Information for Scholars and Families

Find resources and documents to help you on your Upward Bound 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.

Seminar Assignments

Access your seminar assignments, documents, forms, and other academics on the Rutgers platform:

• Canvas

A vital part of the Rutgers Upward Bound and 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 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:

• Virtual Summer Institute Orientation: Friday June 11, 2021
• Dates: Monday June 28, 2021-Friday August 6, 2021
• Complete your Summer Institute forms (Coming Soon!)

Academic Year

Academic Year positions for Upward Bound 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. 

Rutgers Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science (UB/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

• Since 2000, more than two-thirds of Upward Bound participants received a bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Students’ college awareness and acceptance have increased. UB’s Senior Class of 2017 received over 288 college acceptances collectively.
• UB/UBMS alumni graduated from Rutgers, Harvard University, Brown University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Spelman College, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Seton Hall University.
• Program participants have been Dells Scholars and Questbridge Recipients.
• Scholars have received full academic funding and various presidential and private scholarships.
• Students attend workshops that provide them with new skills including note-taking, time-management, and study strategies.
• UB/UBMS programs take students on various college tours and visits to explore college and career options.
• Through tutoring services, UB/UBMS strives to help students retain strong GPAs for college admission.

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/ Loan + Grant Overview's
• Communication/Networking
• Advocacy
• College Visits

Family Advisory Board

Parents/Guardians play a critical role in helping Upward Bound meet its program objectives as essential motivators and teachers for children. As the official voice of Upward Bound parents/guardians, the Family Advisory Board works with program staff to promote and enhance student programming, volunteering, fundraising, and community advocacy. 

The Upward Bound program is one of the four TRIO programs at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. This year-round project has been in operation for over 54 years and it offers academic year workshops such as SAT preparation, cultural activities, college tours, and college planning. Upward Bound 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.

Rutgers Upward Bound Math-Science is an additional grant program initiated in 2012 at Rutgers University–New Brunswick to provide similar services as the traditional Upward Bound program but with a key difference. Upward Bound Math-Science serves students with a focused preparation for majors and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (S.T.E.M.) This program provides young scholars with a series of 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.

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 and Upward Bound Math-Science is working towards achieving the following project objectives to increase student success:

• Academic Performance - Increase Grade Point Average
• Academic Performance - Improvement on Standardized Tests
• Retention & Graduation of Secondary Education
• Academic Rigor
• Postsecondary Enrollment
• Postsecondary Completion

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 is a six-week summer institute where scholars are exposed to the following activities.
   

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

Students will be invited to various colleges and universities throughout the country to discuss admissions. These visits are designed to help participants with requirements, scholarships, and other student opportunities allowing them to make informed decisions about their college choice and consider affordability.
 

3. Test Preparation

Supplemental instruction may be available in the following areas:

• Test Anxiety, Management Workshops
• SAT & ACT Tests
• Supplements for any other required test as needed
   

4. Community Workshops

We host the following workshops year-round for students, families, and the community on:

• College Planning and Preparation
• Financial Aid Information
• Financial Literacy
• College Debt Management
   

5. Specialized Courses & Programming

Students will be invited to participate in special courses or programs at Rutgers University and other host institutions in New Jersey, such as:

• University courses with the opportunity to receive credit
• Research
• Public speaking
• Saturday Academy programs
• SAT/ACT & Test Preparation
• High School Outreach weekends
• Peer Mentoring
• Additional courses or programs as determined by student need or request
• Student Ambassador
• DOPE Peer Mentoring Program
• National Society for Black Engineers Jr. (NSBE Jr.)
   

6. Academic Support Awards

Students have the potential to be nominated to receive stipends under the Directors Honors and Distinguished Honors awards for achieving success in grades, perfect attendance, and grade improvement during the academic year. During the summer, students can earn stipends and awards based on performance and academic competitions.