All four Monterey Bay public colleges and universities (CSU Monterey Bay, UC Santa Cruz, Hartnell College, and Monterey Peninsula College) offer college readiness programs that reach into local high schools to support low-income and first-generation students to prepare for college, get the financial aid they are eligible for, and enroll in higher education that aligns with their goals. Programs like Educational Talent Search and Upward Bound provide tutoring, advising, help with financial aid application, and college application support. Gear Up works within schools to provide extra support to one or more grades, following students from middle school through high school graduation. Each of these programs is proven to increase post-secondary enrollment and completion, and programs run by these four higher education institutions reach thousands of Monterey County students every year.
