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Interviews and photography contributed by Jordan Davis, Social Media & Marketing Specialist
APS College, Career & Postsecondary Workforce Readiness
Ramses Zamora has big plans.
The senior at Aurora Central High School is joining the military after graduation, but doesn’t want that to preclude him from continuing his education.
At the second-annual APS College Fair for the district’s 10th through 12th graders, Zamora was able to interact with college admission representatives. Those one-on-one conversations allowed him to ask about how to make his application stand out, plus ask about class options that could match his interest in business and agriculture.
“This has been a very good and eye-opening experience,” Zamora said outside a crowded exhibit hall at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center. “Especially for me, going into active duty when I ship out next June, they’ve given me many options for online classes to pursue that are eligible and accepted by the military to help kickstart a career while I’m serving.”
Isabella Rocha, a junior at Hinkley High School, used the fair as a chance to compare her current plan with what else is out there. An on-campus visit to Colorado State in February had her excited about the possibility of studying business and being a Ram. She’s concurrently enrolled and taking classes at Community College of Aurora, and was curious to see how her on-campus visit to CSU back in February stacked up with the resources that other schools offer.
“It was really fun today and I’m happy I was able to go to this event, where opportunities like this are here,” Rocha said. “I’m very grateful.”
Bridney Hernandez is another junior that’s balancing multiple interests as she ponders her next steps.
The Gateway High School student wants to stay in-state so that her CCA credits transfer, and is eyeing the University of Colorado in Boulder as a potential landing spot.
“I’m very interested in dermatology,” Hernandez said, “And I want to work as an esthetician while I’m in the premedical field. So it kind of got me a lot of insight on what to do, and kind of how to get into it. So it was really helpful to just go around and consider that I maybe want to do both.”
More than 50 colleges and vendors had reps at the fair, covering a wide swath of post-graduation options including trade and technical schools, branches of the military and area professionals.
.jpg "Adminstrators from Aurora Public Schools and Colorado Mesa University smile for the camera")
Included among them? Tables for the six schools with whom APS has direct admission agreements: CSU Pueblo, Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Northern Colorado, CU Denver, Community College of Aurora and now Colorado Mesa University.
In a special ceremony during the fair, APS Superintendent Michael Giles, Jr., and Colorado Mesa University Senior Vice President for Student Services Dr. Roberto Montoya signed a memorandum of understanding that will guarantee admission for APS seniors that carry a 3.0+ GPA, with scholarship eligibility for juniors with a 3.2+ GPA.
The agreement is further proof of concept of APS’ commitment to guiding students through every phase of their higher education journey and empowering them to feel confident in their next steps.
“What we really hope for from the student experience at the college fair is that the students know what their options are,” said Jackie Coppola, the Director of College and Career Success for Aurora Public Schools. “This event is really about providing access to all students across the district. We want to make sure that our students have all the information so they have the opportunity to make a choice for themselves when the time comes.”
October is College Awareness Month for Aurora Public Schools, which helps shine a spotlight on how groups like the APS College and Career Success Team work year-round to help prepare students for their next steps after graduation. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open for students, and Colorado’s 2026 Free Application Days run from October 20 through October 22.