A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

The Short-Term Impact of Upward Bound:
An Interim Report

Upward Bound, which was initiated in 1965 as part of the War on Poverty, is a federal precollege program designed to help economically disadvantaged students complete high school, enter and succeed in postsecondary education. It is the oldest and largest (based on total funding) of the federal TRIO programs, all of which share the objective of helping disadvantaged students achieve success at the postsecondary level.

At present, there are more than 500 Upward Bound projects serving 42,000 students. At least two-thirds of each project's participants must be from households that have low income (under 150% of poverty) and where neither parent has graduated from college. In practice, about 80 percent of Upward Bound applicants satisfy both criteria, with the remainder from either low income or first-generation college families.

Upward Bound projects offer extensive academic instruction as well as counseling, mentoring and other support services. Students meet throughout the school year and generally participate in an intensive residential summer program that last from five to eight weeks. Most students--about 90 percent -- enter Upward Bound while in 9th or 10th grade, and some remain with the program through 12th grade. Upward Bound projects are generally operated by two or four-year colleges. The annual average cost per participant is about $3,600.

Evaluation Objectives and Methods.

This evaluation report describes the short-term impact of Upward Bound during the first year or two of high school. Data is currently being collected to assess longer term effects of Upward Bound on high school graduation, college entry and achievement, and will be addressed in subsequent reports. The main questions addressed in this report are:

  • What types of students are attracted to Upward Bound and how long do they participate in the program?

  • What services do students receive?

  • What is the impact of Upward Bound on students' education related outcomes. Do some students benefit more than others from participation in Upward Bound?

Impact findings are based upon a nationally representative sample of 67 Upward Bound1 projects hosted by two and four year colleges, from which 2700 eligible applicants were randomly assigned to Upward Bound or to a control group. Short-term impacts are estimated by comparing students in the two groups on a range of measures, including grades, course-taking, attitudes and educational expectations. A baseline survey was conducted beginning in December 1992, with a follow-up survey undertaken in Spring 1994. High school transcripts were collected following the 1993-94 school year.

Findings:

Enrollment and Persistence

  • Comparing Upward Bound applicants with other students from similar grades and from families with low socioeconomic status shows that Upward Bound applicants have higher educational attainment expectations, are better prepared academically, and have parents who are generally more involved in their children's school related activities.

  • Most students (about 90 percent) enter Upward Bound in the 9th or 10th grade, but about 20 percent of the applicants offered program openings choose not to participate, and almost 40 percent of those who accept an offer drop out of Upward Bound within 12 months. The most common reason for leaving Upward Bound is to take a job. Participants planning to complete college are more likely to remain in Upward Bound than are other participants.

    Services

  • In addition to tutoring and counseling services, Upward Bound participants receive considerable academic instruction from the projects -- particularly in English, math and science. Overall, the typical participant attends more than 270 sessions throughout the year.

    Short-Term Impacts

  • Participants and parents of participants had higher educational expectations than members of the control group.

  • Upward Bound participants earned significantly more academic credits during the period covered by this study, particularly in English, social studies and science and math. The average participants was exposed to approximately 17 percent more academic instruction than the control group.

    Impacts related to credits are in part a product of some high schools offering credits for completing courses offered through Upward Bound, and in part a product of students earning additional credits for high school courses.

  • Participants who persist in Upward Bound for a longer period earn more credits in high school than other participants.

  • Certain sub-groups are more likely to experience short-term benefits from Upward Bound than others. Although Upward Bound participants with high and low educational expectations (do not expect to complete at least a four-year college degree) both earn more academic credits, students with low educational expectations experience a much larger gain. The study also found positive short-term effects for Hispanic students.

  • Other student-related outcomes such as grade point average, attitudes, parental involvement and students' behavior in school were not affected by participation in Upward Bound.

    Conclusions:

    Results in this report describe the short-term impacts of Upward Bound while most students are high school freshmen and sophomores. The students in this study have not yet progressed far enough in school to estimate the program's effects on high school graduation, college entry or college attainment. However, findings about the positive effects of Upward Bound upon academic course-taking are encouraging, particularly given concerns raised in the past about the academic preparation provided Upward Bound students.

    Footnotes

    1. The evaluation is limited to regular Upward Bound projects. It does not include Veterans projects or projects focused on math-science curriculum.

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    Last modified -- September 15, 1998, (lyp)