Educational Opportunity Centers The Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) program provides counseling and information on college admissions to qualified adults who want to enter or continue a program of postsecondary education. An important objective of EOC is to counsel participants on financial aid options and to assist in the application process. The goal of EOC is to increase the number of adult participants who enroll in postsecondary education institutions.
The GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) program is a discretionary grant program designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. GEAR UP provides five-year grants to States and partnerships to provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP grantees serve an entire cohort of students beginning no later than the seventh grade and follow the cohort through high school. GEAR UP funds are also used to provide college scholarships to low-income students.
Student Support Services Student Support Services helps low-income students to stay in college until they earn their baccalaureate degrees. Participants, who include disabled college students, receive tutoring, counseling and remedial instruction. Students are now being served at 938 colleges and universities nationwide.
Talent Search programs serve young people in grades six through 12.
In addition to counseling, participants receive information about college admissions requirements, scholarships and various student financial aid programs. This early intervention program helps people from families with incomes under $24,000 (where neither parent graduated from college) to better understand their educational opportunities and options. Over 387,604 Americans are enrolled in 471 Talent Search TRIO programs.