Upward Bound and Upward Bound

Math-Science Programs

Postsecondary Outcomes Report

U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education
Upward Bound and Upward Bound 

Math-Science Programs 

Postsecondary Outcomes Report

September 2016 

Prepared for 

Student Service 

Office of Postsecondary Education

U.S. Department of Education 

Prepared by 

Ruth Heuer 

Marcinda Mason

Erich Lauff

RTI International 
This report was produced under U.S. Department of Education Contract No. ED-OPE-12-C-0066 with 

RTI International. Daveta Brown served as the contracting officer’s representative. The views expressed 

herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the Department of Education. No official 

endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service, or enterprise 

mentioned in this publication is intended or should be inferred. 

U.S. Department of Education 

John B. King, Jr.

Secretary

Office of Postsecondary Education 

Lynn B. Mahaffie 

Deputy Assistant Secretary for

Policy, Planning and Innovation 

Delegated the Duties of 

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education

Office of Postsecondary Education 

Higher Education Programs

James T. Minor

Deputy Assistant Secretary

Office of Postsecondary Education 

Higher Education Programs

Student Service

Linda Byrd-Johnson 

Senior Director 

September 2016 

This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While 

permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be U.S. Department of 

Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, Student Service, Upward Bound and Upward Bound 

Math-Science Programs: Postsecondary Outcomes Report, Washington, D.C., 2016. 

This report is available only online. To download, view, and print the report as a PDF file, go to 

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Contents iii Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

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Contents 

List of Tables iv

List of Figures v

Executive Summary vi

Highlights vi

Data Limitations vii

Foreword ix

Acknowledgments x

Introduction 1

Background and Purpose of the Report 1

Outcome Measures 3

Program Outcomes 4

Immediate Postsecondary Enrollment 4

Postsecondary Degree Completion 7

Postsecondary Enrollment and Postsecondary Degree Completion at the UB/UBMS 

Grantee Institution 10

Conclusion 14

Appendices

Appendix A. Data Sources and Measures A-1

Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-1

Appendix C. National Rates of Immediate Postsecondary Enrollment and Postsecondary 

Degree Completion C-1
List of Tables iv Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

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List of Tables 

Table B-1. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in 

the 2008–09 through 2013–14 high school graduation cohorts, and number 

and percentage who immediately enrolled in postsecondary education, by 

high school graduation cohort year B-1

Table B-2. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in 

the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, and number and percentage who 

immediately enrolled in postsecondary education, by sector of their firstattended postsecondary institution, sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution, 

and participant characteristics B-2

Table B-3. Number and percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound MathScience participants in the 2008 postsecondary graduation cohort, by highest 

degree earned, UB/UBMS program type, sector of UB/UBMS grantee 

institution, and participant characteristics B-4

Table B-4. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in 

the 2008 postsecondary graduation cohort, and number and percentage who 

completed bachelor’s and associate degrees, by time to degree, UB and 

UBMS program type, sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution, and 

participant characteristics B-8

Table B-5. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in 

the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort and number and percentage who 

immediately enrolled at any postsecondary institution and at their grantee 

institution, by the sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution B-12

Table B-6. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in 

the 2008 postsecondary graduation cohort, and number and percentage who 

completed bachelor’s and associate degrees at their grantee institution, by 

time to degree and sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution B-13
List of Figures v Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

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List of Figures

Figure 1. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants 

who immediately enrolled in postsecondary education, by high school 

graduation cohort year: 2008–09 through 2013–14 4

Figure 2. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants 

in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort who immediately enrolled in 

postsecondary education, by program eligibility status 5

Figure 3. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants 

in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort who enrolled immediately in 

postsecondary education, by sector of Upward Bound/Upward Bound MathScience grantee institution and sector of first postsecondary institution 

attended 6

Figure 4. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants 

in the 2008 postsecondary enrollment cohort who completed a bachelor’s 

degree in six years or an associate degree in three years, or did not complete 

a degree, by gender and race/ethnicity 8

Figure 5. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants 

in the 2008 postsecondary enrollment cohort who completed a bachelor’s 

degree, by time to degree 10

Figure 6. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants 

in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort who immediately enrolled at 

their grantee institution, by sector of grantee institution 11

Figure 7. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants 

in the 2008 postsecondary enrollment cohort who completed a bachelor’s 

degree at the grantee institution in six years or an associate degree at the 

grantee institution in three years, by sector of grantee institution 13

Figure C-1. Percentage of 2013 high school completers who immediately enrolled in 

two-year and four-year colleges, by income level: 2013 C-2

Figure C-2. Percentage of students who graduated high school with a regular high school 

diploma and enrolled in a postsecondary institution for the first time in 

2003–04 and who completed a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree in 

six years, or did not complete a degree, by family income level and parental 

education level: 2004–09 C-4
Executive Summary vi Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Executive Summary

This report presents postsecondary outcomes for the regular Upward Bound (UB) and Upward 

Bound Math-Science (UBMS) programs1—two of the federal TRIO programs. The goal of UB 

and UBMS programs is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education 

and enroll in and graduate from a program of postsecondary education. The UBMS program has 

an additional goal of helping students recognize and develop their potential to excel in math and 

science, as well as encouraging them to pursue both postsecondary degrees and, ultimately, 

careers in math and science. 

This report began as an attempt by the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) to assess the 

ability of the UB and UBMS programs to bolster enrollment and completion at institutions of 

higher education. Pursuant to this goal, a thorough review of potential comparative data sources 

that included students similarly disadvantaged to those in UB and UBMS programs was 

undertaken. This review revealed significant limitations with the potential data sources. As a 

result, the objectives of this report were scaled back considerably. 

In its current form, this report presents the immediate postsecondary enrollment rates for 

participants who graduated from high school with a regular diploma between 2008–09 and 

2013–14, and the postsecondary degree completion rates for participants who completed high 

school in 2007–08 and immediately enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by fall 

2008. Contextual information is provided where appropriate. In addition, this report presents 

information related to participants’ postsecondary enrollment and degree completion at the 

institution of higher education (IHE) that hosted their UB/UBMS project (i.e., the grantee

institution). The main source of data for this report was UB/UBMS annual performance report 

(APR) data. Additionally, National Student Loan Data System data were used to supplement the 

postsecondary enrollment information reported in the APR data, and National Student 

Clearinghouse data were used to supplement the postsecondary degree completion information 

reported in the APR data. Appendix A, Data Sources and Measures, provides additional 

information on the data sources and how the outcome measures were calculated. 

Highlights

Immediate Postsecondary Enrollment

 Collectively, 86 percent of UB and UBMS participants in the 2013–14 high school 

graduation cohort enrolled immediately in a program of postsecondary education.2

 Among all UB and UBMS participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, the 

immediate postsecondary enrollment rate for those who were both low-income and 

potentially first-generation was 85 percent. In contrast, those who were low-income only 

or potentially first-generation only had postsecondary enrollment rates of 88 percent and 

87 percent, respectively. 

 

1 There are three types of Upward Bound program projects: regular UB, UBMS, and Veterans Upward Bound. This 

report focuses on the outcomes of participants served by UB and UBMS projects.

2 See Appendix A, Data Sources and Measures, for further specification of high school graduation cohort and 

immediate postsecondary enrollment. 
Executive Summary vii Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

 The immediate postsecondary enrollment rate has remained fairly consistent across the 

last six high school graduation cohorts: For each high school graduation cohort between 

2008–09 and 2013–14, the overall combined UB and UBMS immediate postsecondary 

enrollment rate was between 83 and 86 percent.

