From Practice to Presentation: Scaling Tools for Broader Impact 
Carolyn Siegel, Pinewood School 
October 15th, 2025

When I first began presenting at state-level conferences a decade ago, I realized that my passion for a topic was only part of the equation; equally important was considering the diverse educational contexts represented in the audience. In my first teaching presentation, public school teachers asked about state standards, which I hadn’t considered since they weren’t part of the curriculum design. This made me realize I needed to consider beyond independent schools for these presentations. As I prepare presentations, I draw on familiar tools and student stories I know well, presenting them so they resonate across broader contexts. 

I’ve come to see conference presentations as reflective processes by which I improve my own practice, translating individualized work into tools that empower a broader community of educators, such as my most recent presentation, Engage and Uplift: Strength-based Approaches in the College Process (NACAC 2025). As self-reflection and writing support are two of my core strengths, I often focus on these two areas when shaping a presentation proposal. I begin by identifying two to three students whose stories can anchor how I frame it. Next, I reflect on how I have guided them toward a stronger final personal or supplemental essay. I then think about: (1) What role did I play as that student’s college process unfolded? (2) What concrete steps, rooted in my strengths, helped them move forward? When a story clearly highlights my strengths in action, I record it in a brainstorming document to revisit later on.

As the semester progresses, I draw from books and professional development opportunities, periodically returning to my brainstorming document to add ideas and slowly refine my thinking. When I write my proposal, I think about what connects these stories. This year, the current political situation added a layer of complexity. I ended up revising my proposal’s DEI language so that I could present on content that uplifts students’ individual experiences and perspectives while ensuring public school counselors from certain states could still attend my session and get CE credits. Ultimately, I aim for a proposal that is sufficiently broad to allow for flexibility down the line. 

Hurricane Application is coming....are you ready? 
David Brunk, Severn School
September 17, 2025 

Hurricane Application has intensified overnight, and the consensus model indicates that Application will reach major hurricane status within two weeks. While there is considerable spread in terms of the precise track of the storm, most analysts agree that Application will be an impressively long-lived and potentially destructive cyclone.

A strained and slightly pessimistic metaphor, perhaps, but there are several similarities between the actual hurricane season and the work we do. Forecasters predict what will unfold on the macro level (think La Niña and the demographic cliff), and non-experts have a tendency to prognosticate about outcomes with individual applications and specific schools. (Consider this overheard gem: “This is a great year to apply to Brown because there are going to be fewer international students!”) Unfortunately, “strained and pessimistic” also describes many students’ relationships with the college process.

Application season is indeed upon us. As has seemingly been the case for the past several years, the season started earlier than ever as more students nationwide are applying to schools with October deadlines. Compressed application seasons lead to more stress for students, and we are tasked with helping students navigate the turbulent waters and find their way to safe harbor. 

An Introduction to College Counseling at International Schools: Part II
Cory Zimmerman, Singapore American School
June 18, 2025

If my previous blog post was my attempt at a primer on international schools–why they exist and whom they serve–in this follow-up post I’d like to provide a personal view on some of the rewards and challenges of working as a college counselor outside the US. I have just concluded my eighth year as a college counselor in Asia, and the experience has been a boon for my professional and personal development. While I miss my stateside independent school colleagues dearly, I wouldn’t change my decision to make the leap those years ago, and that’s partially due to ongoing support that ACCIS has provided while I’ve been abroad. In case you’d like to make a similar transition, you might consider the following:

Rewards

AI Is Replacing Career Launchpads—Here’s How We Help
Scott Kominkiewicz, 'Ioloni School
May 28th, 2025

Putting the “Counsel” Back in “College Counselor”
Lucas Frankel, Shady Side Academy
April 16, 2025

Articulating Self-Truths: Preparing Students for the Application Process and Beyond
Carolyn Siegel, Pinewood School
March 19, 2025

My 15 years as a language teacher lie at the core of my identity as an educator. Through these experiences, I grew committed to fostering intercultural communicative competence, which the American Council of Teaching Foreign Languages describes as the “accumulation of individual experiences and the quality of reflection on those experiences [to] pave the path to growth.” In my language teaching, I devoted time and space for students to reflect on their social identities and how these identities might connect with the cultures and topics that we studied. Now, as a college counselor, I continue to emphasize reflection as I encourage students to consider who they are and what aspects of their identity and life experience they choose to share in the college application process. 

