Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in the TRIO: Upward Bound Program, the student must:

• Be a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident
• Be either or both:
  • Low-income according to the federal guidelines
  • A potential first generation college student (neither parent has completed a four year college degree)
• Be an incoming or current freshman, sophomore, or junior enrolled at one of the following Washington County Public Schools:
  • North Hagerstown High School
  • South Hagerstown High School
  • Williamsport High School
  • Hancock Middle Senior High School
• Have a desire to participate in all activities and have a willingness to work hard
• Be committed to attending post-secondary education
• Complete the application packet and interview with Upward Bound staff

Is Upward Bound the right fit for you?

• Are you a 9th, 10th, or 11th grader and have at least a 2.5 GPA in your college prep/core classes (Math, Science, English, and Social Studies)?
• Do you like to challenge yourself, learn new things, meet new people, and experience new things?
• Are you ready to commit two afternoons per week, one Saturday morning per month, and six weeks in the summer to preparing for college?

If you said yes, then Upward Bound is the place for you.

What services does Upward Bound offer?

• Tutoring services (2 times per week to reinforce core academic subjects)
• Saturday sessions (once a month) filled with college preparatory workshops, financial aid workshops, academic and career advising, scholarship research assistance, and more
• Field trips and college campus tours for cultural enrichment
• Community Service learning opportunities (students can earn SSL hours)
• 6-week Summer Academy coursework for academic skills building
• Guest speaker presentations for career development
• Parent sessions every other month
• Transportation to and from activities
• Breakfast and lunch provided at all activities
• Opportunities to earn college credit prior to attending college all tuition and fees are free to the student

How do I apply?

To enroll, a student must complete the application packet and interview with Upward Bound staff. We review all applications on a case by case basis and utilize a 60 day probationary period upon enrollment to give students an opportunity to understand the expectations of Upward Bound and show their commitment to the goal of attending college.