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The Making Advanced Plans for Success program is part of a United States Department of Education initiative named Project Gear-Up. The Department of Physics coordinates the University of Memphis participation in this project in partnership with the Memphis City Schools and Southwest Tennessee Community College. The goal of the overall federal program is to assure that middle and high school students who might otherwise never consider the benefits of higher education are aware of the possibilities and are given realistic information about College and adequate preparation before they arrive for the Freshman year. The program in Memphis is focuses on schools within the bottom third in performance in the Memphis City system.

University participation has two main components, an academic year tutoring component and a summer day-camp component. While tutoring is provided in all academic subjects, there is a decided emphasis on science and mathematics in the realization that students who discontinue their studies in these areas are seldom prepared to resume them in college and thus are excluded from the majority of technologically based career opportunities. The summer component involves a number of day camps which City Schools students may attend. The camps are intended to give a slice of the college experience to these students, who attend lecture-demonstrations in physics, chemistry and other subjects, get hands-on computer experience, participate isn discussions and receive academic counseling. There’s even a bit of home work.