Last fall at NACAC, while presenting “Below the Water’s Edge: A Reflective Deep Dive to Aid Students’ Supplemental Essay Writing,” I felt immense hope as I witnessed the enthusiastic nods from attendees. We know that many selective and highly selective institutions in the United States emphasize holistic review in their admissions process. A student’s ability to engage in diverse communities has become an increasingly prized attribute. Just as grades are a strong predictor of future academic success, a student’s capacity to thrive in diverse environments is best conveyed by how effectively they articulate their unique perspectives and backgrounds during the application process.  

From Tuskegee to NACAC: Championing HBCU Visibility in Independent Schools
Jamon Pulliam, Viewpoint School
February 21, 2025

Happy Black History Month!

What’s more Black History than Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)? 

An Introduction to College Counseling at International Schools: Part I
Cory Zimmerman, Singapore American School
January 22, 2025

As a college counselor working at an international school and a product of one myself, here is a balanced (but ultimately subjective) description that might demystify (or even attract some of you to) the international school world.

Some personal background

I grew up in the US, France, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, and the UK before repatriating to the US for university. I have worked as a Teach for Americacorps member teaching high school English in North Carolina; an admissions officer at Washington University in St. Louis; and a college counselor at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC, Taipei American School in Taiwan, and now Singapore American School, which also happens to be one of my boyhood schools. I moved to international school college counseling in 2017. I had cherished my relationship with my college counselor in high school, so I relished the opportunity to provide that same support to third culture kids like I was, at the precipice of making a huge decision on where to attend university.

Sumana Moudgal, The Westminster Schools
December 18, 2024

I almost didn’t apply.

It was the fall of 2020 and I was frantically looking for another position. Having served as the Magnet Counselor at a public school for 10 years, I was burnt out. I loved my job – the students  I counseled and the families I supported – but maintaining a healthy work-life balance was lost. Fall came and went, as I applied and interviewed with several international schools abroad alongside others closer to home. There were many late night interviews (the time zone tango!) where after battling the exhaustion of a full day of work, I put on my happiest face at the interview and gave it everything I had. In the end, I received multiple offers, but either the location wasn’t right, or the package didn’t quite meet my needs. 

Notes From an ACCIS Skeptic
Katie Gayman, Phillips Andover
November 20, 2024

Full disclosure: I am a skeptic of professional organizations. When I became a college counselor in 2009, I entered the profession as a teacher, in both formal title and identity. And though I gave up my duties running science labs and grading lab reports long ago, I still view myself as a counselor/teacher. Therefore, when I attended my first NACAC (two Baltimores ago), I glanced around at the throngs of counselors wearing name badges adorned in “flare,” many hugging each other and squealing in delight, and I wondered, are these my people?

I felt similarly walking into my first ACCIS Summer Institute. When I entered the lobby to check in on the Mount Vernon campus at GW, it seemed like everyone already knew each other. So, I did what we hope our students will do on their first day of college: put the name tag on, took a deep breath, began shaking hands, and embraced the discomfort. 

The English Teacher Pipeline
Adam R. Levine, Harvard-Westlake School
October 16, 2024

At the ACCIS New Counselor Workshop, I surveyed the room, clutching my bingo card. The icebreaker challenge? To find a different person to sign each square, if the description pertained to them. “Speaks Multiple Languages.” Easy. “Puts Ketchup on their Hot Dog.” Better be easy. “Former Professor or Teacher.” Hmm. As a former English teacher, I wished that I could sign it myself. Who among us was coming to college counseling from the classroom?

As it turns out, a handful of us were former teachers. And, more specifically, a few of us were English teachers, past and present. This wasn’t too surprising—two of my colleagues at Harvard-Westlake are English-teachers-turned-college-counselors, and I could name many examples from other schools. But why do specifically English teachers at independent schools gravitate to the world of college counseling? And what’s the transition like from The Scarlet Letter to the acceptance letter?

