Greetings from OACAC!
Today was the first day of the 16th annual Overseas Association of College Admissions Counselors conference. Our host for the conference is Chapman University in the quaint and charming town of Orange, California. It’s a very exciting conference with over 600 attendees representing over 70 counties – that figure represents almost 1/3 of the countries of the world! There are also over 300 schools here, including international and American international schools as well as many U.S., Canadian, and a few European universities. Most of the conference attendees are high school college counselors or international admissions representatives from various colleges and universities. There are also a few other members of IECA present – Deb Landon, Rosa Moreno, and myself – and it’s great to see them here!
Dr. James Doti, president of Chapman university, spoke of the transformative experience of American education in the lives of international students, as well as the importance of sending students abroad. Certainly, this group is convinced about the importance of a global perspective!
This is much different from an IECA conference! The mood is laid back summer casual, and has the feeling of a family reunion than anything. That’s because international admissions officers travel the world constantly to recruit students from overseas, and high school counselors often receive them with open arms and hospitality that goes beyond the school walls. So there is a genuine sense of joy of friends being brought together again. Such are the counselors/admissions office relationships in the world of international schools and recruitment. I, too, have already seen many of the international admissions people who came to Oman over the last few years, and it’s wonderful to reconnect with them here!
Tomorrow I will lead a session on Transitions 101 with a panel made up of two high school counselors and two college international admissions officers. We will discuss the unique needs of Third Culture Kids and international students as they go through the experience of applying and transitioning to college, and how schools and colleges can better respond to their needs. Stay tuned!
Posted by Becky Grappo, IECA (Oman)
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Sorry to be missing OACAC this year, especially given how IECA’s membership is growing internationally. But I know you will all represent us well. Good luck in your presentation, Becky!!