 For each high school graduation cohort between 2008–09 and 2013–14, the immediate 

postsecondary enrollment rate for UBMS participants was 3 to 6 percentage points higher 

than the corresponding rate for UB participants. 

Postsecondary Degree Completion

 Among all UB and UBMS participants in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment 

cohort,3 35 percent earned a bachelor’s degree within six years of postsecondary 

enrollment, and an additional 4 percent earned an associate degree within three years of 

postsecondary enrollment.

4

 

 Sixty percent of UB and UBMS participants in the 2008 postsecondary education 

enrollment cohort earned neither a bachelor’s degree within six years nor an associate 

degree within three years of postsecondary enrollment.5

Immediate Postsecondary Enrollment and Postsecondary Degree Completion at the 

UB/UBMS Grantee Institution

 Among UB and UBMS participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort who 

received services from projects that were hosted by IHEs (i.e., grantee institutions),6

24 percent immediately enrolled at their grantee institution. 

 Among UB and UBMS participants in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment 

cohort who received services from grantee institutions, 8 percent earned either a 

bachelor’s degree within six years or an associate degree within three years from their 

grantee institution.

Data Limitations

This report presents results for the UB and UBMS programs’ postsecondary enrollment and 

degree completion outcomes. The results do not address project impacts, such as the extent to 

which postsecondary enrollment and postsecondary degree completion are a direct result of 

participation in UB/UBMS and not influenced by other factors. The report cannot and does not 

address project impacts for two basic reasons: (1) The information that the Office of 

Postsecondary Education is empowered to collect relative to these programs and the population 

for whom it is empowered to collect it is insufficient for these purposes; and (2) One or more 

 

3 The 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort includes participants who completed high school during the 

2007–08 academic year and immediately enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by the 2008 fall term. 4 See Appendix A, Data Sources and Measures, for further specification of the 2008 postsecondary education 

enrollment cohort and postsecondary degree completion.

5 The percentages referenced do not sum to 100 due to rounding.

6 The analyses of immediate postsecondary enrollment at the grantee institution and postsecondary degree 

completion at the grantee institution exclude participants who received services from secondary schools, nonprofit 

agencies, or institutions other than two- or four-year IHEs. See Appendix A for more detailed information.
Executive Summary viii Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

data sources containing comparably disadvantaged students not participating in UB and UBMS 

or similar federal programs do not exist at this time. 

Not all participants who graduated with a regular diploma between 2008–09 and 2013–14 were 

included in the postsecondary enrollment measure calculations. Because a single year of APR 

data was used to identify cohort participants and determine postsecondary enrollment, 

participants who did not have an APR record in the year they graduated from high school were 

excluded from the results.7 Similarly, the results for the postsecondary degree completion 

measures include only those participants who were served by projects that were funded in both 

the 2007–12 and the 2012–17 funding cycles and who had a record in the 2013–14 APR data. 

 

7 See Appendix A for more detailed information.
Foreword ix Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Foreword

The mission of the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) is to promote student 

achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and 

ensuring equal access. In keeping with this mission, the Upward Bound (UB) and Upward Bound 

Math-Science (UBMS) programs of the federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) assist high school 

students from disadvantaged backgrounds to prepare for and succeed in postsecondary education. 

The goal of the UB program is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary 

education, and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education. The UBMS 

program has an additional goal of helping students recognize and develop their potential to excel 

in math and science as well as encouraging them to pursue both postsecondary degrees and, 

ultimately, careers in math and science. 

On behalf of the Department’s Office of Postsecondary Education’s Student Service, we are 

pleased to present this report, Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs: 

Postsecondary Outcomes Report. The body of this report provides postsecondary enrollment 

information for participants who graduated from high school with a regular diploma between 

2008–09 and 2013–14, and the postsecondary degree completion information for participants 

who completed high school in 2007–08 and immediately enrolled in a program of postsecondary 

education by the fall of 2008. To provide context to the findings, the report also presents 

postsecondary enrollment rates and postsecondary degree completion rates of students in 

nationally representative longitudinal surveys. 

While the data from the national sample add valuable context, they do not allow for direct 

comparisons because students in these national samples did not necessarily share the same 

demographic and academic characteristics as the UB and UBMS participants included in the 

report’s findings. A rigorous program evaluation would be required to make direct comparisons. 

The inability to make such comparisons—due to the lack of existing comparable data sources—

remains a challenge for the Department, policymakers, and UB/UBMs grantees, since it prevents 

a systematic assessment of the programs’ ability to improve student outcomes. 

We hope that documenting these challenges, in addition to reporting on the performance of the 

UB and UBMS programs, will foster communication among stakeholders aimed at assessing our 

mission and furthering the president’s 2020 goal of increasing postsecondary persistence and 

degree completion.

Linda Byrd-Johnson 

Senior Director

Student Service 
Acknowledgments x Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Acknowledgments 

The authors would like to thank the people and organizations that assisted with various aspects 

of this report. First, we want to express our gratitude to the staff at the National Student 

Clearinghouse for their helpfulness and professionalism in handling our requests for 

supplemental postsecondary data for Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science 

participants. We also thank the staff at Computer Business Methods, Inc. for their continued 

support with collecting annual performance report data from Upward Bound/Upward Bound 

Math-Science grantees. Finally, we would like to thank Julie Laurel, Kathy Morgan, and Nate 

Ramsey at the U.S. Department of Education for their invaluable contributions to this report. 
Introduction 1 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Introduction 

Background and Purpose of the Report

The Upward Bound (UB) program—the first of the federal TRIO programs—was originally 

authorized in 1965 by the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. The goal of UB is to increase the 

rate at which participants complete secondary education, and enroll in and graduate from 

institutions of postsecondary education. The Department of Education created the Upward 

Bound Math-Science (UBMS) program in 1990 to address the need for specific instruction in the 

fields of math and science, and to encourage students to pursue postsecondary degrees and 

careers in math and science. 

Program services are offered by postsecondary degree-granting institutions, secondary schools, and 

community organizations that receive grants awarded through a competitive process. There were 816 

UB- and 162 UBMS-funded grantees in 2013–14, serving approximately 73,000 high school 

students. To participate in UB or UBMS, a student must qualify on the basis of one of the eligibility 

categories (low-income, potentially first-generation,8 or at high risk for academic failure) and must 

need academic support in order to successfully pursue a program of postsecondary education. At 

least two-thirds of participants served by each grantee must be both potentially first-generation and

low-income students. The remaining one-third must be low-income individuals, potentially firstgeneration college students, or individuals who have a high risk for academic failure. 

UB and UBMS projects provide academic instruction in mathematics, laboratory sciences, 

composition, literature, and foreign languages. Additionally, they provide tutoring, counseling, 

mentoring, cultural enrichment, work-study programs, and education or counseling services designed 

to improve the financial and economic literacy of students.

9 Other services include the dissemination 

of information on the full range of Federal Student Aid programs and benefits, guidance and 

assistance on secondary school reentry, alternative education programs, or entry into general 

educational development programs and postsecondary education. UBMS grantees provide additional 

services that include summer programs with intensive math and science training, exposure to 

university faculty members who do research in mathematics and the sciences, and computer 

training.

Each UB and UBMS grantee is required to submit to the TRIO program office an annual 

performance report (APR) that details the academic progress of each student who received program 

services from the time of recruitment and acceptance into the project through high school graduation 

and for six years after enrollment in a program of postsecondary education. In addition to 

information on participants’ academic progress, the APR contains information on participants’ 

demographic and eligibility characteristics and types of services received.

 

8 In this report, “low income” refers to an individual whose family’s taxable income did not exceed 150 percent of 

the poverty level in the calendar year preceding the year in which the individual initially participated in the project. 

