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Welcome to Upward Bound

Upward Bound, a college preparation program for high school students, has been hosted at Portland State University since 1976.

Who we are

Upward Bound, funded by the U.S. Department of Education at $416,960, is a year-round program designed to improve students' academic and study skills in high school, to develop their career and educational plans, and to help them enter and succeed in higher education.

Who we serve

Upward Bound serves 81 low income, first generation high school students from the following schools or campuses: Franklin High School, Grant High School, Jefferson Campus, Madison High School, Marshall Campus, and Benson High School. To date, 95% of our students stay in our program through high school graduation and since 1998, 80% of our students are still either in college or have graduated.Only current-term PSU students may use our services as we are funded by student fees.

What we do

All students receive

  • Academic guidance and counseling on a year-round basis
  • Daily tutoring in high school courses
  • Semester-long courses for high school credit
  • A 6-week summer academic program
  • Assistance with career and college planning and financial aid
  • Opportunities for summer work-study positions (up to $900 for the summer)
  • Opportunities to visit colleges and explore careers
  • Technology skill-building: web design, photo editing, movie editing, Internet research skills