GEAR UP
GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is a federally funded college access program designed to increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education immediately after high school.
We aim to improve college-going mindsets, high school graduation rates, and postsecondary enrollment rates through a wide range of research-grounded services to students, families, and teachers.
Objectives
Our work focuses on five main areas of postsecondary planning and preparation:
- strengthening academic preparation for postsecondary success
- providing intentional and comprehensive advising throughout students’ secondary and postsecondary careers
- developing curricular and extra-curricular experiences that inform and prepare students to take their next step
- improving students’ families’ ability to support their students through postsecondary planning and preparation
- continually working within our own institutions to remove barriers to college access, persistence, degree attainment, and transfer
Student and Family Initiatives
GEAR UP seeks to prepare all students to be college ready with a focus on academics, skills, and support for students and families. Learn about the various GEAR UP programs and initiatives available for students and families.
Partners
Appalachian GEAR UP strives to promote and improve access to higher education in 17 partnering districts around western North Carolina and leverages strategic partnerships to increase postsecondary enrollment. Appalachian GEAR UP provides college-going programming to students and families, academic support in schools, professional development for teachers and administrators, and more in order to improve college access in rural western North Carolina.
- AB Tech
- Alleghany County Schools
- Appalachian State University
- Ashe County Schools
- Blue Ridge Community College
- Burke County Schools
- Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute
- Carolina Demography
- Catawba County Schools
- Catawba Valley Community College
- CCREC (College and Career Readiness Evaluation Consortium)
- Clay County Schools
- Constructive Learning Design
- Cool Speak
- Emerald Education
- FIRST
- Graham County Schools
- Isothermal Community College
- Jackson County Schools
- Leading EDge Learning
- Macon County Schools
- Madison County Schools
- MasteryPrep
- Mayland Community College
- McDowell County Schools
- McDowell Technical Community College
- myFutureNC
- National Council for Community and Education Partnerships
- National Postsecondary Strategy institute
- National Student Clearinghouse
- NC Department of Public Instruction
- Participate Learning
- Public School Forum of North Carolina
- Southwestern Community College
- Swain County Schools
- Texas Instruments
- The Princeton Review
- Transylvania County Schools
- UNC Asheville
- Watauga County Schools
- Western Piedmont Community College
- Wilkes Community College
- Wilkes County Schools
- Yancey County Schools
GEAR UP Educator Support
GEAR UP supports teachers, providing educators in western NC access to support and resources, through grants, programming and professional development opportunities. Learn more about the opportunities and services of GEAR UP Educator Support.
