College is a dream and a plan. We make sure that students have what it takes to make higher education a reality.
GEAR UP focuses on students from low income and underserved communities who will likely be the first person in their family to go to college. We start working with young people in middle school, guiding them through the early years of college preparation. GEAR UP programs ensure that they have access to the people and the information needed to graduate from high school and go to college. We provide access to financial aid resources, but we also teach valuable study skills and provide mentorship opportunities. We believe that personal relationships fuel a student’s desire to go to college and are just as important as good grades and high test scores.
In 2005, the state of Washington received a six-year $21 million federal grant. The new program focuses on preparing 1,000 low-income seventh graders for college success by providing:
- Intensive tutoring
- Mentoring
- College/career planning information throughout the middle and high school years
- Access to financial aid resources
- Summer Programs
- College Tours
- Summer Institutes
- Teacher Training