“First-generation” means an individual neither of whose natural or adoptive parents received a baccalaureate degree. 9 These programs and activities are specially designed for students who are limited English proficient, from groups 

that are traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education, living with disabilities, homeless, in foster care 

or aging out of the foster care system, or otherwise disconnected. 
Introduction 2 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110-315) (HEOA) was enacted on August 

14, 2008. This law reauthorized and extended the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

The HEOA requires reports to Congress documenting the performance of the TRIO programs

and, where possible, the reports should compare the outcomes for TRIO program participants to 

the outcomes for a comparison group of students who have a similar risk profile as TRIO

participants. 

To comply with the HEOA reporting requirements, a comparative analysis of the UB and UBMS 

programs was initiated in the winter of 2014–15 using data from the Educational Longitudinal 

Study of 2002 (ELS:2002). This involved a thorough review of existing data sources that could 

allow for a detailed assessment of the UB and UBMS programs by comparing participant 

outcomes with those of similar non-participants. ELS:2002 was determined to be the most 

suitable among the existing data sources in this regard. ELS:2002, a longitudinal study 

conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), followed a nationally 

representative cohort of 10th-grade students through their high school years and into early 

adulthood. With approval from the Office of Postsecondary Education and NCES, UB and 

UBMS participants were identified in the ELS:2002 data. The intent was to perform a propensity 

score matching (PSM) analysis10 to match UB and UBMS participants in the ELS:2002 data to a 

comparable group of students in the ELS:2002 data who had not received services from the UB 

and UBMS programs or a similar program. Using this matched sub-sample, the next step would 

be to compare the outcomes of UB and UBMS participants to the outcomes of the comparison 

students to assess the impact of the UB and UBMS programs. However, this comparative 

analysis was canceled due to two insurmountable problems: 

1. Only about 120 UB and UBMS participants were identified among the set of ELS:2002 

sample members. This relatively small number of participants posed difficulties when

disaggregating the three UB and UBMS eligibility categories (low-income and firstgeneration; low-income only; and first-generation only),11 and increased the risk of bias 

in the event that “atypical” students were included among the small set of identified UB

and UBMS participants.

2. The ELS:2002 base-year data collection occurred during the spring of the students’ 10thgrade year, whereas roughly half of UB and UBMS participants entered the program as 

either ninth-graders or rising ninth-graders. As such, some of the ELS:2002 variables 

proposed for the analysis could have been affected by UB and UBMS program 

participation, thereby limiting the ability to establish baseline equivalence prior to 

assessing the impact of UB and UBMS program participation on outcomes. 

Although the comparative analysis was canceled, there is a continued interest in sharing 

information about the performance of the UB and UBMS programs with interested parties. To 

address this need, this report employs descriptive analyses to document (1) the postsecondary 

enrollment for six cohorts of UB and UBMS high school graduates; (2) the postsecondary 

 

10 Propensity score matching is a statistical technique that identifies a subsample of cases that match the treatment 

group on observable characteristics, and thereby enables comparison of outcomes for the two groups.

11 The analysis focused on the UB and UBMS program eligibility criteria that were in place during the time 

ELS:2002 students could have received UB and UBMS program services (i.e., prior to the 2004–05 academic year). 

At the beginning of the 2012–17 funding cycle, an additional eligibility criterion of high risk for academic failure 

was added to meet HEOA requirements.
Introduction 3 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

completion results of UB and UBMS participants who first enrolled in college in 2008; and 

(3) participants’ postsecondary enrollment and postsecondary degree completion at the 

institutions of higher education (IHEs) that hosted their UB or UBMS project (i.e., grantee 

institutions). 

Outcome Measures

This report focuses on two program outcome measures: immediate postsecondary enrollment and 

postsecondary degree completion.12 An appropriate cohort of students was selected for each 

measure. 

 Immediate postsecondary enrollment. The cohort of participants for the immediate 

postsecondary enrollment measure consisted of students who completed a regular high 

school diploma between 2008–09 and 2013–14. Cohort participants were considered to 

have immediately enrolled in a program of postsecondary education if there was evidence 

of postsecondary enrollment in the APR data or in the National Student Loan Data 

System (NSLDS) data by the November immediately following the academic year of 

high school graduation. For example, participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation 

cohort needed to have evidence of postsecondary enrollment by November 2014 to have 

achieved the outcome. 

 Postsecondary degree completion. The postsecondary degree completion measures were 

calculated for participants who completed high school during the 2007–08 academic year 

and enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by November 2008. This report 

examines the following measures of postsecondary degree completion:

o completion of a bachelor’s degree within four years; 

o completion of a bachelor’s degree within six years; 

o completion of an associate degree within two years; 

o completion of an associate degree within three years; and

o completion of either a bachelor’s degree within six years or an associate degree 

within three years. 

To determine whether cohort participants achieved the postsecondary degree completion 

outcomes, APR and National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) data were examined for 

evidence of bachelor’s and associate degree completion within the specified time frame.

In addition, this report examines the extent to which UB and UBMS participants both enrolled at 

their grantee institution and completed a postsecondary degree at their grantee institution. 

Although participant enrollment and degree completion at grantee institutions are not goals of 

the UB and UBMS programs, this information may be of interest to policymakers and other UB 

and UBMS stakeholders. 

 

12 See Appendix A, Data Sources and Measures, for more detailed information.
Program Outcomes 4 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Program Outcomes 

This section presents the achievements of UB and UBMS participants related to postsecondary 

enrollment and degree completion. Additional results are presented in Appendix B. 

Immediate Postsecondary Enrollment

As detailed in the Outcome Measures section, this report calculates immediate postsecondary 

enrollment relative to individual high school graduation cohorts. Cohort participants who had 

evidence of postsecondary enrollment in either the APR or the NSLDS by the November 

immediately following the academic year of high school graduation were considered to have 

immediately enrolled in a program of postsecondary education. 

To examine trends in the immediate postsecondary enrollment of UB and UBMS participants, 

rates were calculated for six recent high school graduation cohorts and are summarized in 

Figure 1. 

Figure 1. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants who 

immediately enrolled in postsecondary education, by high school graduation cohort year: 

2008–09 through 2013–14

NOTE: Upward Bound (UB) and Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS) high school graduation cohort participants who enrolled 

in a program of postsecondary education by the end of November following their high school graduation year were considered 

to have achieved the immediate postsecondary enrollment outcome. Participants who graduated with a regular high school 

diploma were assigned to a high school graduation cohort year based on the date of high school graduation, using September 

through August as the academic year. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs, UB/UBMS Longitudinal File: 2000–14; and National Student 

Loan Data System data: Fall 2008 through fall 2014. 
Program Outcomes 5 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

 The immediate postsecondary enrollment rate has remained fairly consistent across six 

recent high school graduation cohorts: For each high school graduation cohort between 

2008–09 and 2013–14, the immediate postsecondary enrollment rate for UB and UBMS 

cohort participants combined was between 83 and 86 percent. 

 For each high school graduation cohort between 2008–09 and 2013–14, the immediate 

postsecondary enrollment rate for UBMS participants was three to six percentage points 

higher than the corresponding rate for UB participants.

The most recent cohort for which immediate postsecondary enrollment rates can be calculated is 

the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort. For the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, 

immediate postsecondary enrollment rates have been disaggregated by UB and UBMS program 

eligibility status (i.e., low-income, potentially first-generation, or both)13 and by institutional 

sector (both the sector of the UB/UBMS grantee institution and the sector of the postsecondary 

institution in which the participant enrolled). These results are summarized in figures 2 and 3 

(further detail is provided in Appendix B).

