GEAR UP is an acronym for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. It is a seven-year federal grant program that provides services and assistance for low-income students to help them successfully graduate from high school and prepare for college.

To provide awareness, academic readiness, and opportunities for all GEAR UP Utah students by engaging them early, expanding their capacities, increasing student expectations for successful completion of high school, and supporting students in their pursuit of post-secondary education and future aspirations.

GEAR UP Utah will excel at providing meaningful, high-quality services designed to empower individual students to graduate high school and succeed in post-secondary education.

• Integrity
• Care
• Accountability
• Unity
• Growth
• Inclusion

Grant Objectives

• Increase academic performance and preparation for post-secondary education for GEAR UP students.
• Increase the rate of high school graduation and enrollment in post-secondary education for GEAR UP students.
• Increase GEAR UP students’ and their families’ knowledge of post-secondary education options, preparations, and financing.
• Increase GEAR UP students’ success in their first year of attendance at an institution of higher education.

Grant Abstract

GEAR UP UTAH will implement the proposed activities using the Priority Student Model in a wide area implementation covering a service region of over 21,000 square miles. A total of 16 school districts and 53 schools in 11 counties throughout the state will participate. The majority of these schools and districts participated in the highly successful 2011-2018 Utah’s Statewide GEAR UP Education Program grant led by Utah Valley University. The number of students and the scope of direct student services have been expanded in this state grant proposal, along with an ongoing comprehensive, outcomes-oriented evaluation governing all project processes and interventions.

Grant Highlights

• 30,130 secondary students projected to be served statewide
• 3, 847 first year of college students projected to be served statewide
• $24.5 million for 2017-2024

Grant Services

• Tutoring & Mentoring
• Academic Counseling
• College Readiness Preparation
• Financial Aid Assistance
• First Year in College Support
• Parent & Family Support
• Financial Literacy Education
• Increased program Evaluation & Data Gathering