AWC Senior Days Begin Oct. 14: Full Schedule and How to Attend

For Yuma-area high school seniors still deciding what comes next, the next two weeks offer a chance to explore their options. Arizona Western College is holding a series of Senior Days beginning Wednesday, Oct. 14, and continuing through Oct. 29, giving students a firsthand look at campus life before choosing a college program or career path.

Yuma High School students go first. Six more visits follow for other area schools through the end of the month.

According to AWC's Oct. 8 announcement, students will learn about majors and programs, take guided campus tours, participate in a scavenger hunt and have lunch on campus.

The idea is to give seniors a better sense of what college has to offer while there's still time to think about where they want to go after graduation.

Senior Day schedule

All seven events run from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at AWC's Yuma Campus, 2020 S. Avenue 8E.

• Oct. 14: Yuma High School
• Oct. 20: Cibola High School
• Oct. 21: San Luis High School and San Pasqual Valley High School
• Oct. 22: Gila Ridge High School
• Oct. 27: Kofa High School and Antelope High School
• Oct. 28: Somerton High School
• Oct. 29: Harvest Preparatory and PPEP TEC

There's a small discrepancy in that last entry. AWC lists the school as "PEPP TEC," while the school network's website uses PPEP TEC. The announcement doesn't identify a particular learning center, so families connected to that network should confirm which students are included.

How to attend

Students interested in attending should contact their high school counselor or email admissions@azwestern.edu for details.

AWC's announcement doesn't list a separate registration form or deadline, and it doesn't say students must register through their counselors.

There's also an option worth checking for seniors whose schools aren't on the schedule.

AWC's campus-tour page describes Senior Days as open to individual students as well as high school groups. That could be useful for homeschool seniors or students attending other schools, although the college doesn't specify which October dates individual students can join. Anyone interested should contact AWC before making the trip.

Families should also ask about transportation, permission forms and any costs. Lunch is included in the day's planned activities, but the announcement doesn't say whether meals or participation are free.

For questions, students and parents can contact Biridiana Martinez, AWC's Outreach, Recruitment & Early College Director, at Biridiana.Martinez@azwestern.edu or 928-317-6084.

AWC's Admissions and Outreach office can also be reached at 928-317-7673.

A chance to explore what's next

AWC offers transfer degrees, occupational degrees and certificates in fields ranging from business and nursing to agriculture and skilled trades. Some programs prepare students to continue their education at a university, while others focus on the skills needed for particular careers.

Students can explore those options ahead of time through the college's program directory.

It's worth arriving with a few questions. What does a particular program require? How long will it take? What will it cost? And if the goal is eventually to attend a university, which credits will transfer?

Families interested in financial aid, scholarships or dual enrollment should ask whether those subjects will be covered during the visit. AWC hasn't announced dedicated sessions on those topics.

For students who leave with more questions than answers, the college's Advisement Services can help with academic and career planning.

Four and a half hours on campus won't settle every decision about life after high school. But for seniors who haven't figured out their next move, seeing the possibilities in person is a reasonable place to start.