Figure 2. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 

2013–14 high school graduation cohort who immediately enrolled in postsecondary 

education, by program eligibility status

NOTE: Figure includes Upward Bound (UB) and Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS) participants who graduated with a regular 

high school diploma between Sept. 1, 2013 and Aug. 31, 2014 (i.e., 2013–14 high school graduation cohort). Participants in the 

2013–14 high school graduation cohort who enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by Nov. 30, 2014, were 

considered to have achieved the immediate postsecondary enrollment outcome. . 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs, UB/UBMS Longitudinal File: 2000–14; and National Student 

Loan Data System data: Fall 2013 through fall 2014. 

 

13 The analysis focused on the UB and UBMS program eligibility criteria that were in place during the time when 

the majority of 2013–14 high school graduation cohort participants entered the UB and UBMS projects (i.e., prior to 

2012–13). At the beginning of the 2012–17 funding cycle, an additional eligibility criterion of high risk for academic 

failure was added.
Program Outcomes 6 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Figure 3. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 

2013–14 high school graduation cohort who enrolled immediately in postsecondary 

education, by sector of Upward Bound/Upward Bound Math-Science grantee institution 

and sector of first postsecondary institution attended

NOTE: Figure includes Upward Bound (UB) and Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS) participants who graduated with a regular 

high school diploma between Sept. 1, 2013, and Aug. 31, 2014 (i.e., 2013–14 high school graduation cohort). Participants in the 

2013–14 high school graduation cohort who enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by Nov. 30, 2014, were 

considered to have achieved the immediate postsecondary enrollment outcome. The sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution 

category of “other” includes two-year private and two- and four-year private for-profit institutions of higher education (IHEs), 

secondary schools, nonprofit organizations, and other organizations. The sector of first postsecondary institution attended 

category of “some other type of institution” includes two-year private IHEs, less-than-two-year IHEs, and unknown institution 

type. The category of “no immediate postsecondary education enrollment” includes those who delayed postsecondary 

enrollment and those who had no evidence of postsecondary enrollment. Detail may not sum to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs Funded Projects Database, 2013–14 and UB/UBMS Longitudinal 

File: 2000–14; U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS), fall 2013; and National Student Loan Data System data: Fall 2013 through fall 2014.

 Overall, 86 percent of UB and UBMS participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation 

cohort immediately enrolled in a program of postsecondary education. 

 Among UB and UBMS participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, the 

immediate postsecondary enrollment rate was 85 percent for those who were both lowincome and potentially first-generation. In contrast, those who were low-income only or 

potentially first-generation only had immediate enrollment rates of 88 percent and 

87 percent, respectively. 
Program Outcomes 7 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

 Among UB and UBMS participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, 43 

percent immediately enrolled at a four-year public institution, 13 percent enrolled at a 

four-year private institution, 27 percent enrolled at a two-year public institution, 3 percent 

immediately enrolled at another type of institution (i.e., two-year private, less-than-twoyear private, less-than-two-year public, or an unknown type of institution), and 14 percent 

did not have immediate postsecondary enrollment. 

 The sector of the postsecondary institution at which participants enrolled varied 

according to the sector of the grantee institution administering the UB or UBMS program 

in which they participated. For example, rates of immediate enrollment at four–year 

public institutions were highest among those who participated in a UB or UBMS program 

administered by a four-year public institution (50 percent); likewise, rates of immediate 

enrollment at two-year public institutions were highest among those who participated in a 

UB or UBMS program administered by a two-year public institution (40 percent). 

Appendix C presents information on national rates of immediate postsecondary enrollment. 

Postsecondary Degree Completion 

As described in the Outcome Measures section, this report calculates postsecondary degree 

completion for participants in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort. Both APR 

and NSC data were examined for evidence of bachelor’s degree completion within six years of 

first enrollment in postsecondary education and for evidence of associate degree completion 

within three years of postsecondary enrollment. 

The most recent cohort for which six years of postsecondary data are available is the 2008 

postsecondary enrollment cohort. The highest degree completed among UB and UBMS 

participants in the 2008 postsecondary enrollment cohort—either bachelor’s degree completion 

within six years of postsecondary entry or associate degree completion within three years of 

postsecondary entry—is summarized in Figure 4 (further detail is also provided in Appendix B).
Program Outcomes 8 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Figure 4. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 

postsecondary enrollment cohort who completed a bachelor’s degree in six years or an 

associate degree in three years, or did not complete a degree, by gender and 

race/ethnicity

NOTE: Figure includes Upward Bound (UB) and Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS) participants who graduated with a regular 

diploma between Sept. 1, 2007, and Aug. 31, 2008, and enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by Nov. 30, 2008. 

Includes (1) bachelor’s degrees that were completed within six years of the postsecondary education enrollment cohort year 

(i.e., completed by Aug. 31, 2014), and (2) associate degrees that were completed within three years of the postsecondary 

education enrollment cohort year (i.e., completed by Aug. 31, 2011). For participants who achieved both degrees in the time

frame, the highest degree is given. The results presented for each of the participant characteristics exclude participants who 

had an unknown response for the given characteristic. Of the 12,535 participants in the 2008 postsecondary education 

enrollment cohort whose race/ethnicity was known, 3,012 were Hispanic or Latino (any race), 5,200 were black or African 

American, 2,944 were white, 724 were Asian, 310 were American Indian or Alaska Native, 204 were more than race, and 141 

were Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. Detail may not sum to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs, UB/UBMS Longitudinal File 2000–14; and National Student 

Clearinghouse data: Fall 2007 through fall 2014. 

 Among UB and UBMS participants in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment 

cohort, 35 percent earned a bachelor’s degree within six years of postsecondary 

enrollment. 

 Four percent of all UB and UBMS participants in the 2008 postsecondary education 

enrollment cohort did not earn a bachelor’s degree within six years but earned an 

associate degree within three years of postsecondary enrollment. 
Program Outcomes 9 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

 Sixty percent of participants in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort 

earned neither a bachelor’s degree within six years nor an associate degree within three 

years of postsecondary enrollment.14

 Forty percent of UB and UBMS participants in the same cohort (2008) completed either a 

bachelor’s degree within six years or an associate degree within three years of 

postsecondary enrollment. The degree completion rate was 34 percent for males and 43 

percent for females, 56 percent for Asians, 42 percent for whites, 40 percent for 

Hispanics or Latinos, 39 percent for more than one race, 38 percent for blacks or African 

Americans, 21 percent for American Indians or Alaska Natives, and 21 percent for Native 

Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders. 

 The six-year bachelor’s degree completion rate was 30 percent for male and 38 percent 

for female participants. Results by race/ethnicity15 show that 53 percent of Asian

participants earned a bachelor’s degree within six years. The six-year bachelor’s degree 

completion rate was around 35 percent for Hispanic or Latino (any race), black or 

African American, white, and more than one race participants. The six-year bachelor’s 

degree completion rate was lowest for American Indian or Alaska Native and Native 

Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander participants (16 percent and 6 percent, respectively). 

Finally, Figure 5 provides bachelor’s degree completion rates separately for students who 

participated in the UB or UBMS program (further detail is also provided in Appendix B). 

