NACAC Conference

NACAC hosts an Annual Conference every fall for over 6,000 college admission counseling professionals to share best practices, inspirational ideas, cutting-edge research, and professional stories. The conference includes a Counselor College Fair with hundreds of colleges, both domestic and international; an Access College Fair showcasing college access organizations; local college tours; and pre-conference seminars and workshops (for additional fees). Location changes every year.

PNACAC Scholarships to Attend the NACAC Conference

PNACAC typically offers two $2,000 scholarships to support high school counselors' attendance.

Deadline to apply is typically late April.
Applicants are typically notified of scholarship decisions no later than late May.

Who can apply for this scholarship? Priority is given to:

Public high school counselors
First-time attendees
PNACAC and NACAC members
Disadvantaged school districts

The scholarship covers up to $2,000 for:

Registration fee (register no later than July 1)
Travel expenses (airline, train, or bus) to and from the conference (Due to liability purposes, PNACAC does not pay for personal vehicle travel expenses (gas, parking, mileage, etc.) to and from the airport or rental car expenses to and from the conference for scholarship recipients.)
Lodging
Meals (subject to PNACAC daily limits)
General fees related to conference attendance (taxi/shuttle service, bag fees, etc.)
1-year NACAC membership (PNACAC membership is FREE for high school counselors!)
PNACAC will reimburse allowable expenses after the conference.

Conditions of receiving the scholarship:

Volunteer for a shift at the conference
Submit a PNACAC Reimbursement Form following the national conference

Testimonials from previous NACAC Conference Scholarship Recipients:

"During the weekend I stretched myself and dipped my toe into some of the national conversation and met marvelous high school counselors from Florida, North Carolina, and California. I received great advice from college admissions counselors in the region... When I returned to my desk on Monday morning, I pulled out the horribly inadequate School Profile for immediate revision and on Tuesday the FAFSA application opened. I had been a regular at the Financial Aid Stage so I was ready to act! Thanks PNACAC for the opportunity."

- Jeff Norton (Lewis & Clark High School, WA)

"I attended both the Small Town and Rural Interest group and the Public School Counselor Interest Group. I got excellent resources from both and more importantly was able to give NACAC feedback on how they can support public school counselors. I was also able to attend sessions on Common Application completion, the Reach Higher program, tips on writing essays, and how our current students communicate through social media. ... I was able to network and connect with other professionals and share ideas, learn about their schools and ask them questions about their practice."

- Staci Fisher (Bend Senior High School, OR)

If you have questions, contact the Professional Scholarships Committee Chair at scholarships@pnacac.org.

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