2026 Annual Conference Breakout Sessions

See below for a selection of this year’s Annual Conference breakout sessions and workshops!

Monday, May 18th

  • 9:50AM-10:40AM

    A1: From Invisible to In-Demand: Building Brand Awareness Beyond Your Backyard (Hatteras I)

    A2: Navigating Your First Years to Find Your Voice (Hatteras II)

    A3: The Alpha's are Coming! Understanding and Working with the College-Bound Next Generation (Biscayne A)

    A4: When It's Not So Easy Breezy: Managing Disappointments, Setbacks, and Uncertainty in Your Career (Biscayne B)

    A5: Managing with Rizz (Biscayne C)

    A6: From Scripted to Spectacular: A Performance-Ready Framework For Better Admissions Storytelling (Newport)

    A7: Can AP Tests Dethrone the SAT and ACT? (Newport II)

  • 10:55AM-11:45AM

    B1: Ethical Dilemmas in College Admission - a Discussion with the Admission Practices Committee (Hatteras I)

    B2: A Collaborative High School Counselor Roundtable on College Counseling Best Practices / School Counselor Roundtable (Hatteras II)

    B3: "Selling" 101: An Admission Counselor’s Guide to “Selling” – From 1st Impressions Through Matriculation  (Biscayne A)

    B4: The Job You Wanted (and Now Have): Navigating Middle Management in Enrollment (Biscayne B)

    B5: College Athletics - The Road Ahead is Unpaved (Biscayne C)

    B6: If That's Moving Up Then I'm Moving Out... Starting fresh at a new institution and navigating change (Newport)

    B7: From Year 1 to Year 8: How to Make a Lifelong Career as a Territory Manager (Newport II)

  • 2:10PM-3:00PM

    C1: Counselor Circle: Let’s Talk - A Reflective Space for Admissions & Advising Professionals (Hatteras I)

    C2: Let’s Make a Deal: Navigating Cost, Value, and Negotiation Conversations in College Admission (Hatteras II)

    C3: Recruiting the Modern Family: Designing an Engagement Plan With Purpose (Biscayne A)

    C4: Mental Health and Admissions: From the School Counselor Perspective (Biscayne B)

    C5: Rebuilding Trust: Counseling Students Who Are Disengaged or Disillusioned (Biscayne C)

    C6: Born to Run Toward College Fairs: Cuz we’re from Jersey, baby! (Newport)

    C7: Social Justice and College Admissions (Newport II)

Tuesday, May 19th

  • 9:00AM-9:50AM

    D1: The World of International Applications  (Hatteras I)

    D2: The College Decision Playbook: How 3,500 Made Their Enrollment Decision (Hatteras II)

    D3: Across the Desk and On the Same Floor: Centering Student Needs Through Collaboration (Biscayne A)

    D4: Instant Gratification: the Pros and Cons of Hosting IDDs (Biscayne B)

    D5: The Ethical Use of AI in College Admissions (Biscayne C)

    D6: The New Era of College Essays: The Good, the Bad, and the Oversharer (Newport)


    D7: Portal Power: Leveraging Slate to Create Personalized Experiences (Newport II)

  • 12:10PM-1:00PM

    E1: Optimizing Slate for Personalized Communication: Leveraging Reader Forms to Enhance the Applicant Experience (Hatteras I)

    E2: Finding Our Footing in the Dark: Reflections on DEI in Today’s Climate (Hatteras II)

    E3: Beyond the Salary: A Framework for Evaluating and Navigating Career Offers (Biscayne A)

    E4: Staying grounded while the ground of Higher Ed shifts: staying sane while policy impacts our industry (Biscayne B)

    E5: Local Roots, Campus Futures: Community Recruitment with Intention (Biscayne C)

    E6: From Rural Roots to College Heights: A Comprehensive Approach to Student Success (Newport)