Client Problem Competition (CPC)
The Client Problem Competition (CPC) is an annual student team competition held at the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology (AACS) conference every year. The 2025 conference is in St. Louis Missouri from October 16 – 19, 2025, but AACS invites both on site and virtual participation in our 2025 CPC. All participants, including students and faculty mentors, will need to be current members of AACS and register for the conference. Those attending on site will need to complete the regular registration process, those participating virtually will need to complete the limited virtual registration process.
The teams consist of 2 to 6 undergraduate students, under the guidance of a faculty member, attempting to solve the client’s problem. The 2025 client will be announced a few weeks before the conference and the problem will be announced on the opening day of the conference – Thursday October 16th – in a special session.
This event provides students with the opportunity to utilize their sociological skills, experience teamwork, and serves as a valuable network for the next generation of practicing sociologists. The teams will present their solution to the client representative(s) and members of the AACS executive committee at the 2025 conference in a session that is open to all conference registrants.
The winning team’s university or college receives a plaque and the members of the team receive 4 years of free membership with AACS.
For more information about this event, please contact the program chair at aacslead@gmail.com.
Faculty Advisors should register their teams for the competition via the form linked below no later than September 15th 2025.
Note: If you are a faculty sponsor for more than one team then you will need to submit this form for each team that you are advising.
Note: participants are not fully registered for the conference or CPC competition until they complete the conference registration form here https://forms.gle/5eqwnBgdFZaNTZqx8 AND pay their registration fee here (Registration – AACS)
Note: if you would prefer to pay for the team as a whole through an invoice please contact Fonda Martin at SAC_AACS@emich.edu with this request.
You must be a current member (Joined or Renewed on or after July 1, 2025) to register at the lower membership reduced rate.
You must be a current member to participate in the CPC.
You can join or renew your membership to AACS HERE — Join AACS – AACS
Student participants should also complete the student programs application form here:
The priority deadline for the student application form is August 1st – regular deadline is September 1st.
The deadline to submit the completed CPC form is September 15, 2025.
The deadline for all CPC participants to be registered is October 1, 2025.