St. Louis, MO, June 04, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) will hold its annual conference in Dallas, Texas from June 11 to June 15. The sold-out conference will attract over 450 attendees including independent college admissions consultants, high school counselors, college admissions professionals and exhibitors.
The conference provides opportunities for professionals to tour colleges, network and attend nearly 50 professional development sessions. Session topics address some of the most pressing issues facing college admissions today, including college affordability, ethics, advising first-generation and underserved students, as well finding the best college fit for LGBTQ students.
On June 12, keynote speaker Dr. Patrick O’Connor, Ph.D., Associate Dean of College Counseling at the Cranbrook Schools in Michigan, will present “The Science of College Admission: What College Access Research Tells Us – and Doesn’t Tell Us – About How to Help Our Students.”
A certified school counselor since 1984, Dr. O’Connor has worked with families from urban, rural and suburban backgrounds in all aspects of the school counseling curriculum with a special emphasis on college access. The first in his family to graduate from college, Dr. O’Connor is a critically acclaimed author and is one of only six educators selected for the U.S. Department of Education's School Ambassador Fellowship program. An active reformer in school counselor training, Patrick teaches one of the few graduate courses in the country that focuses exclusively on college counseling.
According to HECA President, Carolee Gravina of College Bound Guidance, “Here we are deep in the heart of Texas, doing what keeps the heart of HECA beating – sharing, mentoring and learning. We do this for our students, for ourselves and to advance the ethical standards of conduct and professionalism in college counseling.”
About HECA
Founded in 1997, Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) is a 1,000+ member 501(c)(6) not-for-profit professional association representing independent educational consultants from every region of the country and across the globe who focus exclusively on helping students navigate the college admissions process. Guided by HECA’s Standards and Ethics Statement for professional conduct, their members serve the college planning needs of more than 23,000 high school seniors each year. Many of HECA members also assist low-income students through pro-bono advice and volunteer service to non-profit organizations and local schools.