Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search: Project PLUS (Preparing and Learning for University Study) are two pre-college TRIO programs hosted by Portland State University and funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The purpose of Upward Bound and Project PLUS is to provide and facilitate access and retention into post-secondary education for low-income students whose parents do not hold bachelors degrees. We encourage students to stay in high school and graduate, and to enroll in a community college, a four-year university, or a vocation/technical college. We provide academic services like tutoring and high school credit classes, as well as college visits, career exploration, and financial aid and college admissions assistance.

Upward Bound and Project PLUS currently serve approximately 700 students from the Portland Public School District and the Hillsboro School District. A large percentage (over 67%) of our student population is comprised of under-represented ethnic minority students. To date, 95% of our students stay in our program through high school graduation, 92% enroll in college immediately after high school and 80% since 1998 are still either in college or have graduated.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education at $416,960 for Upward Bound and $313,994 for ETS.

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