Ninth-grade students in the AVID program recently organized and hosted a college fair designed to highlight their research, collaboration and presentation skills. The event invited parents and students to explore a series of trifolds where freshmen presented universities they had researched as part of an AVID assignment on the second floor of the Johnson Center on March 3.
For the project, each group constructed a trifold presentation board containing key information about their chosen school. Students researched topics including admissions requirements, tuition and financial aid, available majors, campus life, student services and notable alumni. In addition to the informational displays, groups were required to design a creative or interactive element to engage visitors. Many booths incorporated activities, flyers, or candy to attract attention and encourage participation.
Carlos Ayala and his group presented the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a university widely known for its emphasis on technological innovation and advanced research. Ayala explained that his group chose MIT because of its strong focus on science and technology.
“The most surprising thing I learned about this university while researching was the average admission stats,” Ayala said. “The scores students usually apply with are near perfect. While I expected them to be high, I didn’t expect them to be this high,” Ayala said.
Throughout the research process, Ayala said his group worked collaboratively while dividing tasks to ensure equal participation. One of the most distinctive features of their presentation was the creative component, which incorporated electronics controlled by a microcontroller.
“I believe it was a little more unique, despite being relatively simple,” Ayala said.
Another participant, Amelie Ramirez, represented Arizona State University alongside her partner. The group selected the university largely because of how its academic programs aligned with their future career interests.
“My partner and I chose this college because they had a career pathway in medicine and law for my partner,” Ramirez said. “For me they have this forensic program called Death Investigation that helps you get more hands-on experience with crime scenes since I want to be a forensic pathologist,” Ramirez said.
Their research included information about housing options, tuition costs, academic programs, scholarships, admissions requirements, campus traditions, and student life. During the research process, Ramirez said she discovered several surprising facts about the university.
“One of the most surprising things I learned about ASU was how their mascot attends alumni weddings, and how President Theodore Roosevelt held a speech at ASU,” Ramirez said.
To make their booth more interactive, Ramirez and her partner created a game called ‘Pin the Pitchfork on the Sun Devil’ based on the university’s mascot. Ramirez said engaging with visitors through the activity was one of the highlights of the event.
“So far my favorite part of the college fair is letting people play our game,” Ramirez said.
Although many presenters remained at their booths throughout the event and did not have the opportunity to explore other displays, students still gained new insights about higher education through their research. Ayala explained that the project helped him better understand the level of effort required to gain admission to highly selective universities.
“It shows me that unless you’re willing to try harder than others, then you’re less likely to make it into a good school,” Ayala said.
Ramirez also said the project changed how she views the process of selecting a college.
“I never realized that people would do so much research to pick the college that is just right for them,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez highlighted the event’s importance, recommending it to incoming freshmen.
“I would recommend this project again for future students so they can get a deeper knowledge of a university they are interested in attending and being able to learn about so many different universities,” Ramirez said.
