WACAC is a professional organization with 2,000 members comprised of high school counselors, college admissions professionals (both four-and two-year institutions), community-based organizations, students and educational professionals, as well as independent educational consultants (IECs). As 21% of our membership are IECs, we feel it is important to fully support them both as professionals in our organization and in the larger college admissions landscape.

We are aware that there is discussion in Sacramento exploring some form of oversight of IECs in the state of California. We believe that the IECs who are members of WACAC are doing their work with integrity. As such, we would support a measure that would help bolster the integrity of IEC professionals within the state and would require that they are members of one or more of these following organizations:

• Western Association of College Admission Counseling (WACAC)
• National Association of Admission Counseling (NACAC)
• Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA)
• Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA)
• American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
• The California Association of School Counselors (CASC)

Furthermore, though details remain scarce at this time, one significant one has been shared: “A stakeholder group will determine regulations for the industry within a year of registry’s enactment.” With this in mind, WACAC will take deliberate steps to ensure that WACAC and member IECs are fully recognized as a “stakeholder group” and are part of any and all conversations if this legislation moves forward.

Membership Dues Now Free for Public High School Counselors

WACAC (Western Association for College Admission Counseling) recently became the first organization of its type in the US to offer free membership to all Public High School Counselors after a vote of our Executive Board and Membership. This decision reflects the importance of a robust representation of public high school counselors in the organization, and recognizes the lack of professional development funding available in most public high schools.

Annual membership for these individuals now only requires signing up. Members receive periodic e-newsletters, access to college counseling tool kits, discounted registration to local professional development events throughout California and Nevada, as well as reduced registration rates or scholarships to the annual Spring Conference.

Marc McGee, WACAC Past President