Jovany Romero, now a sophomore at Western Oregon University, advises students to learn from his mistakes: "Have back up plans, if things don't go as planned...and finish applications way before the due date!"
Students, parents and teachers wrote postcards to elected officials as part of National GEAR UP Week - sharing their plans for after high school and the role of GEAR UP.
Former GEAR UP coordinator Susan Smith told her students they needed to get a college degree - and then showed them it's possible to follow your dreams at any time.