Mission Statement:

The New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling advocates and supports ethical and professional practice in helping students transition to careers and postsecondary education.

Winter Update from the President

I would like to take this opportunity to wish a happy new year to all NJACAC members. As events in our country continue to keep us on our toes, I wish you all the strength and resilience I know you all have to get through this year with a sense of hope for the future. While we had all hoped that the end of 2020 would bring an end to all the upheaval we have experienced, I am reminded of the serenity prayer and the peace it has brought me at times. 

If you are a NACAC member, please make sure to check your email for an invitation to vote on a proposal by the NACAC board. While the vote to restructure the election of NACAC Board members seems straightforward, my advice is to learn about both sides of the vote before casting your ballot. Some opinions have been shared on the NACAC exchange and on other online platforms. At the end of the day, I believe that everyone wants a more inclusive environment at NACAC and in our profession, but there are some disparities of thought on how that can best be accomplished. Educate yourself and make your voices heard!

2020 has not been all negative and we have seen some great new things at NJACAC. Most notably I would like to shout out my executive board and committee chairs for bringing some great new programming and professional development. NJACAC Bingo, Wisdom exchanges, Coffee with the Counselors, and tons of additional great opportunities to learn and grow will be something we bring into 2021. We are excited to announce that our 2021 Conference will be virtual with conference proposals and an official save the date coming soon!

I am also pleased to announce our continued search to highlight members of our community who have stepped up this school year to enhance the field of school and college counseling as well as college admissions. While you are thinking of your award worthy colleagues, please consider nominating them for a board position at NJACAC as well. We are always in search of committee members, chairs, and other volunteers. 

NJACAC is accepting online nominations for the following awards through March 1, 2021:

• Admissions Representative of the Year

• School Counselor of the Year

• The Robert Biunno-George Lynes Award

• NJACAC Special Services Award

• Rising Professional Award

• Retiring Members Award

• Friend of NJACAC Award 

Nomination forms can be found on the NJACAC Awards page.  You can also nominate for more than one award or more than one person per award. 

Below is the link if you would like to volunteer for the 2021 NJACAC VIRTUAL College Key Program.  This year our program will be held on Saturday February 27th via Zoom.   Our format will be a mix of Zoom webinars and meetings.  Two workshops will be for all participants (webinar) and others are participant choice (breakout room). 

Volunteer opportunities include presenting workshops for students and families (specific topics are outlined in the application) and providing logistical support. Please complete the application no later than January 29th. Given the limited number of volunteers needed and our desire to have as diverse a set of speakers as possible, we may not be able to accommodate all requests for this particular event.  We will inform folks by the first week of February.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out at: collegekeynorth@njacac.org

Some upcoming events targeted at NJ students, our NJACAC Virtual Fairs are back and better than ever. Student Registration will open February 2 and will be available through the date of each respective event. Check out the specifics below:

• STEM Fair – Tuesday, February 16
• PVA Fair – Thursday, February 18
• General Fair – Tuesday, March 16

All of the fairs will run from 5pm-7:45pm (ET).

Lastly, our scholarship committee is also currently accepting applications for our spring 2021 scholarships. Please share this information with your students and colleagues!  The NJACAC  Scholarship  Committee solicits applications from students who are residents of New Jersey and are United States citizens/permanent residents, following federal guidelines. The  DEADLINE for all applications – MARCH 1, 2021. All applications are now online. 

Best wishes for continued success throughout 2021! 

Laurie Sieminski, NJACAC President

Recent Job Postings

The following shows our most current job postings offered by member institutions. To view more job postings, please visit our Jobs page.