Get Ready Spotlights

Get Ready hosted Pep Rally events at middle schools to help rising ninth graders get excited for high school.

This spring, educators and employers from northern Minnesota came together for a regional Work-Based Learning (WBL) workshop series focused on strengthening career-connected learning opportunities for students. The series was launched by Get Ready GEAR UP Minnesota.

Celebrating the 2025–2026 FAFSA Challenge Winners. Get Ready GEAR UP Minnesota launched the Get Ready FAFSA Challenge to encourage schools to focus on FAFSA completion, celebrate progress, and recognize the educators, students, and families working together to expand access to critical financial aid.

Students Explore Future Pathways at Get Ready GEAR UP MN Entrepreneurial Conference on May 5th, 2026.

Get Ready GEAR UP Minnesota hosted an Expanding the Circle training in partnership with the University of Minnesota. Expanding the Circle is a postsecondary readiness curriculum designed to help American Indian youth explore who they are, identify the skills they need, and consider their options for life after high school.

Get Ready GEAR UP Minnesota is proud to partner with the Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council (SWPIC) to strengthen postsecondary and career readiness in Southwest Minnesota. SWPIC is our partner spotlight of the month.

The Get Ready GEAR UP Institute presented the College & Career Strategy Workshop for School District Leaders, in collaboration with the National Postsecondary Strategy Institute (NPSI).

Is College Worth It?: Get Ready's Senior Implementation Manager Participates in MPR News and Sahan Journal Community Discussion Panel

In July, four representatives from Get Ready, along with seven staff from partner schools – Brooklyn Center, Red Lake, and Fridley – attended the 2025 NCCEP/GEAR UP Annual Conference in San Francisco.

Steven Martinez Grande, a Pathway Coordinator at Get Ready GEAR UP Minnesota, recently co-hosted his first discussion lab as a member of the Student Engagement Committee for NCCEP.

This year, the Get Ready GEAR UP Minnesota program has provided scholarship offers to 237 students, committing up to $450,000 through no-cost extension funds.

Governor Tim Walz has proclaimed September 23-27, 2024, as GEAR UP Week!

Get Ready GEAR UP Minnesota, located in the Office of Higher Education, is honored to announce that it has been awarded $31,150,000 in a competitive federal GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

On June 12th, a wave of inspiration swept through the virtual gathering of students, faculty, staff, and proud families for the second annual Get Ready Student Success Scholarship Ceremony.

From April 17th to the 20th, a group of 26 high school students and 9 chaperones from 8 Get Ready partner schools embarked on a life-changing journey through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Tour.

At Saint Cloud State University (SCSU), Apollo High School's senior special education students embarked on an enriching field trip.