Conference Information

Dates: May 11-13, 2021

Start Time: 7:30 am PDT/10:30 am EDT

Format: Virtual

Registration Fees

Early Bird (Member): $175
Early Bird (Non-member); $225

Starting May 5 Registration rates are:

Member: $199
Non-member: $250

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Navigate the Seismic Changes in College Planning Landscape

NCAG CONFERENCE | May 11-13, 2021

Virtual Conference

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Conference Highlights

Nationally Ranked Speakers
Admissions & Financial Aid Topics
Roundtable Discussions on Business Practices
Networking Lunches

Mock Admissions Committee Activity
Mock Financial Aid Committee Activity
College Fair featuring Maritime universities and the Academy

NCAG Virtual Conference Agenda

Tuesday, May 11	10:30- 5:30 pm EDT
Welcome	Steven Sirot, NCAG President
Keynote Speaker	Kalman Chany
Sharing Issues and Opportunities in Your Business	Roundtable Discussions
Networking Lunch	Conference Attendees
Building Bridges: Tips for Maximizing Opportunities in Your Network	Kristina Dooley
Connecting Using Surveys: Finding the Right Fit	Cyndy McDonald & Steven Antonoff
Wednesday, May 12	10:30- 6:00 pm EDT
Welcome Back	Steven Sirot and NCAG Board
Solid Partnerships That Last	Joseph Messinger
Admissions Mock Committee	Duquesne Admissions Staff
Scholarship & NCAG Business Lunch Meeting	NCAG Committees & Board
Financial Aid Mock Committee	Duquesne Admissions Staff
Hot Topic Discussions	Round Table Discussions by participants
Thursday, May 13	10:30 - 4:30 pm EDT
Test Optional: Is It Really?	Lisa Marker-Robbins
College Information Session	Maritime Academies
Networking Lunch	Conference Attendees
College Discussion Round Tables	Conference Attendees
Conference Wrap Up	NCAG Board/Conference Committee

Featured Guest Speakers

College Affordability Post Pandemic

This session will cover upcoming changes to both the federal methodology and the institutional methodology which are used to determine a student's eligibility for need-based, post-secondary financial aid. New strategies for the changing landscape involving admissions and financial aid will be discussed as well. The session will also address some possible future changes involving federal student aid as a result of the new administration in Washington, DC and the new Congress.

Kalman Chany is a nationally recognized expert on educational financing. He is the founder and president of Campus Consultants Inc., a Manhattan-based financial aid advisory firm. He is also the author of the annually-updated Princeton Review guidebook, Paying For College now in its 29th edition. In addition to conducting presentations on college financing issues over the past three decades, Kal has presented at continuing education programs for a number of CPA and other professional groups. His input has been sought and adopted by the U.S. Department of Education and the College Board.

Building Partnerships That Last

Do you ever wonder where your next client is going to come from? It doesn't have to be that way. Come learn how to move your practice forward by partnering with other market participants serving college bound families. Joe is going to show you the workflows, technology, and communication strategy that has propelled his firm to consistently add over 500 highly qualified new prospects to their funnel every year like clockwork.

Joseph Messinger,CFP®, ChFC®, CLU® is on a mission to end the student loan crisis one family at a time. A proud graduate of Penn State University, Joe is Partner and Director of College Planning at Capstone Wealth Partners. Joe is known as an industry thought leader in the area of college financial planning. He regularly speaks at industry conferences for the Financial Planning Association (FPA), National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), and the XY Planning Network (XYPN). His work has been featured in The Journal for Financial Planning, Financial Advisor Magazine, US News, and Bloomberg to name a few.

Building Bridges:Tips for Maximizing Opportunities Within Your Networks

As professionals guiding families through the college search, preparation and funding processes, our roles are full of opportunities for bridge-building and connecting. Kristina Dooley shows us how to build bridges within our local, professional and social networks, and identify pathways for outreach and collaboration. Attendees will leave with a list of bridge-building opportunities - locally, nationally and internationally.

Kristina L. Dooley is a Certified Educational Planner (CEP) and founder of Estrela Consulting, an Ohio-based independent educational consulting firm. Kristina has 20 years of experience working with students from around the world navigating the complex college and school search processes. A first-generation college student, she is a graduate of Hiram College (B.A.) and Kent State University (M.A.). In addition to her work with students, Kristina is an instructor for the UC Irvine teaching College Consulting Resources and also serves as a faculty member of the IECA Summer Training Institute. Kristina is currently president of IECA, member of HECA, OACAC, IACAC,NACAC & SBSA.

Guest Speakers

Making Connections Using Surveys & Assessments

Knowing as much as possible about the students we work with is central to professionals working as college admission and financial planners. Part of navigating the changes in college planning is identifying student characteristics, interests, and values. Over 65 surveys will be shared in this session, and discussion will include using these instruments to explore student personality, career perspectives, emotional intelligence, and more.

Dr. Steven Antonoff has played a key role in shaping the profession of independent educational consulting, developing certification standards, and creating and teaching a curriculum for the field. Dr. Antonoff is the author of three books: College Match, College Finder, and A Student of Colleges.

Making Connections Using Surveys & Assessments

Cyndy McDonald is a recognized leader in both college counseling and in business. She has over thirty years of experience as a college advisor. Cyndy teaches for UCLA and serves as an active member of several professional organizations: Currently she is a business and executive coach.

Test Optional: Is It Really?

Many colleges, including the University of California system, went test optional during the pandemic. What does "test optional" really mean? Lisa will explore the 5-levels of test-optional using admissions data and college narratives. You will leave feeling prepared to advise your students on whether to submit scores or not.

Lisa Marker-Robbins Lisa's personal passion is privately advising families with college-bound students. Areas of focus are ACT-SAT preparation, college selection process, development of an effective resume and essay for college application, using the Birkman Method to identify appropriate college majors and related careers, and directing the college application process.