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GEAR UP TN

OUTCOMES

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GEAR UP TN helps students go to college.

Since 2005, GEAR UP TN has sought to increase the number of Tennesseans who access and succeed in higher education. Don’t take our word for it – check out our results below. 

students writing on a banner
GEAR UP TN is proud of the work we do and the students we serve. Below is a snapshot of our work since 2005.
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Schools Served
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Students Served
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Hours of Student Services Since 2012
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Schools Located in High Poverty, Low Resourced Areas of TN

GEAR UP TN SUCCESSES

GEAR UP TN 1.0

  • 2005 – 2011 
  • $21 million
  • Students: 6,164 students from nine rural school districts 
  • College enrollment: 10.7 percentage point increase over baseline
  • In fall 2011, 57.6% of the Class of 2011 cohort students enrolled in postsecondary institutions, an increase of 10.7 percentage points from pre-program enrollment.
  • Cohort students enrolled in postsecondary opportunities at the highest rate in the history of the GU direct-service counties and, for the first time, surpassed the state average. 

GEAR UP TN 2.0

  • 2012 – 2019
  • $29.5 million
  • Students: 51,887 students participated in 2,887,007 hours of direct services
  • 95% ACT participation
  • FAFSA Filing: 17 percentage point increase over baseline 
  • 85% of class of 2018 cohort students filed a FAFSA compared to 68% of comparison group students, which is the Class of 2017)
  • College enrollment: 10 percentage point increase over baseline
  • 62% of the original Class of 2018 cohort students enrolled in higher education immediately after high school graduation vs. 52% enrollment rate at GU high schools prior to program implementation

GEAR UP TN 3.0

  • 2017 – 2024
  • $24.5 million
  • Students: GEAR UP TN serves 6,000 students each year (3,250 cohort students and 2,750 seniors) 
  • Cohort graduated from high school in May 2023 
  • 17 participating high schools in 15 counties 
  • Services: 109,000 hours of services in 2020-2021 
  • Academic: cohort students passed Pre-Algebra (92 vs. 88%) and Algebra (79 vs. 75%) at higher rates than the comparison group students, which is the Class of 2022 
  • FAFSA: Each year, approximately 90% of seniors complete a TN Promise application, with 90% of Promise applicants filing a FAFSA by the deadline

GEAR UP TN 4.0

  • 2024 – 2031
  • $35 million 
  • Students: GEAR UP TN will provide direct services to over 9,000 students and families
  • Cohorts will graduate high school in May 2030 and May 2031 
  • 28 participating schools in 6 counties