 

14 The percentages referenced do not sum to 100 due to rounding. 15 Of the 12,535 participants in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort whose race/ethnicity was 

known, 3,012 were Hispanic or Latino, any race; 5,200 were black or African American, non-Hispanic; 2,944 were 

white, non-Hispanic; 724 were Asian, non-Hispanic; 310 were American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic; 

204 were more than one race, non-Hispanic; and 141 were Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic.
Program Outcomes 10 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Figure 5. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 

postsecondary enrollment cohort who completed a bachelor’s degree, by time to degree

NOTE: Figure includes Upward Bound (UB) and Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS) participants who completed high school 

during the 2007–08 academic year and enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by the fall term immediately 

following high school graduation (by Nov. 30, 2008). Timing of postsecondary degree completion is calculated relative to the 

postsecondary education enrollment cohort year. For the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort, “within four years” 

means by Aug. 31, 2012, and “in five or six years” means between Sept. 1, 2013, and Aug. 31, 2014. Participants categorized as 

“did not earn a bachelor’s degree within six years” may have earned a sub-baccalaureate credential (e.g., an associate degree).

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs, UB/UBMS Longitudinal File 2000–14; and National Student 

Clearinghouse data: Fall 2007 through fall 2014. 

• Among UB participants in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort, 34 

percent earned a bachelor’s degree within six years of postsecondary entry. More 

specifically, 15 percent of cohort participants earned a bachelor’s degree within four 

years of postsecondary entry, and 19 percent did not earn a bachelor’s degree within four 

years but did earn one within six years. 

• As for UBMS participants in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort, 45 

percent earned a bachelor’s degree within six years of postsecondary entry. Nineteen 

percent earned a bachelor’s degree within four years of postsecondary entry, and 26 

percent did not earn a bachelor’s degree within four years but did earn one within six 

years.

Appendix C presents information on national rates of postsecondary degree completion. 

Postsecondary Enrollment and Postsecondary Degree Completion at the 

UB/UBMS Grantee Institution 

This section presents information on the rate at which UB and UBMS participants in the 2013–14 

high school graduation cohort immediately enrolled at the IHE that hosted their UB/UBMS 

project (i.e., grantee institution) and the rate at which participants in the 2008 postsecondary 
Program Outcomes 11 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

education enrollment cohort completed a postsecondary degree at their grantee institution. 

Because the results presented in this section focus on the outcomes of participants who received 

services from grantee institutions, the findings do not include cohort participants who received 

UB/UBMS services from secondary schools, nonprofit agencies, or institutions other than two- or 

four-year IHEs.

16

Figure 6 shows the percentage of UB and UBMS participants in the 2013–14 high school 

graduation cohort who immediately enrolled at their grantee institution, both overall and by the 

sector of their grantee institution. 

Figure 6. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2013–14 

high school graduation cohort who immediately enrolled at their grantee institution, by 

sector of grantee institution

NOTE: Figure includes Upward Bound (UB) and Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS) participants who graduated with a regular 

high school diploma between Sept. 1, 2013, and Aug. 31, 2014 (i.e., 2013–14 high school graduation cohort) and received 

services from projects that were hosted by institutions of higher education (i.e., grantee institutions). Results exclude 2013–14 

high school graduation cohort participants who received services from secondary schools, nonprofit agencies, or institutions 

other than two- or four-year institutions of higher education. Participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort who 

enrolled in a program of postsecondary education at their grantee institution by Nov. 30, 2014, were considered to have 

immediately enrolled at their grantee institution. A total of 8,609 participants were served by four-year public grantee 

institutions; 3,566 were served by four-year private grantee institutions; 5,410 were served by two-year public grantee 

institutions; and 51 were served by two-year private grantee institutions. Because of the small number of cohort participants 

who received services from two-year private grantee institutions (51 participants), the results for this group of participants 

should be interpreted with caution. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs Funded Projects Database, 2013–14 and UB/UBMS Longitudinal 

File: 2000–14; and National Student Loan Data System data: Fall 2013 through fall 2014.

 

16 See Appendix A, Data Sources and Measures, for further specification of the calculations used to produce the 

rates of immediate postsecondary enrollment and degree completion at the grantee institution. 
Program Outcomes 12 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

 Twenty-four percent of UB and UBMS participants in the 2013–14 high school 

graduation cohort immediately enrolled at their grantee institution.

17

 Among 2013–14 high school graduation cohort participants, those who received services 

from a two-year public grantee institution were most likely to enroll at their grantee 

institution (35 percent), and those who received services from a four-year private grantee 

institution were least likely to enroll at their grantee institution (8 percent).18 

Figure 7 presents information on the percentage of UB and UBMS participants in the 2008 

postsecondary education enrollment cohort who earned postsecondary degrees from their grantee 

institution, both overall and by the sector of their grantee institution.19 

 

17 Results include all participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort who received UB/UBMS services 

from grantee IHEs. 18 Results include all participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort who received UB/UBMS services 

from grantee IHEs. A total of 8,609 participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort received UB/UBMS 

services from four-year public grantee institutions; 3,566 were served by four-year private grantee institutions; 5,410 

were served by two-year public grantee institutions; and 51 were served by two-year private grantee institutions. 19 Because the APR data do not contain information on the institution that granted the degree, NSC data were used 

to determine whether the postsecondary degree was completed at the grantee institution. As such, the degree 

completion rates reported in this section were computed differently from those reported in the Postsecondary Degree 

Completion section, which are based on APR and NSC data, and include all 2008 postsecondary education 

enrollment cohort participants (i.e., those served by grantee institutions and non-grantee institutions). 
Program Outcomes 13 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Figure 7. Percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 

postsecondary enrollment cohort who completed a bachelor’s degree at the grantee 

institution in six years or an associate degree at the grantee institution in three years, by 

sector of grantee institution

NOTE: Figure includes Upward Bound (UB) and Upward Bound Math-Science (UBMS) participants who received UB/UBMS 

services from projects that were hosted by institutions of higher education (i.e., grantee institutions), and who graduated with a 

regular diploma between Sept. 1, 2007, and Aug. 31, 2008, and enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by Nov. 30, 

2008. The degree completion rates include (1) bachelor’s degrees that were completed at the grantee institution within six 

years of the postsecondary education enrollment cohort year (i.e., completed by Aug. 31, 2014), and (2) associate degrees that 

were completed at the grantee institution within three years of the postsecondary education enrollment cohort year (i.e., 

completed by Aug. 31, 2011). Results exclude 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort participants who received 

services from secondary schools, nonprofit agencies, or institutions other than two- or four-year institutions of higher 

education. A total of 6,212 participants were served by four-year public grantee institutions; 2,530 were served by four-year

private grantee institutions; 3,353 were served by two-year public grantee institutions; and 39 were served by two-year private 

grantee institutions. Because of the small number of cohort participants who received services from two-year private grantee 

institutions (39 participants), the results for this group of participants should be interpreted with caution.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs Funded Projects Database, 2013–14 and UB/UBMS Longitudinal 

File 2000–14; and National Student Clearinghouse data: Fall 2007 through fall 2014. 

