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The Academy Group’s Boston college tour gives Los Angeles students firsthand exposure to MIT, Babson and Boston University while expanding college access.
For many young people, imagining a future at a top university begins with seeing what that future could look like. This past weekend, Los Angeles members of The Academy Group traveled to Boston for a college tour featuring visits to MIT, Babson College and Boston University.
The experience reflects a larger part of The Academy Group’s mission: expanding college access and creating opportunities that help young people see new possibilities for their academic and professional futures.
Creating Access Beyond the Classroom
Founded in 2017, The Academy Group works with young people from resilient communities, supporting them from elementary school through college and into their careers. Its programs focus on three areas: building belief and agency, building careers and building wealth.
College exposure is an important part of that journey. The organization’s high school programming includes college preparation, career readiness, campus tours and opportunities to explore institutions across the country. The Academy Group says its national college tours are designed to expose students to different colleges and academic programs, helping them learn more about where they might apply.
That mission is especially meaningful as The Academy Group approaches its 10th year. What began in Chicago has expanded to include programs in Boston and Los Angeles, with the organization continuing to build pathways for young people to pursue academic, professional and wealth-building opportunities.
College access is not only about getting students into a classroom. It is also about helping them envision themselves there.
Seeing What’s Possible in Boston
For the Los Angeles students who made the trip, Boston offered an opportunity to experience several distinct college environments firsthand.
The tour included Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a leading institution known for its work across science, technology, engineering and other disciplines. Students also visited Babson College, where entrepreneurship and business education are central to the academic experience, and Boston University, a major research university in the heart of Boston.
The value of a trip like this goes beyond checking campuses off a list. Walking through a university, experiencing its surroundings and learning about its programs can make an unfamiliar possibility feel tangible.
The Academy Group’s Los Angeles program already places emphasis on college and career preparation, with members receiving personalized guidance as they navigate academics, applications and internships. The program also provides college access and persistence advising, financial support and career exposure.
The Boston tour built on that foundation, giving students another opportunity to explore what comes next.
For Eventnoire, experiences like this are worth highlighting because they show how access can be created through intentional opportunities. A college tour may last only a few days, but the perspective it provides can influence how a young person thinks about their education, career and future.
The Academy Group’s Boston visit was ultimately about more than three campuses. It gave students the chance to see new environments, ask bigger questions and imagine themselves in places they may not have considered before.