
Information for Scholars and Families
Information for Prospective Students
The Rutgers Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS) program can help you successfully graduate high school, prepare for college admission, and post-secondary enrollments.
- Students attend workshops that provide them with new skills including note-taking, time-management, and study strategies.
- UBMS programs take students on various college tours and visits to explore college and career options.
Here's what to expect when you join UBMS.
9th Grade Goals
Students discover their interests and begin the process of basic career exploration. They are taught to plan short- and long-term goals and develop the skills necessary to become successful high school scholars:
- Develop a four-year high school plan towards college admissions
- Develop and implement notetaking and study skills
- Work on test-taking and time-management skills
- Begin creating an activities list/résumé
- Learn more about various colleges/universities and future careers
10th Grade Goals
Scholars begin to understand what to look for in a college or university and what admissions counselors look for in an applicant:
- Maintain 4 Year High School Plan towards college admissions
- Explore various types of colleges and learn what each has to offer
- Understand how college admissions officers evaluate applications
- Analyze college applications and introduction to financial aid process
11th Grade Goals
Students review their college choices and prepare supporting documents for the college application and scholarship search:
- Maintain 4 Year High School Plan towards college admissions
- Must take SAT/ACT preparation course
- Résumé development
- Narrow down college choices and potential career options
- Begin financial aid planning
12th Grade Goals
Scholar completes a Senior Portfolio which includes:
- Personal statement/supplemental writing assignment
- Top College Presentations
- College Applications
- Financial Aid Appeal Letter
- Scholarship Application Check List
- Résumé/Activity List
- Recommendation Letter Request Form
Am I eligible? How do I apply?
Find answers to some frequently asked questions.
Information for Current Scholars
Find resources and documents to help you on your Upward Bound Math-Science journey.
College Planning Tools
Use these important tools to aid in your college planning process:
- Coalition for College Access, Affordability and Success: Learn about, plan for, and apply to college using this free college-planning tool.
- College Board: Take practice SAT tests and learn about different colleges.
- U.S. News & World Report: Best Colleges: Explore top ranked colleges and universities.
- Senior Checklist (PDF): Review your steps for college for your senior year.
Accordion Content
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- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): Complete the form to apply for financial aid for college, career school, or graduate school.
- BigFuture Scholarship Search: The Scholarship Search feature on the BigFuture website allows students to explore scholarships, financial aid, and internship opportunities from over 2,200 programs (totaling almost $6 billion). Students can personalize their search and filter results based on academic interests, award types, club and organization membership, and military status.
- College Greenlight: Among the many resources on this site are tools to help students navigate and access over $11 billion in scholarship funds. Students can create a free College Greenlight profile and be matched to scholarship opportunities for which they qualify. Students can search through local scholarships based on their geographic region and merit-based scholarships.
- Appily: College Planning Assistance.
- Fastweb: A free scholarship search platform that connects students to college scholarships, trade school scholarships, and financial aid news and resources. Our goal is to help you find scholarships to make college and trade school more affordable.
- Get Schooled: Helps young people get to college, find first jobs, and succeed in both. Students with questions about scholarships or financial aid can text HELLO to 33-55-77 to get answers via text message. The website and mobile platform also offer a scholarship database and job-search tools.
- RaiseMe: Students can sign up for free to create a RaiseMe account and earn micro-scholarships for their accomplishments as early as 9th grade. High school students and college students attending community colleges or four-year colleges can add their achievements to their RaiseMe portfolio and earn a micro-scholarship for each of their achievements from specific colleges. If the student attends the college, they will be awarded the micro-scholarship.
- Scholarships.com: Allows high school, college, nontraditional, and adult learners to complete a free profile and then get matched to eligible scholarships and grants from colleges, universities, organizations, foundations, corporations, government, and more. In addition to its scholarship directory, the website compares searchable information on more than 4,000 colleges and universities, including admission statistics, athletics, enrollment data, academic majors, tuition, and financial aid.
