Upward Bound

• Academic: We work with students in the schools providing coaching, mentoring, advising, cultural activities, and college tours.
• Summer Program: We host a 2 week on campus residential, 4 weeks off-campus immersive program on RIT’s campus. Students take enrichment classes with professors, working on projects and going on outings.

This is designed to help first-generation and/or low-income students who are enrolled in the Rochester City School District and other participating school districts. Each year a theme is chosen as the foundation for student-driven research, instruction, and projects.

Students selected to participate in Upward Bound are expected to attend all program events and activities. Activities take place after school, on some weekends, and during the summer. Students apply for our programs in the spring of their ninth-grade year and remain in the program until their sophomore year in college.

An applicant must be a:

• Ninth-, tenth-, or eleventh-grader at University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men, and Young Women's College Prep (Upward Bound Classic)
• U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Potential first-generation college student (i.e., residential parent does not have a four-year college degree) or low-income according to federal guidelines

In the classic Upward Bound program, students will participate in:

• Cultural events, academic programs, and other educational activities
• Activities designed to acquaint students with a wide range of career options
• Mentoring programs involving school teachers, faculty members at RIT, college students, and other professionals
• A summer instructional component designed to simulate a college-going experience