About

Bowdoin College’s Upward Bound Summer Program is a federally funded TRiO initiative designed for high school students from limited-income backgrounds or families where neither parent has earned a four-year degree. Participation is restricted to students from 14 partner high schools in Maine, including districts in Washington and Mid-Coast counties. The program consists of a multi-phase residential summer session on Bowdoin’s campus, featuring a four-week "Residential Scholars" academic block and a specialized "Jumpstart" week for rising seniors. The curriculum emphasizes quantitative skills, writing, and college-readiness workshops rather than credit-bearing coursework. Residential participants live in Bowdoin dormitories, creating a sustained immersion that helps students navigate the social and academic transitions of a small liberal arts environment. This program functions as a targeted, multi-year access pathway for underrepresented local students rather than a general pre-college summer offering.