 Eight percent of UB and UBMS participants in the 2008 postsecondary enrollment cohort 

earned either a bachelor’s degree within six years or an associate degree within three 

years from their grantee institution.20

 Eleven percent of participants in the 2008 postsecondary enrollment cohort whose 

grantee institution was a four-year public school earned a bachelor’s degree within six 

years from their grantee institution. The corresponding rate for those whose grantee 

institution was a four-year private school was 3 percent.21

 Six percent of participants in the 2008 postsecondary enrollment cohort whose grantee 

institution was a two-year public school received an associate degree within three years 

from their grantee institution and this was the case for 8 percent of participants whose 

grantee institution was a two-year private school.22 

 

20 Results include all participants in the 2008 postsecondary enrollment cohort who received UB/UBMS services 

from grantee IHEs. 21 Results include all participants in the 2008 postsecondary enrollment cohort who received UB/UBMS services 

from grantee IHEs. 22 Results include all participants in the 2008 postsecondary enrollment cohort who received UB/UBMS services 

from grantee IHEs. Because of the small number of cohort participants who received services from two-year private 

grantee institutions (39 participants), the results for this group of participants should be interpreted with caution.
Conclusion 14 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Conclusion

This report is a descriptive examination of immediate postsecondary enrollment rates and 

postsecondary completion rates among UB and UBMS participants. Immediate postsecondary 

enrollment rates are examined for the 2008–09 through 2013–14 high school graduation cohorts, 

and postsecondary degree completion rates are examined for the 2008 postsecondary education 

enrollment cohort. The primary data source for this report, UB/UBMS annual performance report

data, was supplemented with information from both the NSLDS and the NSC to obtain a more 

complete picture of postsecondary enrollment and completion. To the extent that participants had 

incomplete postsecondary education information reported in the APR data and did not match to 

NSLDS or NSC data because of inconsistent information across the data sources in the fields 

used for matching, the reported rates on the examined outcomes may be underreported. This 

report provides descriptive information on the immediate postsecondary enrollment rates and 

postsecondary degree completion rates by select grantee and participant characteristics but does 

not examine causal relationships between these characteristics and program outcomes. Because 

this report did not use standard evaluation methodologies, such as experimental and quasiexperimental designs, it does not draw conclusions regarding the impact of the UB and UBMS 

programs. 

Calculating and contextualizing college enrollment and graduation rates allows readers to better 

understand the state of the UB and UBMS programs relative to these important student outcome 

measures. Tabulating college enrollment and graduation rates enables the trajectory of the 

programs to be tracked by comparing outcomes of more recent participants to those from earlier 

cohorts. These benefits aside, however, UB and UBMS stakeholders should recognize what this 

report does not and cannot say. As previously noted, this report was originally designed to 

employ a rigorous evaluation methodology (propensity score modeling) using a comparable 

outside data source (ELS:2002). The goal was to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the 

UB and UBMS programs in fulfilling their mission of improving student academic outcomes 

among low-income and potentially first-generation student participants. However, the absence of 

an established outside data source that collects information on a similarly situated group of 

disadvantaged students (for purposes of creating a control group) means that stakeholders will be 

unable to draw conclusions about the impact of these important federal programs.
Appendix A. Data Sources and Measures A-1 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Appendix A. Data Sources and Measures

This appendix provides information about (1) the data sources used in this report; (2) the calculation 

for the postsecondary enrollment outcome; (3) the calculation for the postsecondary degree 

completion measures; (4) the calculations for postsecondary enrollment and degree completion at the 

grantee institution analyses; and (5) the limitations of the data and analyses.

Data Sources

Annual Performance Reports 

UB/UBMS grantees annually submit APR data, including postsecondary enrollment and degree 

completion data, on participants served during the reporting year as well as participants served in 

prior years. Grantees are currently required to follow UB and UBMS participants for six years 

after enrollment in postsecondary education. A longitudinal data file is maintained with 

UB/UBMS APR data from 2000–01 through 2013–14. The Federal TRIO Programs Funded 

Projects Database provided information on the sector of the UB/UBMS grantees. 

UB and UBMS projects sometimes lose touch with participants after they leave the program or 

may, for other reasons, not be aware of the postsecondary enrollment and degree completion 

status of every past program participant. Therefore, this analysis used the National Student Loan 

Data System (NSLDS) data to supplement the postsecondary enrollment information reported in 

the APRs23 and the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) data to supplement the postsecondary 

degree completion information reported in the APRs. 

National Student Loan Data System 

The NSLDS maintains student-level data on the type and amount of Pell Grants, Academic 

Competitiveness Grants (ACG), Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) 

Grants, and federal student loans. The NSLDS data files used for this analysis included complete 

federal grant or loan history available for each student through summer 2015. 

To supplement the APR data on participants’ postsecondary enrollment, a record for every UB 

and UBMS participant with data in any of the 2007–08 through 2013–14 APRs was submitted 

for NSLDS matching.

24 For participants who successfully matched to the NSLDS file, 

information on the school code of the postsecondary institution enrolled in and the academic 

term enrolled were added to the UB/UBMS longitudinal file for each period of enrollment 

between fall 2003 and fall 2014. Information on term-by-term postsecondary enrollment supports 

the calculation of the UB/UBMS program performance outcome of postsecondary enrollment 

 

23 While the NSC data also provides supplementary postsecondary enrollment information, participants in the 

2010–11 through 2013–14 high school graduation cohorts (71 percent of the cohort participants included in the 

postsecondary enrollment calculation) were not included in files sent to NSC for matching. 

24 Because each of the criteria for NSLDS matching required either a Social Security Number (SSN) or date of birth, 

those records with missing or invalid data in both SSN and date-of-birth fields were excluded from the match file 

(n = 46).
Appendix A. Data Sources and Measures A-2 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

that measures whether students enrolled by the fall term immediately following high school 

graduation. 

National Student Clearinghouse

NSC collects student-level enrollment and degree completion data from postsecondary 

institutions in the United States. More than 3,600 institutions submit data to the NSC, accounting 

for 98 percent of all students enrolled in a program of postsecondary education in the United 

States.25 NSC shares this enrollment data with the National Student Loan Data System; thus 

there is an emphasis on the quality of enrollment data. For each period of enrollment, NSC data 

contains school information (Office of Postsecondary Education identification number [OPEID], 

name, city, state, level, and public or private), enrollment term start and end dates, and 

enrollment status (full-time, half-time, less than half-time). Institutions also are supposed to 

report degree completion, including graduation date; however, some schools fail to report this 

information. A subset of schools also report degree type and major field for degrees earned.26

There are limitations to the NSC data to consider: 

 Participation in the NSC data collection is voluntary. Some institutions do not participate

in NSC (2 percent of postsecondary institutions). 

 Some institutions that are new to NSC may be missing historical data. 

 Institutions generally provide enrollment and degree completion data; however, some do 

not provide data on type of degree (certificate, associate, bachelor’s) and details, such as 

major field of study, are relatively new (first collected in 2012).

 The matching process is not perfect. NSC matching uses only name and date of birth 

(social security number is not used), and tends to err on the side of “false negatives” (see 

Dynarski et al in note 26 below). Misspelled names, name changes (not unusual in this 

marrying-age population), and missing dates of birth hamper the ability to match.

 The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) allows both students and 

schools to block enrollment and degree information. NSC cannot release student-level 

information if the record is “FERPA-blocked.” An NSC study found that nearly 5 percent

of students had FERPA blocks on their data, and this is most prevalent at two-year 

institutions.

27

To supplement the APR data on participants’ postsecondary enrollment and completion, a record 

(with first name, last name, date of birth, and a unique identifier) was submitted to NSC for 

matching in the fall of 2014 for every UB and UBMS participant whose APR data (high school 

graduation status and actual date of high school graduation fields) indicated that they graduated 

from high school between Sept. 1, 2007, and Dec. 31, 2010. Matching all UB and UBMS 

participant records to NSC was cost prohibitive; thus the study focused on high school graduates 

 

25 http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/about/clearinghouse_facts.php 26 For more information on the National Student Clearinghouse, see Dynarski, S. M., Hemelt, S. W., & Hyman, J. M. 

(2013). The missing manual: Using National Student Clearinghouse data to track postsecondary outcomes.

Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research. http://www.nber.org/papers/w19552. 27 National Student Clearinghouse (2012). Impact of Directory Information Blocks on Student Tracker Results. 

http://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/NSC_Directory_Block_Rates.pdf
Appendix A. Data Sources and Measures A-3 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

(i.e., those who had the credentials to enroll in postsecondary education) in cohorts with higherquality APR data and who had sufficient time to complete a postsecondary degree. 

