First Semester
During the first semester the GEAR UP College Day Program Counselors conduct a series of in-school presentations/workshops to the GEAR UP members in grades 10-11 in 5 Detroit Public High Schools. This is a cohort group of students where many have been in the program since the seventh grade. The focus of the presentations/workshops is grade-level appropriate college preparatory information. Each activity emphasizes the importance of post-secondary education.
10th grade:
Students in this grade focus on test-taking skills and strategies in preparation for the ACT PLAN Test and the PSAT, note-taking skills, reading comprehension, and “Be Your Best on Tests”, Tips to help you improve test scores.
11th grade:
Students in this grade are preparing to take the American College Testing (ACT) and the Michigan Merit Exam (MME). Students will review test-taking skills that were established from the 10th grade workshop to help reach their success on these exams. Participants will also be informed about postsecondary educational opportunities, including 4-year universities/colleges and 2 -year community colleges, financial aid, and career planning.
Second Semester
In the second semester, the GEAR College Day Program Counselors expose students to career choices. Students are also given the option to participate in the Youth Leadership Summit in Washington D.C. for the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP)/ GEAR UP Annual Conference in July of each year. Interested students must complete an application, essay and a reference form and must be selected to participate in the conference.
10th grade
Students in this grade are provided the opportunity to participate in the Junior Achievement (JA) Finance Park Budget Camp in Detroit. The goals of the JA Finance Park are to provide students with an economic education program as it relates to career goals, personal responsibility and self-management.
11th grade
Students in this grade have an on-campus visit to Wayne State University for “Career Mentorship: College Majors = Career Choices’. This all day event to campus allow students to participate in department activities with the College of Medicine, Nursing, Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, Business Administration, Law School, Engineering and the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. The departments provide career exploration for the students and academic requirements for their program.
During the summer students also are given the option to participate in the Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy and the newly introduced Law and Leadership Academy in June and July. An application is needed and a committee selects students.
