with some good questions that show an

understanding of why they are looking at the institution – it would be better to have a question about fit than a specific program

“Tell me a little about yourself,” and, “Why do you want to go here?” are really the same question. If a student doesn’t understand this and can’t answer to it, they won’t do well.

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SESSION 309 Managing a Full Senior Caseload (Without Losing Your Mind) Presenters

• Allison Lopour, IECA Associate Overview Even in a perfect world, application season is stressful. When you throw in last-minute essays edits, college lists that won’t stay “final,” and students who treat appointment times like suggestions, all while juggling a full caseload of seniors—it’s enough to drive even the most patient IECs crazy. This session will provide tips, tricks, and best practices to help your students move through a thoughtful application process without sacrificing the quality of your work (or your life!). We’ll tackle practical tools and actions that will help you make your families happier and, in turn, grow your business. Key Highlights

• Be Strategic to save time: o Systemize everything so you only do it once. o Use templates o Create a spreadsheet to track student’s progress at a glance.

• Don’t Overschedule; Can create stress • Get Creative; Do workshops when possible • Use Calendar as a Cheat Sheet:

o Put all Summer plans, test dates, future meetings on calendar o When sending appointment reminder to students, write what topics you

plan to cover • Give Students Deadlines:

o Important to stick to them. Give one warning. o Make sure that each meeting counts. If students do not have homework

done in advance, reschedule. • Make sure to get a verbal sign off or email from parents on the college list. • After applications are submitted, let the students know that they are now in

charge of follow up. • Compliment the students throughout this process!!

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SESSION 402 Get A Life! How to Navigate Work-Life Balance Presenters

• Charlie O'Hearn, Summit Educational Group • Allison Matlack, IECA • Mark Sklarow, IECA CEO

Overview If the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is check your email, this is the panel for you! Working nontraditional hours and having clients with their own work-life balance challenges can lead to a slippery slope when it comes to your own personal time. Feeling like you are on call 24/7 can lead to serious burnout but learning to say no can be difficult. Join our panelists to discuss how they have found ways to navigate work-life balance and combat stress through organization, setting boundaries, and mindfulness. This conversation will help attendees find ways to balance personal time without sacrificing at the expense of their businesses. Key Highlights If you allow your practice to grow based on client wants and desires, you suffer a loss of all things that are NOT WORK. Instead decide how you want your practice to be structured and how you want your personal life structured. The rest of the time, say you’re not available.

• Set boundaries—be clear from and reasonable, state work hours, define scope of your work, be flexible like a palm tree, make time to eat and sleep

• Control your schedule – set time to end your day and end it, schedule time to do nonclient work during work hours, prioritize

• Schedule in fun – Play hooky! You're going to work long hours • How do wheels come off the bus?

o Letting email drive the agenda, o Answering the phone when you don't have time to talk, o Doing things that aren't personally fulfilling, o Putting off what most needs to be done

Leave something at on your desk end of day, to start the next day.

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SESSION 405 The Other Side of the Desk: Application Review in the Digital Age Presenters

• Mary Chobanian Aguirre, Dickinson College • Elisabeth Morgan, IECA

Overview For many applicants (not to mention counselors, parents, and IECs), the application review process can seem like a black box. As college admission committees are increasingly moving to committee-based evaluation and seem to be looking for non-traditional predictors of college success, things are certainly changing. In this session we will walk several applications through the review process, getting an inside look at the other side of the desk. For fans of Schoolhouse Rock, think "I'm Just a Bill." Key Highlights How do you present yourself in light of the new digital age:

• Traditionally applications went to Reader 1 then Reader 2 then moved onto the Committee. This process worked well with limited volume, and passing a file allowed for more conversations.

• Technology caused a revolution with CBE (Committee Based Evaluation): • The Bad - greater volume of application, efficiency, isolation of admission

staff, personal bias affecting decisions. • The Good - reevaluation of the quality of the read, bias is kept in check, better

work/ life balance, more data to make informed decisions. Take into account students voice. Increased communication; you cannot read an application without someone else.

• Committee-Based Evaluation: “Driver” reads transcript, school profile and historical data, letters of recommendation, test scores. “Passenger” reads activities list, essay, additional information, supplemental material, demonstrated interest.

