College Counseling Education Program

Got CCEP?

Customizable, on-demand professional learning for college counseling professionals, aligned with California Performance Expectations for the PPS Credential

Is your credential older than your students are?

Or maybe you’re not sure if you are ready for a full graduate program in counseling?
Have prior college counseling experience, but want to fill in some gaps?

Introducing…

CCEP LOGO
UCSD Extended Studies Logo

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS: 

  1. Attend 10 sessions (see example sessions below) and write up reflections
  2. Do two college visits + visit reports
  3. Create your professional learning plan (don’t worry, we have templates!)
  4. Submit a completed Portfolio for review
  5. Get your certificate!

WHAT’S THE TIMELINE?

  • Registration is ongoing – no time like today to sign up!
  • Work at your own pace, combining live professional learning opportunities with recorded sessions to create a totally customized learning experience
  • When you’re ready, compile your completed Portfolio – 10 Session Response Forms, 2 College Visit Reports, and your Professional Learning Plan – and submit.
  • Portfolio review dates are April 1, August 1 and November 15, annually.
  • WACAC will provide you with confirmation of your successful completion of the program, along with a certificate and a badge for your email signature.  

WHO’S IT FOR?

  • Counselors – and future counselors- in all states who work across settings
  • High School Counselors – public, private, parochial, charter
  • Independent Educational Consultants (IECs)
  • Admission folx looking to explore new opportunities
  • Counselor educators
  • Counseling interns and graduate students

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

  • Learn practitioner and research-based strategies that satisfy the Performance Expectations outlined by the California Department of Education PPS credential requirements for college counseling.  
  • Attend ten (10) in-person and/or virtual professional development workshops completion of Session Response Forms
    • Opportunities include Share, Learn, and Connect events and/or the WACAC Annual Conference, as well as NACAC, CSAC, and UC/CSU Conferences
  • Tour two (2) college campuses and complete of College Visit Reports
  • Create a Professional Learning Plan
  • Submit a completed Portfolio for review

COST

$150 for the Certificate Program does not include membership or fees for SLCs or the Annual Conference.

Wednesday Webinars

Monthly professional development webinars

  • 2nd Wednesday of the Month via Zoom
  • 9:00-9:45 AM Session
  • 9:45-10:00 AM Live Q&A with the presenters

Joins us for our first three sessions of this winter

Creating a College Going Culture

January 10 with Esther Hugo

What can Counselors do to ensure that every student who finishes high school is successful in college and ready for a career? Provides research-based and time-tested strategies that school counselors can implement to improve their school’s college-going rates. Counseling large caseloads, first-generation, and diverse populations will be emphasized.

CCEP: RCCC

College Options Beyond the Obvious

February 14 with Katy Murphy & Peggy Hock

So much information, so little time! It’s always a puzzle to take a student’s interests and help them come up with a good college list. This session will present about groups of institutions and their shared characteristics that might meet most of their interests and offer great opportunities!

CCEP: RCAP

College Counseling in Public Schools

March 13 with Emily Stevenson

As public school counselors, we are faced with large caseloads, a limited  understanding of our student’s post secondary plans and a lack of time to build and maintain relationships with college reps. We will highlight effective strategies that provide equitable opportunities for all students to access college opportunities.

CCEP: RCCC

Sessions fulfill College Counseling Education Program (CCEP) requirements.

FAQs:

I already have a credential – is this for me?

Maybe!  The certificate may be a good match for you if:

  • You are looking  to meet the education requirements for new PPS credentials based on California Commission on Teacher Credentialing Performance Expectations.  
  • You are looking to expand your college counseling knowledge
  • You have an older credential, or a degree earned in a time and place when college and career readiness was not a part of your studies
  • You are considering a career move that will include an emphasis on college counseling

Can I complete the certification without a huge budget for professional learning?

Membership in WACAC is free to public school counselors and counselors associated with Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). While some recorded webinars are available for free to members on the WACAC website, participants will likely have to register and attend one or more of the Share, Learn and Connect (SLC) programs which offer approximately 25 sessions every February and March and / or the Annual Conference in April, which schedules over 80 presentations. Registration for the SLCs ranges between $35 and $85 and for the annual conference registration ranges between $300 and $350.

Who is behind this program?

WACAC, The Western Association for College Admission Counseling, is a non-profit volunteer organization with a membership of over 2300 high school, community college, community-based organizations, independent, and college admission counselors.

What are the Required Topics?

  • Creating a College Going Culture (recommended as first one) (RCCC)
  • Understanding Financial Aid Applications, How Financial Aid is Awarded and How to Create Financial Aid Awareness (RFA)
  • Reviewing Transcripts and Understanding A-G (RA-G)
  • Understand the Common Application and the Application Process for Private and Out of State Universities (RCAP)
  • Knowledge of University of California and California State Admissions Criteria and Application Process (RCPB)
  • Understanding Community College Options, including concurrent and dual enrollment and understanding the transfer process (RCCT)
  • Private and Out of State Colleges and Universities, Common Application (RPCA)

What are the Elective Topics?

Choose three Elective Topics:

  • Knowledge of Writing Letters of Recommendation (ELR)
  • Knowledge of the NCAA and NAIA and The College Admission Process for Athletes (EATH)
  • Understanding of College Application Process for International Students and the TOEFL (EINT)
  • Understanding of Standardized Testing and College Admissions (PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP, IB) Including Process for Accommodations (ETST)
  • Knowledge of the College Admissions Process for Students with Disabilities (ELD)
  • Knowledge of the College Admissions Process for Students Pursuing Fine and Performing Arts (EVPA)
  • Knowledge of Admission to Military Academies and ROTC (EMIL)
  • Knowledge of the Western Undergraduate Exchange Scholarship Program (EWUE)