While you’re at the Institute this week, be sure to spend some time Monday and Tuesday visiting with our exhibitors. I know, I know – you don’t want to be sold something you don’t want. We’ve all had that conference experience, but rest assured, that is not what Summer Institute is about!

Every year, I am asked to meet with programs and organizations that sound exciting and might be great options to recommend to students, but I can’t do it. Ironically, it’s hard to step away from my student meetings in order to do the work that will make me a better counselor in those meetings! That’s why I’m so excited about the exhibitors at Summer Institute.

I know that the Fiske Guide has a new interactive app - I’ve gotten their e-mails, and my students are using it when they visit campuses. I haven’t actually seen it, though, so I’m going to go to the exhibit table and learn how it works. My top students are always interested in honors programs and scholarships, so I’m very excited to learn about the new 40 Acres Scholars program at the University of Texas. If I can go home with a better understanding of who they want to enroll, I can better guide my students toward this fantastic opportunity.

There’s more to learn, as well. Every spring, I get multiple questions from students looking for summer opportunities. By having just a few short conversations with the organizations that are exhibiting this year, I’m going to have more answers to those questions. And it’s so important to know about programs like Landmark College or College Living Experience that can help students who need extra learning and living support when they go off to college.

Be sure to find out more about semester away programs where your students can stretch themselves in amazing ways, and update your understanding of today’s gap year programs. And hey, if you’ve been wondering whether or not to add to your Naviance subscription, you can lean about your options this week!

I’m coming to the Institute this year to see friends and colleagues, and to recharge myself after a long year. And by making the time to learn about the programs and organizations that are exhibiting this week I’m going to return to school with more tools to help my students. I hope you’ll do the same!

by: Carol Wasden