2023 International ACAC Conference Education Sessions

What is GPT, exactly? Simply put, Generative Pre-trained Transformer is a language model that can produce text in almost any genre you can think of. It’s able to do this because it’s been trained on a massive amount of text data (we’re talking billions of sentences) so that it’s learned patterns and relationships to be able to write about basically any topic that’s on the internet.

There is no denying innovative technologies like artificial intelligence have been useful at technology companies for years. From building language course content to developing items for standardized tests, AI has been instrumental in scaling products we use on a daily basis. But how will public access to GPT influence the admission process and higher education more broadly? This session will reveal some of the risks and rewards that will enter our industry alongside a technology that is here to stay.

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Secondary (High School) & Individual
Post-Secondary (College & University)
Organization (For-Profit, Non-Profit, CBO)

The first year at university can be intense and challenging. You are (far) away from home and everything is different, especially if you are an international student. What are common challenges students face in their first year and how can we help them prepare before they join the university? Presenters will provide guidance through case studies and their personal stories.

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Secondary (High School) & Individual
Post-Secondary (College & University)
Organization (For-Profit, Non-Profit, CBO)

The growing number and diversity of options make a Chinese university education more accessible than ever, even to students who never considered an international program. Students interested in pursuing degrees in China have many options, even if they have minimal or zero Chinese language skills. In this panel we will make counselors aware of the range and qualities of undergraduate degree programs in China taught entirely in English, such as Sino-US joint ventures like Duke Kunshan University and New York University Shanghai; Sino-UK schools including Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and University of Nottingham Ningbo; and the recently established Westlake University, an international research-focused university with strong science and engineering programs. The panel will explore the qualities and characteristics of students excelling at these institutions with an eye towards helping counselors first identify, then guide globally-minded students towards the appropriate program based on fit, and ultimately increase their student’s chances of being admitted.

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Secondary (High School) & Individual
Post-Secondary (College & University)
Organization (For-Profit, Non-Profit, CBO)

Have you been thinking about whether college counseling is (or still is) the right profession for you? Are you thinking about making a big change in your life? Or maybe you've come to the realization that the status quo in your job is not sustainable? Many of us have experienced significant change and challenges in our personal and professional lives the past few years. There has always been uncertainty in the field of college admission, but in many ways, the current higher education ecosystem requires personal evolution, flexibility and maybe even a reimagining of our jobs. By joining us for this session you will most certainly hear some vulnerable and candid story-telling, but it’s our hope in offering the session that you will leave us with ideas and inspiration as you consider taking a personal or professional risk, navigate exhaustion, and embark on your own journey of re-discovering your why.

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Secondary (High School) & Individual

Despite the enormous value they bring to our campus communities, refugees and displaced students are among the most underserved when it comes to university access. Learn emerging best practices from universities who are exploring, beginning, and expanding their recruitment of refugees. Hear why doing the work to enroll refugee students is worth the effort, why more private companies should engage with this work, and how refugee students can offer invaluable perspectives in a campus community. Together, let’s pave a better way for displaced students and the universities that will gain from their immense talents and skills.

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Secondary (High School) & Individual
Post-Secondary (College & University)
Organization (For-Profit, Non-Profit, CBO)

Advocacy is at the heart of what we do. This session will go over four case studies where admissions officers and counselors used a combination of data, creativity, and grit to advocate for meaningful changes at their institutions.

Discover how counselors leveraged metrics to change a university’s policy on testing, yield, and recruitment; Duolingo English Test data to galvanize a high school’s strategy towards English proficiency; storytelling data to push for equity between international students and domestic students in regard to scholarships; and industry research from test providers, regional experts, and peer practices to update English language requirements for international admissions.

Learn how to push for progress no matter where your institution is in its evolution, and create better practices, procedures, and policies that support students seeking access to higher education.

Beginner
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Secondary (High School) & Individual
Post-Secondary (College & University)
Organization (For-Profit, Non-Profit, CBO)

This presentation will equip counselors from US-curriculum high schools with guidance and resources to better advise their students for opportunities at UK universities. Together we will explore the types of learners that thrive in selective UK universities, as well as provide an overview of admissions requirements and tips for advising students in this process. In conversation with UK admissions leaders, this session will also bring into focus differences in the way candidates are considered and evaluated in the admissions process. We will be comparing and contrasting the different opportunities in Scotland and England.

Beginner
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Secondary (High School) & Individual

Grade inflation (at the high school level) . . . What is it? Does it exist? Do we understand it correctly? Through our different lenses (schools/universities) we think it exists to varying degrees, dependent on region and/or curriculum. Do schools ‘feel’ they have to assign ever better grades to their students to give them ‘a chance’? And what about when the increase in results is politically driven? Are universities able to understand the true context of an application in terms of academic merit? Are students struggling to keep up by building themselves an ever more rigorous curriculum when possible?
We’ve all heard the term ‘grade inflation’ batted around here and there but we think it’s time for focused conversation on this topic – join us so we can start talking about it!
While ‘us’ is a diverse panel of school and university members, we consider the session attendees to be part of the panel as we would like this to be a conversation.

Intermediate
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Secondary (High School) & Individual
Post-Secondary (College & University)

One of the best ways to elevate your skills, learn new knowledge, and keep up to date with emerging trends is to tap into your local college counseling community. Here are three examples of counselor communities that have grown over the years to become robust teams that share local resources, coordinate university visits, facilitate university fairs, and even run regional conferences. These counselor communities are shining examples of how the sum can be greater than its parts. Learn how to create, launch, or develop your local counselor network by listening to leaders who have grown local counselor networks.

Beginner
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Secondary (High School) & Individual

Universities across the globe contract with commission-based recruitment agents in their work to enroll international students, but this practice varies considerably across institutions and in some countries has been controversial. Partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and partly due to shifts in the international education landscape, more universities are considering using recruitment agents than ever. Please join four university representatives from three different countries (US, Canada, and the Netherlands), with a range of experiences working with agents, as we explore how a university decides to use agents, ethical considerations, and best practices for managing these partnerships once launched.

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Post-Secondary (College & University)

In recent years school leaders have started to question the validity of a traditional secondary school transcript, and many have raised questions on if there might be a new or better way to assess student learning and competencies. From these conversations a number of new assessment models have been born, among them the Mastery Transcript, Global Citizen Diploma, and the Learner Passport. With the growth in these new assessment methodologies, however, there’s also cause for concern. Universities and schools alike are asking questions about how these might introduce additional biases into admission decisions, or the impact new and more complex transcripts may have on the resources needed in schools and universities. Join us for a balanced and candid discussion with viewpoints from both sides as we come together to help sort through the issues that have been raised with the growth of new assessment models.

Beginner
Intermediate
Experienced

Secondary (High School) & Individual
Post-Secondary (College & University)