While Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search share an overarching goal, there are important differences. Students are accepted into Upward Bound at the ninth or tenth grade levels. Academic preparation is intensive in both programs but offered in different ways.

Upward Bound holds whole group “Saturday College” events several times during the academic year, along with individual advising meetings at the host schools. In addition, Upward Bound includes a residential summer program where students live on the college campus for up to six weeks in the residence halls, taking academic enrichment courses, electives, and participating in work experience or taking college courses for credit, and generally getting a taste of what college life entails in a protected, supportive environment.

Both programs offer services such as tutoring, college visits, assistance with college, scholarship and financial aid applications, college entrance test preparation and numerous other services meant to address specific barriers to college. In both programs, parents and partner schools team with TRiO College Access Services to insure that each student has the best opportunity possible to achieve his or her college dreams.

The goal of all three programs TRiO College Access Services offers is to help students with the motivation and skills they need to get into college, and then to succeed and earn a degree.