AIGAC Blog

The Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) has exceeded its initial target for registrations to its first annual members’ conference in Chicago on June 18 and 19, 2008. The purpose of the conference is to give AIGAC members the opportunity to share experiences and best practices with colleagues from around the world and speak directly with admissions officers from top graduate schools.

On the conference’s first day, June 18, attendees will visit the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business in Hyde Park for a tour led by GSB Dean of Admissions Rosemaria Martinelli and her team. The same day they will enjoy a tour of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in Evanston. During each campus visit members will have opportunities to meet with admissions officers and tour school facilities. The day will close with a private dinner for AIGAC members at a downtown Chicago restaurant.

The conference’s second day will be hosted at the Gleacher Center, the U. of Chicago’s state-of-the-art downtown campus. The day will feature a full schedule of panel discussions including:

• Admissions Officials Panel – Admissions officers such as Mae Shores (UCLA/Anderson), Peter Johnson (Berkeley/Haas), Sherry Wallace (UNC/Kenan-Flagler), Tamsin Shillitoe (London Business School), and Christie St. John (Dartmouth/Tuck) will discuss what makes their programs unique, what they look for in applicants, and how consultants can help to make the admissions process more effective.
• Best Consulting Practices Panel – Admissions consultants including Linda Abraham, Maxx Duffy, and Anna Ivey will discuss how they overcome day-to-day challenges such as the client selection process, working with clients with unrealistic expectations, and managing chronic procrastinators.
• Technology & CRM Panel – Representatives from some leading CRM and business productivity software companies will introduce themselves and show how their tools can help small admissions consulting businesses manage client relationships, market their services, and manage virtual workforces.

In the afternoon of June 19, AIGAC will sponsor an event for MBA admissions officers attending the Graduate Management Admission Council’s annual conference, just a few blocks away at the Chicago Marriott. This will give AIGAC conference attendees a comfortable environment in which to dialogue with admissions officers from dozens of top business schools from around the world.

The conference’s organizer, Graham Richmond, Co-founder and CEO of admissions consultancy Clear Admit and AIGAC’s Treasurer, is pleased with the way the event is shaping up. “When embarking on the organization of this event, the AIGAC Events Committee frankly wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of interest, but we decided to follow a ‘If you build it, they will come’ philosophy. As a result, we’ve assembled an event that will offer unrivaled access to leading graduate programs, extensive networking opportunities and sound advice from experts in the field — not to mention some great food and socializing.”

The strategy worked. Registrations have already exceeded AIGAC’s original goal by 200%. Linda Abraham, AIGAC’s President and Founder and president of admissions consultancy Accepted.com, enthused about the conference: “I am excited about the school visits, because I always acquire insight when I visit a campus. I am excited about the panels because I know I will learn a lot. And I am excited about the opportunity to network with representatives of top admissions consultancies.”

The Conference is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Veritas Prep, Manhattan GMAT, and NY Test Prep.