- SwiftStudent: Students can learn about the financial aid appeal process, review eligibility requirements, and customize free template appeal letters to submit to their college financial aid office. This virtual resource guides students through the appeal process relating to numerous special circumstances that may make them eligible for an adjustment to their financial aid, such as recent job loss of a parent, a medical crisis, and loss of childcare or housing.
Program Documents & Seminar Assignments Submissions
Access your seminar assignments, documents, forms, and other academics on the Rutgers platform using your NETID:
Common Forms for Upward Bound Math-Science Scholars
Access these important PDFs during your Upward Bound Math-Science experience.
Summer Institute
A vital part of the Rutgers Upward Bound Math-Science experience, six-week on-campus program that all scholars are expected to attend. Typically, it begins at the end of June and concludes in early August. During this time, students utilize the campuses of Rutgers University–New Brunswick and return home on evenings and/or weekends.
The Summer Institute aims to create a college-like environment that encourages students to develop autonomy, increase academic responsibility, and expand their knowledge of their own scholastic competencies in preparation for college.
Prepare for the Summer Institute:
In-Person Summer Institute Orientation: Saturday, June 14, 2025
Dates: Monday, June 30, 2025 - Friday, August 8, 2025
Don’t forget to submit your online summer forms today!
Employment Opportunities
Academic Year
Academic Year positions for Upward Bound Math Science are designed to support students while they strive to excel during each school year. The various positions include tutors, part-time staff to assist with administrative duties, as well as Federal Work Study positions.
Summer Institute
Program Assistant, and tutors plus part-time Instructor positions. These positions are designed to provide support for the program's participants as program mentors, directly in the classroom as instructors, as well as supplemental support as tutors.
Information for Families
Rutgers Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS) has a commitment to our partner public schools—in New Brunswick, Perth Amboy, and Plainfield—for your student to receive the best college preparation and ultimately college admissions.
Fast Facts
- Students attend academic workshops and tutoring to strengthen their notetaking, time-management, test taking and study strategies to retain strong GPAs for high school completion and college admissions. 90% of program participants have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
- UBMS visit on various college tours and campus visits to explore college and career options. Some campus visits include: all Rutgers University campuses, The College of New Jersey, Rowan University, Ramapo College, Fairleigh Dickinson University, University of Connecticut, Yale University, Howard University, etc.
- UBMS provide hands on experience through Summer Externships with on-campus Faculty/Labs, science experiments and simulations.
- 100% of program’s graduating Class of 2024 earned college credits and enrolled in a post-secondary education program. Collectively received over 100 college acceptances including full academic funding and various presidential and private scholarships.
- 71% of program have received associate, bachelor, and master’s degrees within six years of High School graduation.
- Since 2000, program participants received a bachelor’s degree or higher. UB/UBMS alumni have graduated from Rutgers University, Harvard University, Brown University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Stevens Institute, Spelman College, Bennett College, North Carolina A & T University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Seton Hall University, etc.
- Since 2018, program participants have been Dells Scholars and Questbridge recipients at Hamilton College, Brown University, Duke University, and Dartmouth University.
Family Workshops & Resource Conference
Families can also attend various workshops throughout the academic year and Summer Institute. Some workshop topics include:
- Grade Level College Preparation
- Financial Aid/ Scholarships, Loan + Grants Overview
- Communication/Networking
- Advocacy
- College Visits/Campus Tours
- Menta Health/Social Awareness
- School Re-Entry
- and more!
Family Advisory Board
Families play a critical role in helping Upward Bound Math-Science meet its program objectives as essential motivators and teachers for children. As the official voice of Upward Bound Math-Science parents/guardians, the Family Advisory Board works with program staff to promote and enhance student programming, volunteering, fundraising, and community advocacy.
Questions?
Find answers to commonly asked questions.
About Pre-College Outreach Initiatives
Pre-College Outreach Initiatives are designed to prepare and assist college bound scholars and families with access and exposure to high school and postsecondary opportunities.
