Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is a federal grant program providing middle and high school students from low-income families in south King County with the support they need to access and succeed in college. Beginning in sixth and seventh grades, 4,300 students participate in GEAR UP for seven years. The program helps students enter STEM fields, offering support through tutoring, mentoring, financial aid instruction, college and educational field trips, teacher professional development and parent empowerment.