Annual Conference

• Registration will open by mid-December.
• The early bird member registration rate will be $350. Early bird registration will end on January 31. Beginning February 1, registration fees will increase by $50.
• Exhibitor registration will also open in mid-December. The fee for exhibitors is $850 and includes (1) 6-foot table in the exhibit area and (1) attendee registration. Additional exhibitors are $300 each.

• The SACAC Counselor Participation Fund (CPF) provides financial assistance to secondary counselors and college representatives who have limited financial resources to attend SACAC professional development opportunities. There is an application process for consideration for a conference CPF grant. Visit the CPF page to learn more. 

2026 Schedule at a Glance (tentative as of 7.28.2025)

• Saturday, March 21
  • 8 am - 12:30 pm Outreach Project
  • ~8 am - 5 pm College Tour(s)
  • 12 - 2 pm Check-in open
  • 1 - 4 pm Pre-conference sessions
  • 2 - 3 pm SACAC Executive Committee Meeting
  • 3 - 5 pm SACAC Board Meeting
  • 5:15 - 7 pm Check-in open
• Sunday, March 22
  • 7:00 am Fun Run/Walk
  • 7:30 am - 6 pm Check-in open
  • 8:00 - 10:00 am Exhibit set up
  • 8:30 am Wellness Event
  • 8:00 - 10:00 am SACAC Leads meeting
  • 10 am - 5 pm Exhibits open
  • 10 - 10:30 am Local Public High School Counselor Experience Welcome Meet & Greet
  • 10:30 - 11 am First Timer's Meet & Greet Session
  • 11:15 - 11:45 am Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings
  • 12:15 - 1:30 pm Conference Kickoff
  • 1:45 - 2:55 pm Session block A
  • 2:50 - 3:20 pm Snack break
  • 3:25 - 4:35 pm Session block B
  • 4:45 - 5:30 pm State meetings
  • 5:30 - 6 pm Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings
  • 6 - 8:30 pm President's reception
• Monday, March 23
  • 7 am Fun Run/Walk
  • 7 am - 8 am Wellness Event
  • 7:30 - 8:45 am HBCU breakfast (pre-registration required)
  • 8:00 - 8:45 am Committee meetings
  • 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Exhibits open
  • 9 - 10:10 am Session block C
  • 10 - 10:30 am Coffee break
  • 10:35 - 11:45 am Session block D
  • 12 - 1:45 pm Conference lunch & membership meeting
  • 2 - 3:10 pm Session block E
  • 3 - 4 pm Dessert break
  • 4 - 5 pm Networking College Fair
  • 7 pm - 10 pm Conference Social
• Tuesday, March 24
  • College Tours
  • 9 - 11 am SACAC Board meeting
• Seeking continuing education hours? A log form was available on-site for you to complete and submit. Contact info@sacac.org if you need a copy. Just need a verification of attendance? A form will be available for completion post-conference.

The Southern Association for College Admission Counseling has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No.6805. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. SACAC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

• Within a quick streetcar ride, or a scenic 90-minute drive, lie many outstanding colleges and universities.
• Over the next few months, we will be sending out a save-the-date to these institutions to inquire about interest in offering a college tour as a part of the conference experience on Saturday, March 21 or Tuesday, March 24.
• In the meantime, interested institutions or curious attendees may reach out to our college tours coordinator, Lena Andrews. 

• Stay tuned for an August email announcing the Call for Session Proposals via Proposal Space. With the energy of this milestone year, we’re expecting an incredible lineup of sessions, and we hope you’ll lend your voice to the chorus.
• Sessions are 70 minutes. There is also an opportunity to present a (3) hour pre-conference session on Saturday, March 21.
• There are no discounts for presenters, and each presenter MUST register for the conference. Presenters may not attend solely to present their session.
• Please feel free to contact Anita Hua at presidentelect@sacac.org about session proposals.

• All presenters must register and pay to attend the conference. There are no passes to simply come in for a session and then leave.
• There are no discount registration rates for presenters.

• The host hotel is the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. The base hotel room rate is $239 single/double (this does not include taxes & fees).
• Once registered for the conference, you will receive a confirmation email with links to reservations.

• As for food and beverages during the conference, Sunday meals are mostly on your own. We will offer a Snack Break mid-afternoon and there will be light hors d’oeuvres and appetizers at the President’s Welcome Reception.

• On Monday, breakfast is on your own, but we will provide a few light snacks and coffee throughout the day in the Exhibitor’s Hub (Atrium A). Perhaps the most significant meal is our conference and membership meeting luncheon. There will also be hors d’oeuvres and appetizers at the conference social.

968 registered for the 2024 Annual Conference in Raleigh, NC. Of those...

• 277 private high school counselors
• 106 public high school counselors
• 147 private college/university representatives
• 5 public 2-year college representatives
• 175 public 4-year college/university representatives
• 55 individuals from Community-based Organizations
• 75 Independent Educational Consultants
• 102 individuals from corporations
• 2 retiree
• 5 unaffiliated individuals

31.3% attendees were first-timers. 39 companies exhibited.

• Exhibitor registration will open by mid-December.
• By registering as a vendor/partner, you will reserve a table in the exhibit area for the duration of the SACAC annual conference. Exhibits are limited to a 6-foot table, and location is assigned on a first-registered, first-assigned basis.
• Exhibitor registration will also open in mid-December. The fee for exhibitors is $850 and includes (1) 6-foot table in the exhibit area and (1) attendee registration. Additional exhibitors are $300 each.
• Once you have registered for an exhibitor registration package, you will be contacted to register your booth staff separately.
• Contact scanning will be available via StriveScan at an additional cost. A link will be provided to you to complete if you choose to utilize their services.
• Tentatively, set up will be held Sunday, March 22 from 8:30 - 10:30 am, and breakdown will be at 5:30 pm on Monday.

• 2026 Sponsorship Levels will be announced in fall of 2025. Here is a chart of the 2025 opportunities for reference.

• For the levels with multiple options listed as named sponsor, i.e., Bronze level, the named sponsor would be for ONE of the areas listed. So, there are 5 opportunities for Bronze level sponsors.
• Want to talk to someone about the options? Reach out to the Advancement co-chairs, Julia Hodge and Jahleese Hadley.

• A call for volunteers will go out roughly a month in advance of the conference for on-site help.

• Cory Bailey, annualconference@sacac.org - Logistics/Hotel/Volunteers/Schedule
• Diana McAfee, info@sacac.org - Registration/Exhibit/Sponsorship inquiries
• Anita Hua, presidentelect@sacac.org - Session proposals/content inquiries

• The 2027 Annual Conference is still TBD.
• Contracts with host hotels are set roughly three years in advance. SACAC works with Helms Briscoe on our meeting procurement and site selection. There are many considerations given to selecting a location such as space constraints, sleeping room needs, cost, ease of travel, etc. If you have questions about how we navigate this process, please contact Annual Conference Chair Cory Bailey at annualconference@sacac.org.