The counselors have returned triumphant! Another successful year at the NACAC National Conference (NACAC is the National Association for College Admission Counseling). This annual conference provides us with a unique opportunity to speak with counselors from different regions of the country (and the world), reconnect with colleagues from our own part of the country, participate in engaging educational sessions about the current state of college admission counseling, and explore a new city with friends and coworkers. This year the conference was held in Baltimore, MD, and we all enjoyed the dynamic, energetic setting – not to mention the crab cakes!
I attended several memorable sessions, one of which spoke to the significance of social networking amongst college-bound seniors. There was some lively discussion afterward about the way in which these sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) are most effective, and whether they should be used as a tool by the colleges and universities themselves. What do you think? If each of the counselors at DU had their own university-sanctioned Facebook page where we could hold virtual office hours and update students on current news and information within their region, would you visit those pages? We would love to hear your feedback.
We returned from our trip refreshed and ready to read the thousands of applications that are going to be crossing our desks any day now. Many of us are still in the midst of fall travel and are visiting high schools across the country, so be on the lookout for the University of Denver in your counseling or post-grad center!
Stephanie Cuddihy, Admission Counselor