About GEAR UP
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is a federal program aimed at equalizing access to higher education for low-income students. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is the grant holder for UTRGV GEAR UP College in ACTion!, a grant designed to begin with a 7th grade cohort and provide supplemental services to this group of students through middle school, high school, and the first year of college. The mission of the UTRGV GEAR UP College in ACTion! is to significantly increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Currently in year four, UTRGV GEAR UP College in ACTion! serves 10th grade students, parents, and teachers in Brownsville, Edinburg, and La Joya.