• Non- Traditional Predictors of Success: Grit, Empathy, Creativity and Innovations, Comfort in a minority of One, Risk-Taking. These will help you stand out.

• Data is used all the time - to get informed, to shape a class, yield, enrollment. Data informs every decision. Colleges know the high schools that yield. Constant partnership with institutional research with data analysis now taking place in the office. Director of institutional research exists in many admission offices.

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SESSION 407 True Insight: Using UC and UT Essays for College Readiness, Admissions, and Success Presenters

• Rebecca Joseph, IECA • Elizabeth Stone, IECA • Catherine Marrs, IECA

Overview In the past two years, the University of California and University of Texas-Austin have introduced new essay prompts that include shorter, more focused prompts. This session will propose ways to use the prompts for college readiness not just admissions. The prompts truly help students think about how to shape their high school years to develop authentic academic, extracurricular, and service passions. We will suggest ways to integrate prompts into our practices and how to help students write the most specific, effective responses. We will show sample essays and evolving resumes. Key Highlights In the past two years, the University of California and the University of Texas-Austin have introduced new essay prompts that include shorter, more focused prompts. This session focused on a number of ways to use these prompts far beyond the admissions essays. Use the revised eight UC prompts and five UT prompts as critical tools for college readiness, not just for admission essays. IECs can use these prompts to learn about their students’ experiences, backgrounds, goals and interests. Perhaps much more importantly, the prompts have proven invaluable in helping with their students’ journey of self-reflection. This is true whether or not the student is applying to either of the two state university systems. By delving deep into the questions posed in the prompts, students are more likely to develop authentic, unique, and effective responses in their college essays, activity lists, resumes, interviews, supplemental and Common App Personal Statements. For example, UT Prompt #1 asks: What is your dream job? This helps students identify their interests via their favorite classes. It can provide students with a preliminary academic focus. UT Prompt #2 asks: Do you believe your academic record accurately represents you as a student? Discussing this at length can help students reflect on their academic strengths and weaknesses, putting standardized test scores into context. It also may help students address-and put into perspective-a challenge they faced in high school. One question asks students to reflect on a meaningful experience in their lives. The IEC can use this to ask students to bring objects that have meaning, that show their interests, and describe, from start to finish, a day trip or mini-experience that might lead to something meaningful, concrete, and very focused to write about.

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SESSION 409 Decisions, Decisions: Insight into the 2018 Admissions Cycle Presenters

• Katie Frink; Rhodes College • Radia Alouache; Loyola Marymount University • Alex Muñoz, SMU • Julia Pitassy, Trinity College • Charlie Leizear, Occidental College • Lisa Carlton, IECA • Ann Rossbach, IECA

Overview As in the past, many factors were at play in the 2018 admissions cycle. This year was marked by an increase in applications, shifting institutional needs, changes to application plans among colleges and universities, demographic changes in the applicant pool, a broader use of competing applications, new decision-making processes within some admissions teams, and increased competition among “elite” colleges. Seeking insight into this year’s admissions cycle, we have invited a panel of admissions professionals to relay their colleges’ experiences, strategies, and outcomes. Key Highlights

• Demonstrated interest matters more and more • Admissions staff can spot authenticity, and when students are saying what they

think we want to hear. It’s refreshing when they sound like kids • "more concerned with yield" • 10-15 years ago schools were only regional, now admissions teams work all

around the world, geography attracting students from everywhere • When fighting for a student, need to ask, "how are you going to yield them?" If

we’ve met them, more likely going to fight for them • ED- look at 3 factors, social, academic and financial fit, submit FAFSA and CSS at

same time • The more reflective a student can be in the process, the easier it will be for

admissions to understand "who do you want to grow into"

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SESSION 501 Featured Breakout: The Myth of Multitasking: Increase Your Value With the Power of Hidden Time! Presenters