Self-Care for College Counselors: Finding Balance During Application Season
Lisa Clay, The Out-of-Door Academy
September 23, 2024

As the leaves start to turn and the school year gains momentum, college application season kicks into high gear. For college counselors, this time can feel like a whirlwind of personal statements, deadlines, and late-night essay reviews. While guiding students through this pivotal moment in their lives is fulfilling, it’s crucial to prioritize self-care amid the hustle. After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup.

The Importance of Self-Care

Self-care isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a necessary practice for maintaining your mental, emotional, and physical well-being, especially in a demanding role like counseling. When you’re juggling numerous student and family needs, the pressure can easily mount. When you’re at your best, you’re better equipped to guide them through this stressful journey. (Even better… Modeling self-care behavior for students not only demonstrates the importance of prioritizing their own well-being but also equips them with valuable tools to manage stress and maintain balance during their academic journeys!)

Year End Reflections
Moira McKinnon, Berwick Academy
June 14, 2024

It feels like we’ve been saying, “This is the craziest year in college admissions ever” for quite a few years. And yet, has it ever felt so true as it does this spring? It almost seems quaint now that we were all up in arms when a handful of families and one independent counselor with no ethical core made up some crew stats and got themselves arrested. 

At the dawn of Varsity Blues, we also faced the unknown challenges arising from the Department of Justice targeting NACAC’s best practices. We worried that admissions would become a free-for-all, with rampant poaching of students and ever more outrageous guarantees of nicer housing and bigger scholarships. Then Covid hit, and no one had time for that. Colleges were too busy trying to support the kids already on their campuses to attempt to snag kids enrolled or enrolling elsewhere. Five years on, the Wild West atmosphere we dreaded has largely failed to materialize, if you don’t consider the NCAA transfer portal.

Reflections From Blackberry River Retreat
Britten Nelson, University Prep
Samantha Schreiber, Polytechnic School
May 10, 2024

For three days, 39 ACCIS counselors, joined by Emmi Harward, Jeff Kurtzman and Amy Selinger, moved into the Wylie Center and Tupper Manor at Endicott College for the Blackberry River Retreat. We were joined by Mark Whitaker, Roland Davis and Paula Chu from the Stanley H. King Institute. Different from any other professional development we’ve attended, here are our takeaways as we continue to learn more about deep listening and its application to college counseling. We’ve already put some of our knowledge to practice! And, while we don’t want to give away any secrets – we encourage you all to attend the retreat, if possible – we wanted to share a few of the lessons we learned from our time together at Blackberry.

Communicating With Ease
Brian K Smith, Marlborough School
February 29, 2024

I entered the admission profession some twenty-five years ago, and what I’ve learned most over my tenure at three different independent schools is the importance of being a great listener. I post a lot of inspirational quotations online, but there’s a particular quotation that resonates most with me that I keep posted next to my computer in my office and on my desk at home. It’s from Dr. Maya Angelou, and it reads, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Even typing it gives me chills. But the reason why this holds importance in my life is that, at the moment of interaction, the person sitting or standing directly in front of me should always feel that they are the most important person. I’m about to be extremely vulnerable now, hold on!

As professionals, we consistently find ourselves pulled in many directions and it’s easy to lose focus. But we must remind ourselves why we entered this profession in the first place. Let’s keep in mind the importance of keeping students at the center of what we do. College admission evolves over time. In fact, it has evolved from when most of us went through the process. I recall talking with my “Guidance Counselor,” just once between both my junior and senior years. Interestingly enough, my parents never had a formal or informal meeting with my Guidance Counselor. The one time my Guidance Counselor and I did converse, she was of no help, didn’t listen, and acted uninterested but that’s a story for another day and possibly a different publication. Anyway, I digress, but what that brief interaction taught me was the importance of being present in the moment.

Most of us wear many hats at our respective institutions. We can easily lose focus on what is in front of us–the ebbs and flows in our work often cause our attention to shift. Admittedly, I do. After all, I’m human, not perfect and not always successful at giving everyone my undivided attention. So, as I make a concerted effort (New Year, New Me-insert eye roll) to become a better listener, more effective professional, and, in turn, a better College Counselor and friend, I offer a few things that I’m putting into practice as a way to help someone else, too. That someone else might just be you.

