HECA 2026 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Board Meeting

 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Board Luncheon

 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Registration Open - College tour participants

 7:15 am - 3:15 pm

Pre-Conference Tour (separate registration required)

 8:00 am - 2:00 pm

Board Meeting

 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Registration Open

 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Exhibitor Set-up

Exhibits Open

 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Opening Reception

 7:15 pm - 8:15 pm

Appreciation Dessert Reception (invitation only)

 7:30 am - 8:30 am

Registration Open

Exhibitor Set-up

Breakfast

 8:00 am - 8:10 am

Welcome & Announcements

 8:10 am - 9:00 am

Heart of HECA

 9:00 am - 10:15 am

A Conversation with Northwestern and the University of Chicago

 10:15 am - 12:00 pm

Registration Open

Exhibits Open

 10:15 am - 10:45 am

Networking & Refreshments in Exhibitor Area

 10:45 am - 11:45 am

Breakout Session A

• Debunking Some Powerful Myths in the World of College Admissions
• Ethical Edge: How IECs Can Pool Their Admissions Data
• HECA Affordability Committee: Affordability 101
• Hidden Gems & Hot Lists: Using Flagship
• Supporting Storytellers: Compelling Essay Writing in the Age of AI
• Navigating Canadian Applications with Confidence

 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Networking Lunch - An Opportunity to Connect with Colleagues

 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Registration Open

Exhibits Open

 1:15 pm - 2:15 pm

Breakout Session B

• Career Outcomes: Dialogue with Undergrad Business School Deans
• Financial Fit is the New Safety School
• More Than Meets the Rank: Making the Case for Small Colleges
• Northern Lights, Global Minds: Study in Scandinavia
• Structured vs. Exploratory: A Counselor's Framework for Healthcare Career Planning
• Translating CoachSpeak: Helping Families Understand Feedback In Recruiting

 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Exhibitor Showcases

• Achieve by Simply Succeed
• College Kickstart
• Edufit Test Prep
• National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC)
• SCHOLARS Service Center
• STEAM in AI

 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm

Breakout Session C

• Advocacy in Action: Turning Student Stories into Systemic Change
• IECs and Mental Illness: What We All Need to Know
• Just Because We Can Doesn’t Mean We Should: Ethical Puzzles for IECs
• Outsource Smarter, Not Harder: The End-to-End Blueprint for delegating VA Tasks
• Short and Sweet? The Era of the Two-Hour SAT and ACT
• Students Who Thrive in Oceania & Asia: Profiles and Advising Tools

 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Counselor College Fair and Reception

 7:15 pm - 9:15 pm

Dinner on Your Own or Sign Up for a Dine-Around

      9:30 pm - 10:30 pm

True Confessions Live Show

 7:30 am - 9:00 am

Registration Open

Exhibitor Set-up

 8:00 am - 9:00 am

 9:00 am - 9:10 am

Welcome & Announcements

 9:10 am - 10:15 am

HECA Connects Roundtable Discussions

 10:15 am - 11:00 am

Networking & Refreshments in Exhibitor Area

 10:15 am - 12:15 pm

Registration Open

Exhibits Open

 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Breakout Session D

• LD/ND Athletes: Where Learning & Sports Meet
• NACAC Presents: College Admission Trends You Need to Know
• So Your Student Has Been Accepted Internationally…Now What?
• Succession Planning & Exit Strategies
• What Can You Do with an Education in the Arts? Introducing AICAD Creative Career Paths
• You Can't Write That!! Making the Most of Cliché and Controversial Essay Topics

 12:15 pm - 2:00 pm

Lunch & Annual Business Meeting

 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm

Exhibits Open

 2:15 pm - 3:15 pm

Breakout Session E

• AI in Admissions: What’s Real, What’s Not, and What Counselors Need to Know
• Beyond the Match List: A Practical Career Exploration Method
• College Supports & Beyond: Building Realistic Plans for Neurodiverse Students
• From Standard Strong to Stand-Out: The Art and Strategy of Narrative Engineering
• The Value of a UK Degree: Costs, Scholarships and Student Support
• Unlocking the Collective Advantage: How IECs Can Work Better Together

 4:00 pm

Buses depart for Closing Reception

Lake Forest College (IEC Attendees Only)

 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Campus Tour, Informational Session, &

Closing Reception

Lake Forest College (IEC Attendees Only)

 8:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Buses return to host hotel

Lake Forest College (IEC Attendees Only)

 All Day

Post-Conference Tours (separate registration required)