• Dave Crenshaw, Author of The Myth of Multitasking Overview This workshop will take a closer look and share tips on how to take control of technology, including email and smartphones; how to reduce and respond to workplace interruptions; how to focus on your most valuable activities; how to budget your time and lower your stress; and how to grow your career and still have time for family and friends. Key Highlights How doing it all gets nothing done. Minimize task switching, which involves interruptions and recovery time. You lose 28% efficiency through task switching: 40 hours a month. Switchbuster: Focus on the human being in front of you. Put the switches away. Don’t switch on a person- you’re damaging the relationship. Focus on people, give them the attention they deserve. Task switching costs: Time Lost. Quality Lost. Stress UP. Force yourself to set work boundaries. If you let yourself work till 11, you often will. Use boundaries to focus. Set time in the week, the one-on-one huddle, to answer quick questions. Huddles can really increase productivity, minimize the quick questions. Ask the question- Can this wait until our huddle? If it can, let’s do it. Shift from the Now to When. Leave a cushion-underspend your time. 50-minute meeting, not 1 hour. 10 minutes allows you a break. Time in case the meeting runs over. Under-spend time. Silence technology- turn it off. Silent, not vibrate. Manage the expectation of the person who is calling. Set an expectation that’s reasonable. Under promise and over deliver. Gathering Points- a pile of papers on the desk, the kitchen counter, computer desktop screen, text messages, scraps of paper, the email inbox: where things get backed up. How many gathering points do you have? The average person has about 30-40 gathering points. The target is 6 or less. Approved gathering points: one Email Inbox, One notepad, One Voicemail, one portable Inbox. The fewer gathering points, the less switching.

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SESSION 503 Can't Pay vs. Won't Pay: Dealing with Difficult Financial Aid Situations Presenters

• Maureen Chang, IECA Associate • Carol Doherty, IECA

Overview What do you do when parents’ misperceptions about—or outright refusal to discuss—who’s responsible for college costs thwart your best intentions as an IEC? How do you handle the non-custodial parent who refuses to complete the CSS Profile or the stepparent who won’t divulge assets on the FAFSA? How do you get hostile parties to cooperate with each other for the benefit of their children? Learn how to discuss difficult affordability issues prior to creating college lists; debunk common merit scholarship and other financial aid related myths; provide up-to-date information on how colleges evaluate family finances; and discover concrete strategies for addressing the “won’t pay” mentality. Key Highlights

• We need to make it a habit to ask our families: How much are you willing to pay for your child’s college education?

• Unwillingness to pay is not the same as inability to pay. Find ways to finance it for them. Share the IECA roadmap. Ask families to use Net Price Calculator.

• Definition of “parent” on FAFSA may differ. • Unmarried: The parent with whom the student lived the most during the

last 12 months is considered “custodial parents.” • Unmarried but living together: Both parents • Married living together (including LGBT): Both parents

• Parent on CSS Profile (if required) may also defined differently. • Myth of Merit Aid

• Ivies, Stanford, etc. do NOT give merit aid. Only NEED. Or athletic depending on sports

• Some schools require separate applications for some merit aid. • Athletic scholarships are even tougher than academic ones. Even if you

earned one, it might go away if you stop playing, get hurt, etc • “Outside” scholarships, $200-$20,000 etc., may have some work involved.

You have to be careful. College may retract its merit offer to you if you show outside scholarships earned.

• You have to look for merit aid per department after you’re enrolled. Check 2x per year and apply to your dept scholarships.

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SESSION 505 Information at Your Fingertips: Using Data to Build Smarter College Lists Presenters

• Jennie Kent, IECA • Jeff Levy, IECA

Overview You need to be more of a data nerd but you’re just not sure where to hunt for the stats? And once you find them, not a clue how to sort them to quickly find the info you need? Then this session is for you. Using simple case studies, we will introduce you to our three free resources—ED and RD Admit Rates, Domestic Financial Aid, and Financial Aid for International Students. You will learn how to quickly uncover the important data in these spreadsheets, how to sort them for any metric you want to evaluate, and how to build smarter, faster college lists. Data doesn’t tell us everything, but who doesn’t want to be the most knowledgeable person in the room? Key Highlights Early Decision versus Regular Decision Who Shouldn’t Apply Early Decision?

• Students who need to compare financial aid offers before committing • Students who will benefit from an additional semester of strong grades • Students who are not sure where they most want to attend • Students who will not be able to complete a strong application by mid-October

Who Should Consider Applying Early Decision?