Double the Trouble? Double the Fun!
Beverly Brooks, St Mary's Episcopal School
January 29, 2024

To put it simply—I am an identical twin. We go through phases of how much we favor one another, but the resemblance is always there. When meeting each other’s coworkers, we typically brace ourselves for someone’s inevitable scream. I get asked regularly what it’s like to be a twin, and my answer is both genuine and unchanging: “I don’t know.” I can’t explain to you what it’s like, or how it’s different from my relationship with my other two sisters. It just is. What I know is that when we grew up, particularly under my parents’ influence (my dad was a counseling education professor and my mother is an education professor), we wanted to be distinct. As children, it meant we chose different friend groups and different sports. In high school, any time my twin sister was interested in a college, even briefly, I struck it from my list. Ironically, we spent four years at very similar schools (The College of Wooster and Hendrix College—hooray, CTCL!), solidifying ourselves as wholly different people.

In my first year as a college counselor, I had a set of identical twin boys on my caseload. There were no phases of favoring each other; they were a copy-paste situation. I was dedicated to treating them distinctly, which started with trying to figure out who was who. Eventually, I discovered one had a small scar on his cheek—success! I committed myself to meeting with them separately, never bringing up the other twin, and I wouldn’t even entertain the conversation when they brought each other up. Their parents graciously came in for twice as long so that the boys could have their own
moments. Despite my efforts to the contrary, I watched as their lists mirrored each other, and they eventually chose the same college. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around that—I couldn’t spend more than three days at a time with my twin sister, how are they going to spend four years??

The Superpower of Choice
Chris Rodriguez, Lovett School
December 5th, 2023

Every day when we open the closet, we have the power to decide who we want to be.

Figuratively, of course, we can choose to be brave, to be determined, to be kind. But literally? Well, in my case, I have to decide whether it’s too hot to be Captain America or too cold to be Spider-Man.

The Power of Vulnerability in College Counseling
Charley Burkly, Hillbrook School
November 17, 2023

At the end of fifth grade, I attended my grandfather’s 50th college reunion. Given that this was Princeton Reunions, which attracts nearly 25,000 alumni annually, the weekend set a very high bar: it was my first college visit, my first fireworks show, my first steak dinner, and my first “P-rade” decked out in orange and black attire. Unsurprisingly, I declared to my parents on the drive home that this was where I wanted to attend college. Fast forward through seven years of striving to become the best student, athlete, and community member possible, my Early Decision application was deferred in December and denied in April.

At the time, this felt like a tremendous failure. I had worked tirelessly, and had come up short. I felt disappointed, ashamed, and unsure about what the next four years would hold. Now over 25 years later, I remain struck by the depth of these feelings. In fact, I still feel surprisingly vulnerable sharing the details of my own process, even though this is precisely why I was drawn to a career in education, and college counseling specifically.

2023 NACAC: Seen and Heard in Baltimore
Compiled by Shawn Miller, Georgetown Day School
October 18, 2023

With the most recent iteration of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) national conference officially over and the fall season continuing right along for all of us in college counseling, the AdmitAll Blog Team wanted to share a collection of highlights and short takes from Baltimore that resonated with our colleagues across the profession. 

We hope that this collection sparks joy, gives helpful insight, and provides a worthwhile snapshot of what made this year’s conference so worthwhile. Just like the theme of this year’s program, the Power of Us and the collaboration and connection through our profession continue to push us forward in a positive direction in a year of uncertainty and strife. The AdmitAll Blog team is excited to share these moments and thoughts with the ACCIS community, and we look forward to NACAC 2024 in Los Angeles next fall. 

Helping Students Approach the “Why THIS college?” Essay with More Confidence (and fewer eye rolls)
By Sarah Graham, Princeton Day School
September 13, 2023

This post was originally published on the ACCIS AdmitAll blog in 2016 (but the advice still stands!).

“Maybe you’re having trouble writing the “Why?” essay because you don’t actually want to go to this college?” I remarked to the frustrated senior in front of me. Silence. More silence. Then a half-smile and nod.