NACAC 2025 Conference Recap: College Admissions Trends, AI, and Key Takeaways

It's the Conference of all Conferences in the world of admissions: the National Association of College Admission Counseling, or NACAC. As the primary governing body for all aspects of admission, NACAC sets the tone for the year. Today, Cathy and Meredith dive into Cathy’s latest experience at the NACAC Conference. They unpack the biggest takeaways from this year’s main event speaker, explore the emerging trends and patterns in admissions, and discuss how colleges are navigating and adapting to the use of AI. Plus, Cathy shares her infamous NACAC 2025 dress debacle and breaks down NACAC’s crazy session titled "The Plight of the Standard Strong Student." For all this, and a candid discussion on the organization's professionalism, start listening now! Key Points From This Episode: [0:00:50] We introduce today’s topic of conversation. [0:02:00] Cathy sums up the conference in (roughly) four words. [0:04:00] The biggest takeaways from this year’s main event speaker. [0:10:40] What we’re hearing in terms of trends and patterns in admissions. [0:13:04] How colleges have adjusted applications as a result of AI. [0:15:00] We comment on the professionalism of the organization (NACAC). [0:19:30] The NACAC 2025 dress debacle. [0:21:30] The crazy session at NACAC 2025: the plight of the standard strong student. [0:23:00] A teaser for a future episode on a standard strong student. [0:26:10] Final thoughts on NACAC. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: NACAC Brené Brown Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You on Instagram