• Students who are sure about where they most want to attend and are ready to submit a great application by early fall

• Students with legacy at the school they most want to attend • Athletes who are clear about their first choice

Financial Aid for Domestic Applicants Our mantra - The colleges we suggest should be strong academic and social matches for the student as well as smart financial options for their parents. Rules of thumb for families looking for aid:

• For families with moderate to substantial demonstrated need, find colleges that meet close to 100% of need.

• For families with little or no demonstrated need, find colleges that are generous with merit aid. Try to understand your family’s financial profile early in the process to be able to generate a sensible college list

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SESSION 507 Growing Your Business Sustainably While Improving the Student Experience Presenters

• Rohan Pasari, Cialfo College Guidance Platform • Beth Dennard, Bright Futures Consulting, LLC

Overview More and more IECs are choosing to work in teams. The share of IECA members in multi-person consultancies has risen from below 20% in 2014 to 51% today, and this move toward scale is opening up new frontiers for the entire industry. Larger counseling groups can impact more students, keep more of their profits, and attract investors. Whether you’re making a first hire, growing your team, or seeking investors, we will discuss how you can grow your business while maintaining your service quality and student-centeredness that drives your business. We'll also address how to create a culture that attracts top talent for any size business and how to use technology to manage that growth. Key Highlights

• There is no single way to grow your practice. The next logical step will be different to different people: from moving downstream (working with younger students); to adding new business lines (e.g. expanding from undergrad only to grad, or international admissions consulting); to hiring a team or accepting students from more locations.

• The right path forward will come from a mix of understanding (a) the CURRENT PHASE of your business, (b) how you WANT to grow, (c) how FEASIBLE each avenue of growth is (skills / resources available and that can be acquired vs. cost to time, money, and connections).

Phases of your business:

1.“Sponge-ing”

2.GrowingSolo

3.FirstTeam

4.Scaling

LearningtheropesFirstfewclientsNobrandequity

SeasonedIECSteadyclientbaseKnownspecialties

Teamof2-10withSpecializedRolesStrongbrand

MultipleOfficesDecentralizedMgmtIndustryleader

• How do I achieve the growth I’m interested in without sacrificing the personal

touch with my students? Classify your challenges. It is especially important to disentangle your challenges because not all movement/ action leads to progress. Differentiating between Marketing, Infrastructure, and Student Experience challenges and goals allows you to develop discrete strategies instead of growing your business by trial and error.

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SESSION 509 Lost in Translation, Found in Cultural Norms: Understanding Challenges Facing International Students Presenters

• Aihua (Jessica) Huang, IECA • Jennifer Richmond, IECA Associates • Julia Gooding, IECA Associates

Overview In this interactive session, we will explore the cultural differences that impact international student integration and success, with an emphasis on the Chinese student experience in American schools and universities. We will then dive into how these cultural differences affect student performance, beginning with the admissions process and ending in disappointingly high attrition rates. Finally, we will offer and gather insights and strategies from attendees about how IECs and school stakeholders can take an active role in bridging cultural gaps to help international students reach their full potential in the US. Key Highlights

• Cultural differences analysis based on Hofstede’s Cultural Theory on power distance, individualism and uncertainty avoidance- we all bring our own cultural norms, like fish in water, we’re unaware of them

• Review impact of cultural differences (focus on China) on work with students in 5 different areas- academics, values/upbringing, extracurriculars, social/interpersonal and admissions process

• Major differences in educational system priorities and methods, final exam=whole grade vs. holistic, learning environments- respect for canon vs. respect for creativity and innovation.

• Extra-curricular scheduling is literally extra, almost impossible later in student’s older life, hesitant to join in US, no friends in it, want to know if will help for college, shared strategies to get students involved, explicitly explain benefits

• Family values/upbringing- kids never make own decisions, rely on parents/g-parents for everything, hard to become independent, self-sufficient, strategies to promote self-advocacy, peer mentoring, communication skills

• Social/Interpersonal: The US is a nation where extroverts thrive/happiest/rewarded; collectivist cultures are the opposite, students don’t know how to talk to American peers, discuss what schools and IECs can do to help

• Admissions concepts and challenges- show medals and scores vs. growth, impact, contribution; very limited self-reflection, rankings taken as literal and objective.

• Know there’s a lot lurking beneath the surface, what might look like erratic behavior may have cultural roots/explanation, most important to develop empathy and find common ground to help students create their best self