College Visits

Students from across ACPS have been taking part in campus visits at various colleges including Christopher Newport, Marymount University, University of Maryland, Hampton University, Howard University, George Mason University, Georgetown, Old Dominion University, James Madison University, Mary Washington, Morgan State, Norfolk State, Northern Virginia Community College, Virginia Tech., University of Virginia, and William and Mary. Each quarter, students take part in a college or cultural trip to provide enriching experiences. Our students continue to develop their leadership and communication skills through mentoring and speaking engagements with younger AVID students. Students in grade 6-8 generally visit local colleges and universities, whereas AVID students in grades 9-12 visit targeted higher education locations based on students' interest. By the time a long-term ACPS AVID student graduates, they may have visited more than twenty colleges or universities.

Campus Exposure

Each quarter, students take part in college or cultural trips to provide enriching experiences. Students in grades 6-8 generally visit local colleges and universities, whereas AVID students in grades 9-12 visit targeted higher education locations based on students' interests. By the time a long-term ACPS AVID student graduates, they may have visited more than twenty colleges or universities. These colleges or universities include private and public-funded high education campuses. They may be considered smaller colleges in or outside of an urban center or they may be sprawling campuses across many acres situated in a more rural setting. Given our geographic location, we are sure to include visits to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWI) to expose all students. No matter the case, students have the opportunity to get a feel for the variety of possibilities afforded for their post-high school learning experience. During a student’s enrollment in AVID from middle school to high school, they may take part in more the 15-20 campus experiences. 

Popular College and Universities

ACHS AVID students tend to apply to many in-state colleges and universities, all of which are also AVID-visited colleges or universities and include:

• Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA
• Virginia Commonwealth University
• George Mason University
• Old Dominion University
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• James Madison University
• The University of Virginia
• Radford University
• The College of William and Mary 
• Virginia State University
• Pennsylvania State University* (out of state) 

Other popular campuses AVID students truly enjoy visiting and have high acceptance rates into include:

Christopher Newport, Marymount University, University of Maryland, Hampton University, Howard University, Georgetown, Mary Washington, Morgan State, and Norfolk State.

AVID Day Events

Each year, the AVID Eastern Division Office partners with a local college or university to set up a daylong event for local AVID school divisions and partner schools across the region. Over time, AVID Day at the University of Maryland and AVID Day at JMU have been two of the most popular events that ACPS AVID students have taken part in. These day-long events afford students a campus tour of the building and athletic facilities, as well as a chance to hear about special programming from panelists of students and staff. Additionally, major excitement often comes from eating onside at the local cafeteria and attending athletic events such as a college football or basketball game.