GEAR UP - Worcester

GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) at Worcester East Middle School (WEMS) and North High School is a federally funded project of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, Inc. and the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education.WPS seniors celebrate completion of GEAR UP

Since its beginning in September 1999, GEAR UP has served cohorts of students in grades 7 and 8 at WEMS and grades 9-12 at North High School as well as their parents, teachers and guidance counselors. The program fosters school-wide changes that promote and increase college awareness and readiness. Services include early college/career awareness group activities, individual postsecondary advising, and parent outreach activities.

GEAR UP services include:

  • early college and career awareness workshops
  • after-school MCAS prep/tutoring
  • early college-planning parent workshops (college admissions, financial aid and career planning information)
  • career exploration activities such as career interest inventories, computer-based career research lessons, career speakers and fairs, and site visits
  • field trips to college campuses
  • academic and recreational enrichment summer programs that include activities such as the Annual Leadership Camp, the GEAR UP Ambassador's annual Summer Leadership Institute, Hands-on Summer Transition Camp, and project-based video production instruction

Helpful Links

  • Suggestions for Planning for College
  • myschoolonline.com - Useful information and interactive communication tools to help busy parents help their children succeed. Includes quizzes, polls, discussion groups and articles on parenting and education subjects.
  • Bridges.com - Career & college information
  • College Board - Helpful college and career planning information
  • mapping-your-future.org - A great place to start for early college and career planning.
  • petersons.com - Look up information on specific colleges and universities.
  • myroad.com - A great site for career information
  • thinkcollegeearly.org - Early college planning information for students in middle school
  • MidLink Magazine - An online magazine written for middle school students by middle school students. Students are encouraged to respond/contribute to the content of the magazine.