TRiO Upward Bound

The Upward Bound Program at Savannah State University (SSU) is designed to provide fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college entrance. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their pre-college performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits.

Upward Bound serves high school students from low-income families, as well as and high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor's degree. The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of post-secondary education.

During the academic year, students participate in Scholar Saturday Sessions once a month with an emphasis on academic instruction/enrichment activities. These sessions include assistance with test preparation, coursework and other enrichment activities. Students are also engaged in instruction/tutorial sessions four days per week at five target high school sites in the areas of mathematics, natural sciences, history and English. All Thursday sessions will be online in a virtual environment. Participants also receive career/college planning and placement assistance, SAT/ACT/GA-Milestones review sessions, cultural activities and field trips and individual and group counseling and advising sessions (personal/academic/career).

During the summer, in a simulated college environment, students reside in university residence halls, receive intensive academic instruction in mathematics, laboratory science, English composition/literature, reading, study skills, computer science, and foreign language.

Students also participate in community service projects, mentoring, cultural enrichment and work-study programs, as well as education and counseling services designed to improve financial and economic literacy. Additional courses such as dance, drama, wellness, art and chorus are infused in the curriculum as a supplement to the rigorous academic schedule.

Who is eligible to apply

Students must have completed the eighth grade, be between the ages of 13 and 19 and attend one of the following five target Chatham County High Schools:

Beach
Groves
Jenkins
Johnson
School of Liberal Studies at Savannah High School

Students must also have a need for academic support in order to pursue a program of post-secondary education. All students must be either from low-income families or be potential first-generation college students.

The program requires that two-thirds of the participants in a project must be both low-income and potential first-generation students. The remaining one-third must be either low-income, first-generation college students, or students who have a high risk for academic failure.