For participants who successfully matched to the NSC file, the start and end dates for each 

period of attendance and the school associated with that period of attendance were added to the 

UB/UBMS longitudinal file. For some students, completion data were also available. For each 

degree reported, the student’s major (CIP code and string), degree type, degree date, and school 

were added to the longitudinal file. 

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System 

The U.S. Department of Education established the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS) as the core postsecondary education data collection program for the National 

Center for Education Statistics (NCES). IPEDS is a system of surveys designed to collect 

institution-level data, such as enrollment, program completion, faculty, staff, and finances from 

all primary providers of postsecondary education, as defined by Title IV of the Higher Education 

Act of 1965, as amended. IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and 

technical and vocational institution that participates in the federal student financial aid programs. 

More than 7,500 institutions complete IPEDS surveys each year. 

This report used IPEDS to gather institution-level information on the colleges first attended by 

UB and UBMS participants. Institutional information used for this study included the level (fouryear, two-year, or less-than-two-year institution) and control (private or public institution). The 

APRs included a field that collected information on the school code for the postsecondary 

institution attended. These school codes reported in the APR data were merged with school 

codes from the IPEDS data (2009–10 through 2013–14) to obtain information on the sector 

(level and control) of the postsecondary institutions first attended by UB and UBMS participants. 

Immediate Postsecondary Enrollment Calculation

The postsecondary education enrollment measure is calculated for high school graduation cohort 

participants. This measure focuses on postsecondary enrollments that occurred by the fall 

semester immediately following the academic year the participant graduated from high school. 

Cohort of participants (denominator). The denominator used in the postsecondary enrollment 

calculation is high school graduation cohort participants. To identify participants’ high school 

graduation year, the high school graduation date and the high school graduation status APR 

fields were used. Because grantees sometimes changed the high school graduation date between 

reporting years, some participants qualified for more than one high school graduation cohort 

depending on the year of data examined. To ensure that participants were included in the 

postsecondary enrollment results for only one cohort, a high school graduation cohort field was 

created on the UB/UBMS longitudinal file. Cohort assignments were made in descending order 

starting with the 2013–14 cohort year and ending with the 2008–09 cohort year. To make 

assignments to the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, the date in the actual date of high 

school graduation field in the 2013–14 data was checked to see if the participant graduated high 

school during the 2013–14 academic year (i.e., date was between September 2013 and August 

2014). To determine whether participants who graduated during the academic year 2013–14 had 
Appendix A. Data Sources and Measures A-4 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

earned a regular high school diploma, the high school graduation status field in the 2013–14 data 

was examined for a response of “received regular secondary school diploma.” Next, 2012–13 

data was used to identify participants who graduated with a regular diploma during the 2012–13 

academic year (i.e., date in the actual date of high school graduation field was between 

September 2012 and August 2013). A similar process was used to make assignments to the 

remaining cohort years. Once a participant was assigned to a cohort year, the participant

remained in that cohort year even if data in earlier years indicated that the participant qualified 

for an earlier cohort year. 

Postsecondary enrollment status (numerator). For the numerator, both APR and NSLDS data 

were examined for evidence of postsecondary enrollment by the fall semester immediately 

following the academic year the participant graduated from high school. Participants who had 

evidence in either of the data sources were considered to have achieved the outcome. In the APR 

data, two fields were used to determine participants’ immediate postsecondary enrollment status: 

date of first postsecondary enrollment and source of postsecondary enrollment information.28 For 

each high school graduation cohort, the APR data collected during the academic year that the 

participant graduated high school was used to check for evidence of immediate postsecondary 

enrollment (e.g., 2013–14 APR data were used for the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort). 

For the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, postsecondary enrollment dates between 

September 2013 and November 201429 or a response indicating that the participant received 

notification from an institution of higher education (IHE) of acceptance but deferred enrollment 

until the next academic semester30 were considered evidence of immediate postsecondary 

enrollment. For the source of postsecondary enrollment information field, responses that 

indicated a particular source (i.e., official college transcript, other institutional data, self-reported 

by participant, and other third-party verification [e.g., NSC]) provided the participant’s 

postsecondary education was considered evidence of postsecondary enrollment. A similar 

process was used to determine whether participants in the other high school graduation cohorts 

had evidence of immediate postsecondary enrollment in the APR data.

In the NSLDS data, evidence of postsecondary enrollment included having enrollment data in 

any term between fall term of a participant’s academic year of high school graduation and the 

fall term immediately following high school graduation (e.g., for the 2013–14 cohort, between 

fall 2013 and fall 2014). 

 

28 The first postsecondary enrollment date is sometimes reported as unknown in the date of first postsecondary 

enrollment field. Thus, the source of postsecondary enrollment information field is also checked to see if the 

response indicated that the participant enrolled in a program of postsecondary education. 

29 For the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, the earliest month participants could have graduated high school 

was in September 2013 (the beginning of the 2013–14 academic year), so September 2013 was used as the earliest 

postsecondary enrollment date. Because the measure focused on immediate postsecondary enrollments (by the fall 

term immediately following high school graduation), the latest date that counted as evidence of postsecondary 

enrollment was November 2014.

30 The response option of “participant received notification from an institution of higher education of acceptance but 

deferred enrollment until the next academic semester” was added to the date of first postsecondary enrollment field 

in 2012–13; therefore, this response option counted as evidence of postsecondary enrollment for only the 2012–13 

and 2013–14 high school graduation cohorts.
Appendix A. Data Sources and Measures A-5 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Postsecondary Degree Completion Calculation

Several postsecondary degree completion measures were calculated for participants in the 2008 

postsecondary education enrollment cohort as follows: 

 The percentage of students in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort who 

completed a bachelor’s degree within six years; 

 The percentage of students in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort who 

completed a bachelor’s degree within four years (on-time completion); 

 The percentage of students in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort who 

completed an associate degree within three years; and 

 The percentage of students in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort who 

completed an associate degree within two years (on-time completion). 

Cohort participants (denominator). The cohort for the postsecondary degree completion 

outcome measures includes participants who were in the 2008 postsecondary education 

enrollment cohort. The APR includes a postsecondary education enrollment cohort field that 

identifies participants’ assigned cohort. Participants who completed high school during the 

2007–08 academic year and enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by the fall term 

immediately following the year they graduated from high school qualified for the 2008 

postsecondary education enrollment cohort. 

Numerator. To determine whether cohort participants achieved success in the postsecondary 

completion measures, APR data and NSC data were examined, and participants who had 

evidence from either of these sources were considered to have achieved the outcome. The APR 

was redesigned in 2012–13 to include the new fields of associate degree attained, date of 

associate degree, bachelor’s degree attained, and date of bachelor’s degree. These fields provide 

the information needed to determine whether cohort participants completed an associate degree 

and/or bachelor’s degree within the specified time frame. For the postsecondary associate degree 

completion measures, a response of “yes, attained associate degree” in the “associate degree 

attained” field and a date in the “date of associate degree” field that was prior to September 2010 

for the “completion within two years” measure and prior to September 2011 for the “completion 

within three years” measure was required. Evidence of completing a bachelor’s degree required 

having a response of “yes, attained bachelor’s degree” in the “bachelor’s degree attained” field 

and having a date in the “date of bachelor’s degree field” that was prior to September 2012 for 

the four-year measure and prior to September 2014 for the six-year measure. 

