GEAR UP, which stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, is a federal program whose mission is to significantly increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education.
In 2005, the U.S. Department of Education awarded GEAR UP Hawai‘i a 6-year, $15.3 million grant which is matched by $15.3 million of commitments from Hawai‘i partners. Project activities aim to increase access to higher education for Hawai‘i students by providing information and encouragement for students and families, supporting students’ academic preparation, and increasing students’ access to financial aid.

There is an absolute wealth of information available on the GEAR UP website at http://gearup.hawaii.edu/.