- Organize Undergraduate Student Volunteers Placements at University department and local communities
- Provide Tutoring and Mentoring to local elementary through high school students
- Monthly Mentor Workshop Series for University and Community Partners and student organizations
- Provide training and support resources with opportunity for digital badge
- Hosts Family and Community Workshops Series in the local community
- Hosts Hybrid College Panels, Fairs and AVID Summits
- Host on-campus programming for local schools and community organizations
About Upward Bound Math-Science
The Upward Bound Math-Science Pre-College program is one of the three TRIO programs at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. This year-round project provides scholars with a focused preparation for majors and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (S.T.E.M.), specialized college preparatory services including tutoring, mentoring, advising, programming, college courses, and on-campus experiences with research faculty to increase student persistence and graduation from high school and admission to colleges and universities. Upward Bound Math-Science also includes a mandatory summer institute on campus to prepare students for college life. Our supportive and educational resources help students to navigate the college admissions process. We work directly with public school districts to offer services that inform students and parents about the best ways to achieve educational success and development. Upward Bound Math-Science is working towards achieving the following project objectives to increase student success:
1. Academic Performance - Increase Grade Point Average
2. Academic Performance - Improvement on Standardized Tests
3. Retention & Graduation of Secondary Education
4. Academic Rigor
5. Postsecondary Enrollment
6. Postsecondary Completion
History & Mission
In the late 1960s, the term "TRIO" was coined to describe three federal outreach programs developed as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's war on poverty. In support of its commitment to provide educational opportunity for all Americans regardless of race, ethnic background, or economic circumstance, Congress established the Higher Education Act, from which a series of programs was created. Upward Bound was the first to emerge from the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. The second TRIO outreach program, Talent Search, was created in 1965 as part of the Higher Education Act. In 1968, Student Support Services, which was originally known as Special Services for Disadvantaged Students, was authorized by the Higher Education Amendments and became the third in this series of educational opportunity programs. Over 1,000 colleges, universities, community colleges, and agencies now offer TRIO Programs in America. Upward Bound Math-Science Pre-College Program has been at Rutgers University-New Brunswick since 2012.
Program Services
The program is divided into two components:
- Academic Year: Saturday Academy starts September through May with a series of academic workshops, panel sessions, hands-on lab activities, student development, and test prep sessions experiences.
- Summer Institute: Six-week summer institute where scholars are exposed academic courses, academic workshops, panel sessions, hands-on lab activities, student development, and test prep sessions experiences.
1. Academic, Career & Personal Counseling
Students are assigned an advisor who assists in the following areas:
- Academic Guidance
- College Preparation
- Financial Aid Information
- Personal Counseling
- Goal Setting and Future Planning
2. Campus Tours & College Visits
Scholars are provided the opportunity to explore various colleges and universities campuses throughout the country to discuss admissions, financial aid, and overall campus experience. The campus tours and college visits are designed to help scholars with requirements, scholarships, and other student opportunities allowing them to make informed decisions about their college choice and consider affordability.
3. Test Preparation
Test Anxiety, Test Management, Study Skills, SAT & ACT Test Clinics, and other supplemental instruction support are available for scholar one on one or small group participation.
4. Community Workshops
We host workshops year-round for scholars, families, and the community on the following topics but not limited to:
- College Admissions Process
- College Planning and Preparation
- Financial Aid Information & Scholarships
- Financial Literacy
- College Debt Management
5. Specialized Courses & Programming
Scholars participate in special courses or programs at Rutgers University and other host institutions such as:
- Research
- Public Speaking
- Science Fairs & STEM Challenges
- SAT/ACT & Test Preparation
- High School Outreach weekends
- Peer Mentoring
- University Credit Bearing Courses
- Student Ambassador
- Peer Mentoring Program
- National Society for Black Engineers Jr. (NSBE Jr.)
- Additional courses or programs as determined by student need or request.
6. Academic Support Awards
Scholars have the potential to be nominated to receive academic support stipends for achieving success in grades, perfect attendance, grade improvement, College Application and FAFSA Completion challenges during the academic year. During the summer, students can earn stipends and awards based on performance and academic competitions. All Awards are contingent upon available funding.