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.
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.
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
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.
Latest News
App State’s Corinne Smith honored as 2025 national GEAR UP Professional Leader of the Year
Jul 21, 2025
BOONE, N.C. — Corinne Smith, director of Appalachian State University’s GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate...
GEAR UP Alumni Spotlight: Bella Powers
Jul 13, 2025
The GEAR UP Guarantee is a guaranteed admissions program to Appalachian State University for students in participating GEAR UP Appalachian programs. I...
Former GEAR UP Student Returns as Chaperone
Jul 11, 2025
Katie Matheson, a 2020 graduate of Ashe County High School, remembers vividly the first time she joined a GEAR UP college bus tour as a student. She v...