IECA conferences bring together member and non-member independent educational consultants (IECs) from across the country and around the world. In addition to hundreds of IECs, participants include school, college, and program admission leaders, as well as vendors who offer business resources and solutions. Together, all attendees participate in educational sessions, fairs, and networking events. IECA also coordinates campus tours for IECA members prior to and following the conferences.
IECA 2024 Annual Conference
Conference information for Independent Educational Consultants
May 6–8, 2024
Pre-conference tours and workshops May 3-6
Post-conference tours May 9 & 10
To register, click on the registration icon at the bottom of this page. Registration will open at 12:00 noon (ET) on Thursday, February 29.
The Annual Conference will provide unique opportunities for you to connect with hundreds of your IEC colleagues from around the world, network with school, college, and program admission representatives, participate in small group roundtable sessions, and learn from dynamic speakers in dozens of educational sessions! IECA member consultants and non-member independent educational consultants are invited to participate.
The conference will kick off on Monday, May 6 at 1:00 p.m. ET and continue through 4:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 8 with multiple networking and educational options available to you. You will be able to choose from several opportunities all day every day—from our college/gap year or school and program exhibit events to our opening session ACE speakers, and our small group discussions to 80+ educational sessions, you will be able to design your time to best suit your needs and your own learning style.
Schedule of Events
Download the conference schedule >>
All times listed on the schedule are in Eastern (ET)
Breakout Sessions
You will have great topics to choose from during each block of breakout sessions. Presenters will also be able to upload their slides/handouts to our mobile conference app, so you will have access to shared materials for many of the educational sessions, regardless of which you attend. Sessions will not be recorded.
Download the preliminary list of educational sessions here>>
Continuing Education Hours
IECA offers Continuing Education Hours to all registrants at no additional fee. More information will be provided in the conference mobile app and in the Conference Guide you will receive onsite. IECA has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6632. Sessions that do not qualify for NBCC credit will be clearly identified. All sessions qualify for CE credit for AICEP. IECA is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Speakers
ACE Speakers (Adolescence, Consulting, and Education)
These renowned thought leaders will conduct dynamic, energetic presentations. View the ACE speaker bios here.
MONDAY, May 6
Independent Educational Consulting in 2030: Predicting the Future of the Profession
Michael Rogers, Practical Futurist
Michael Rogers will create a realistic scenario of what the independent educational consulting profession may be like beyond 2030, including its impact on the schools, colleges, and programs with whom IECs work. He’ll identify changes in existing clients and technologies and examine potential new customers and new challenges we’ll face.
The True Meaning of Resilience
Emi Nietfeld, Software engineer, writer, and author of Acceptance.
Emi Nietfeld rejects the easy label of an “overcomer.” Even though she kept her dreams alive against the odds and attended a top college, she knows it wasn’t solely due to resilience: success required luck, privilege, and support. In this passionate talk, Nietfeld asks her audiences to throw away the American fantasy that poverty, illness, or any other adversity can be conquered through sheer grit and bootstrapping ingenuity. She urges us to shift our focus from encouraging “resilience” and instead address the underlying social problems and provide individuals the support they need to persevere.
College Special Session & College Showcase with Q&A
WEDNESDAY, May 8
College Special Session
Supporting Rural and Small-Town Students through the STARS College Network
Since COVID, IECA members are receiving client referrals from anywhere and everywhere, including small towns and rural areas where they didn’t have much reach previously. Yet many IECs are unaware that there are special outreach programs from colleges and universities seeking students outside of metro areas. This special session will feature members of the STARS College Network, a consortium of 16 colleges that work to create new pathways to college for students who might not otherwise recognize the full range of educational opportunities available to them.
Moderators: Marjorie Betley, STARS College Network; Derek Nido, Vanderbilt University; Anne Holmdahl, IECA
College Showcase
Wednesday afternoon you’ll have the opportunity to hear from admissions counselors representing colleges and universities from across the country, from big universities, small liberal arts colleges, and those in between. This is a great chance to learn more about numerous campuses in one afternoon! Here is the list of colleges participating:
Bishop’s University (Canada)
Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
Clark University (MA)
Ithaca College (NY)
Johnson & Wales University (RI)
Rhodes College (TN)
Rollins College (FL)
University of Florida (FL)
University of Saint Joseph (CT)
West Virginia University (WV)
Discussions
Birds-of-a-Feather Breakfast
(for all registrants)
Tuesday, May 7 • 8:00-8:45 a.m. (ET)
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Introduced last year, we are excited to bring back our Birds-of-a-Feather Breakfast on Tuesday morning. All conference participants will gather based on interest and have the opportunity to chat informally over breakfast. The goal will be to increase networking between IECs and school, college, and program representatives.
Informal Member Gatherings During Breakfast
(for IECA member consultants)
Wednesday, May 8 • 8:00–8:45 a.m. (ET)
With so many groups meeting virtually these days, we wanted to offer a time for Affinity and Regional Groups to gather in person during the conference. Group leaders may contact Tanesha Norman by April 22 to arrange for a designated table at Wednesday’s breakfast.
IEC Roundtable Discussions
(for IECs only)
Wednesday, May 8 • 12:30–1:30 p.m. (ET)
During this event on Wednesday afternoon, we will have IEC Roundtable Discussions on a variety of topics in all specialties. These discussions provide a great opportunity for IECs to connect, share ideas and challenges, and seek advice. Discussion topics will be listed in the conference mobile app and Conference Guide.
