W.Va. GEAR UP to award nearly $500,000 in Financial Aid for College
Some high school students graduating this spring can expect some extra help paying for college. West Virginia GEAR UP has launched the West Virginia GEAR UP Incentive Award, a financial aid program that offers money for training beyond high school to students in 16 schools throughout the state.
Students must meet some criteria, but the Incentive Award is geared toward helping students who need money for college, and is not dependent on test scores or other measures of academic merit.
“We call it an incentive award, because that’s exactly what it is—an extra incentive for students to go to college in West Virginia,” Dr. Adam Green, Director of WV GEAR UP, said. “We want our young people to know that we support them in pursuing their education, and that we’re willing to put hard cash behind them to invest in their futures.”
West Virginia GEAR UP is a federally funded grant program. Funds for the Incentive Award were written into the initial grant proposal, and are provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Eligible students will receive at least $200 to help pay for their first year of college or training. Many students will receive more money—as much as $3,300—depending on individual need.
To receive the award, students must graduate from a West Virginia GEAR UP high school and attend a Higher Education Grant eligible institution in West Virginia in the fall of 2009. Students must have lived in West Virginia for at least one full calendar year at the time of application, and they must complete and submit a FAFSA form before May 1. Students can apply for the Incentive Award online at www.wvgearup.org. Applications must also be submitted by May 1. The Incentive Award can only be used to help pay for the first year of college, and it cannot be deferred.
WV GEAR UP will help more than 13,000 students over the next six years. The grant serves schools in parts of Boone, Clay, Lincoln, McDowell, Mingo, Roane, Summers, Webster, Wirt and Wyoming counties. Schools were chosen to be part of the West Virginia GEAR UP program based on the financial need of the communities they serve.
GEAR UP stands for “Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.” In addition to providing the annual Incentive Award for high school graduates, West Virginia GEAR UP will help students in eleventh and twelfth grade learn more about other financial aid programs, education and career options, and college application processes. WV GEAR UP will also work extensively with the class of 2014 to increase students’ academic performance and promote participation in college and technical training.
West Virginia GEAR UP is housed under The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (Commission). The Commission is the coordinating body for the state’s four-year public colleges and universities, and is responsible for developing, establishing and overseeing the implementation of a public policy agenda for the institutions.
The following is a list of West Virginia GEAR UP high schools and institutions where the West Virginia GEAR UP Incentive Award may be used.To receive the award, students must graduate from one of the following high schools, and then attend an eligible institution.
West Virginia GEAR UP High Schools:
Big Creek in McDowell County; Burch in Mingo County; Clay County High in Clay County; Gilbert in Mingo County; Iaeger in McDowell County; Lincoln County High in Lincoln County; Matewan in Mingo County; Mt. View in McDowell County; Roane County High in Roane County; Sherman in Boone County; Summers County High in Summers County; Tug Valley in Mingo County; Webster County High in Webster County; Westside High in Wyoming County; Williamson High in Mingo County; Wyoming County East in Wyoming County
Eligible Institutions:
Four Year: Public Institutions: Bluefield State College; Concord University; Fairmont State University; Glenville State College; Marshall University; Shepherd University; West Liberty State University; West Virginia State University; Potomac State College of WVU;West Virginia University or West Virginia University Institute of Technology
Two Year: Public Community and Technical Colleges: Blue Ridge Community and Technical College; Community and Technical College at West Virginia University Institute of Technology; Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College; Marshall Community and Technical College; New River Community and Technical College; Pierpont Community and Technical College; Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College; West Virginia Northern Community College; West Virginia State Community and Technical College; or West Virginia University at Parkersburg
Independent Institutions: Alderson-Broaddus College; Appalachian Bible College; Bethany College; Davis & Elkins College; Mountain State University (Beckley); Ohio Valley University; University of Charleston; West Virginia Wesleyan College; or Wheeling Jesuit University
Proprietary Institutions: Everest Institute; Huntington Junior College; Mountain State College (Parkersburg); Salem International University; Valley College-Beckley; Valley College-Martinsburg; Valley College-Princeton; WV Business College; WV Junior College-Bridgeport; WV Junior College-Charleston; or WV Junior College-Morgantown
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