The Four Pillars of Student Success

GEAR UP Kentucky services are strategically aligned to the Four Pillars of Student Success, a theoretical framework used to engage, develop, and mobilize students and their key influencers in pursuit of student success. The Four Pillars are:

Self
Family
Institution
Community

These pillars, developed by Dr. Aaron Thompson, are inextricably interconnected. In an environment with both high expectations and support from all pillars, students are more likely to succeed.

F.A.C.E.S. of Postsecondary Readiness

GEAR UP Kentucky engages ALL four pillars to holistically support the students as they prepare for postsecondary success, ensuring students are:

Financially Ready Students can use effective money management strategies and are prepared to meet the cost of postsecondary education.

Academically Prepared
Students have a rigorous academic foundation and an identified postsecondary plan, and practice academic discipline behaviors essential to success.

Contextually Aware Students understand postsecondary education expectations and norms and can adapt to new people and systems.

Emotionally Resilient
Students can recognize and regulate their emotions, adopt a growth mindset, and believe they can achieve their educational goals through effort and determination.

Socially Connected Students can access and mobilize relationships for support and resources and develop meaningful connections within a new environment.

About GEAR UP Kentucky: An Overview

The GEAR UP Kentucky Vision: Every student prepared for postsecondary success.

The GEAR UP Kentucky Mission: The mission of GEAR UP Kentucky is to increase the number of students in low-income Kentucky communities who are ready to successfully transition to and through postsecondary education. We do this by providing services and support to prepare the whole student and equipping their families, institutions, and communities to promote and sustain student success.

About GEAR UP Kentucky
GEAR UP, short for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, is a federal grant program created by Congress in 1998 to help students prepare for life after high school. The program focuses on schools where the majority of students live in low-income households, working with students, families, and educators so that more young people graduate high school ready to succeed in college, career training, or other postsecondary opportunities.

In October 2025, the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) was awarded a seven-year, $35 million GEAR UP state grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This is the fifth statewide GEAR UP grant awarded to CPE, highlighting the Council’s strong track record of improving student access and success. The current project will serve more than 10,000 students in 16 middle and high schools across eight districts: Anderson County, Augusta Independent, Bath County, Mason County, Mercer County, Newport Independent, Pendleton County, and Washington County (as illustrated below).

What We Do

GEAR UP Kentucky offers a wide range of supports to students, families, and schools, including:

Scholarships: $4.8 million in scholarships for eligible GEAR UP graduates – a first for GEAR UP Kentucky.

Advisors in Schools: Dedicated college and career advisors in every GEAR UP school providing one-on-one postsecondary and career path exploration, transition planning, FAFSA and college application assistance, and peer leadership opportunities.

College & Career Experiences: Campus visits, career and industry tours, and summer bridge programs, to expose students early to campus and career environments.

Academic Preparation: A signature partnership with AdvanceKY to expand successful completion of Algebra 1, Advanced Placement (AP) and dual credit courses through teacher professional development and student support.

Family Engagement: Workshops, events, and resources to help families better understand financial aid, the FAFSA, and how to support their students’ postsecondary goals and transition.

First-Year Postsecondary Support: Continued services and support in students’ first year of college through virtual coaching, summer bridge programs, and peer support networks.

GEAR UP Kentucky implements continuous evaluation and improvement processes to ensure our strategies and services are effective in helping remove barriers and to identify best practices to inform statewide policy and practice.

Want to see some of the results from the first 25 years of GEAR UP Kentucky? Click here!