How one rural district boosted its FAFSA completion rate to one of the highest in the state

The Yancey County School District in rural, western North Carolina, a part of Appalachian State GEAR UP, has one of the highest FAFSA completion rates in the state, increasing by 16 percentage points from 2019 to 2020. Through 3 integrated approaches: 1) dedicated time, space, and staff; 2) a caseload approach; and 3) culture and relationships, success in FAFSA completion has dramatically increased.…

West Virginia GEAR UP Graduate Gives Back to New Cohort of Students as She Succeeds in Academia

Beginning in the seventh grade, West Virginia GEAR UP helped to shape Taylor Raby's future. Years later, she is giving back to her community as a College Access Program Specialist while pursuing her Ed.S. degree. Today, she reflects on how the GEAR UP program guided her and how it will help the next generation of students successfully pursue their postsecondary education in both West Virginia and…