In the NSC data, information reported in the “level of degree that was earned” field was used to 

identify any associate and/or bachelor’s degrees that were earned. The information in the “date 

that degree was earned” field that was associated with each earned degree was used to determine 

the earliest date that an associate degree and/or bachelor’s degree was earned and whether the 

earliest completion date was within the time frame specified for the given “postsecondary degree 

completion” measure.
Appendix A. Data Sources and Measures A-6 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Calculation of Immediate Postsecondary Enrollment and Degree Completion 

at the Grantee Institution

Immediate Postsecondary Enrollment at the Grantee Institution

Cohort of participants (denominator). The denominator for this calculation was the number of 

students in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort (as described above in the Immediate 

Postsecondary Enrollment Calculation section) whose UB/UBMS grantee institution was a fouryear public, four-year private, two-year public, or two-year private IHE. Participants who were 

in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort and received UB/UBMS services from secondary 

schools, nonprofit agencies, or institutions other than two- or four-year IHEs were not included 

in the calculation. 

Numerator. Cohort participants who immediately enrolled in a program of postsecondary 

education (as described above in the Immediate Postsecondary Enrollment Calculation section) 

at their UB/UBMS grantee institution were included in the numerator for this calculation. To 

determine whether cohort participants enrolled at their grantee institution, the OPEID of the 

institution at which the student immediately enrolled was compared to the OPEID of the 

participant’s grantee institution. If these two OPEIDs matched, cohort participants were 

considered to have immediately enrolled at their grantee institution. 

Postsecondary Degree Completion at the Grantee Institution

Cohort of participants (denominator). The denominator for this calculation was the number of 

students in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort (as described above in the 

Postsecondary Degree Completion Calculation section) whose UB/UBMS grantee institution 

was a four-year public, four-year private, two-year public, or two-year private IHE. Participants 

who were in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort and received UB/UBMS 

services from secondary schools, nonprofit agencies, or institutions other than two- or four-year

IHEs were not included in the calculation. 

Numerator. To determine whether cohort participants had completed a bachelor’s degree within 

six years and/or an associate degree within three years, NSC data were examined.31 In the NSC 

data, information reported in the “level of degree that was earned” field was used to identify any 

associate and/or bachelor’s degrees that were earned. The information in the “date that degree 

was earned” field that was associated with each earned degree was used to determine the earliest 

date that an associate degree and/or bachelor’s degree was earned and whether the earliest 

completion date was within the time frame specified for the given “postsecondary degree 

completion” measure. To determine whether the degree was earned at the grantee institution, the 

OPEID (Office of Postsecondary Education identification number) of the institution from which 

the student received a degree reported in the NSC data was compared to the OPEID of the 

participant’s grantee institution. If these two OPEIDs matched, cohort participants were included 

in the numerator for this calculation. 

 

31 APR data do not provide information on the institution that granted the degree.
Appendix A. Data Sources and Measures A-7 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Limitations of Data and Analyses

Not all participants who graduated with a regular diploma between 2008–09 and 2013–14 were 

included in the postsecondary enrollment measure calculations. Because a single year of APR 

data was used to identify cohort participants and check for evidence of postsecondary enrollment, 

participants who did not have an APR record in the year that they graduated from high school 

were excluded from the results. Key reasons for participants not having an APR record in the 

year they graduated include the following: 1) the project that provided services to a participant 

was no longer receiving UB/UBMS funding in that year;32 and 2) projects sometimes drop 

participants’ records from the APR reports after they leave the program because they have 

difficulty tracking them. Similarly, the results for the postsecondary degree completion measures 

include only those participants who were served by projects that were funded in both the 2007–08 

through 2011–12 and the 2012–13 through 2016–17 funding cycles and who had a 2013–14 

APR record. 

It is possible that some cohort participants achieved the program outcomes presented in this 

report but did not have evidence of doing so in either source. Grantees sometimes have 

difficultly tracking participants once they leave the project and in such cases are unable to 

provided updated postsecondary enrollment and degree completion information. Further, while 

the APR data were supplemented with NSLDS and NSC data, participants may not have been 

matched to these external data sources if the personal information (name, SSN, and date of birth) 

reported in the APR data did not match the information reported in these other data sources. 

This report presents results for the UB and UBMS program outcomes of postsecondary 

enrollment and postsecondary degree completion. The results do not address project impacts, 

such as the extent to which the postsecondary enrollment rate and postsecondary degree 

completion rate is a direct result of participation in UB or UBMS programs and not influenced 

by other factors.

 

32 A grant competition is held for the UB and UBMS programs every five years. The last two grant competitions 

were conducted in 2007 and 2012.
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of 

UB and UBMS Participants

B-1 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of 

UB and UBMS Participants 

Table B-1. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008–09 

through 2013–14 high school graduation cohorts, and number and percentage who 

immediately enrolled in postsecondary education, by high school graduation cohort year

Total with immediate postsecondary 

enrollment 2

UB/UBMS program type and high school 

graduation cohort year 1

Total high school 

graduation cohort 

participants Number Percent

UB and UBMS participants 

2008–09 16,851 14,186 84.2 

2009–10 19,398 16,472 84.9 

2010–11 23,752 19,844 83.5 

2011–12 20,613 17,140 83.2 

2012–13 18,208 15,537 85.3 

2013–14 19,196 16,427 85.6 

UB participants only 

2008–09 14,996 12,533 83.6 

2009–10 17,206 14,521 84.4 

2010–11 21,292 17,689 83.1 

2011–12 18,247 15,044 82.4 

2012–13 15,851 13,475 85.0 

2013–14 16,658 14,171 85.1 

UBMS participants only 

2008–09 1,855 1,653 89.1 

2009–10 2,192 1,951 89.0 

2010–11 2,460 2,155 87.6 

2011–12 2,366 2,096 88.6 

2012–13 2,357 2,062 87.5 

2013–14 2,538 2,256 88.9 

1 Participants who graduated with a regular high school diploma were assigned to a high school graduation cohort year based 

on the date of high school graduation, using September through August as the academic year. 2 Participants who enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by the end of November following their high school 

graduation year are considered to have enrolled immediately in postsecondary education. 

NOTE: UB = regular Upward Bound and UBMS = Upward Bound Math-Science.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs, UB/UBMS Longitudinal File: 2000–14; and National Student 

Loan Data System data: Fall 2008 through fall 2014. 
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-2 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-2. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, and 

number and percentage who immediately enrolled in postsecondary education, by sector of their first-attended postsecondary 

institution, sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution, and participant characteristics

 Sector of first-attended postsecondary institution 3

Total with immediate 

postsecondary enrollment 2 Four-year public Four-year private Two-year public Other 4

Sector of UB/UBMS 

grantee institution and 

participant characteristics

Total cohort 

participants 1 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Total 19,196 16,427 85.6 8,300 50.5 2,401 14.6 5,184 31.6 542 3.3 

Sector of UB/UBMS 

grantee institution

Four-year public 8,609 7,325 85.1 4,299 58.7 983 13.4 1,841 25.1 202 2.8 

Four-year private 3,566 3,086 86.5 1,389 45.0 778 25.2 796 25.8 123 4.0 

Two-year public 5,410 4,640 85.8 1,899 40.9 437 9.4 2,150 46.3 154 3.3 

Other 5 1,611 1,376 85.4 713 51.8 203 14.8 397 28.9 63 4.6 

Eligibility status

Low-income and 

potentially firstgeneration 15,684 13,359 85.2 6,729 50.4 1,886 14.1 4,306 32.2 438 3.3 

Low-income only 1,242 1,096 88.2 588 53.6 198 18.1 282 25.7 28 2.6 

Potentially firstgeneration only 2,238 1,948 87.0 969 49.7 316 16.2 589 30.2 74 3.8 

Gender

Male 6,959 5,718 82.2 2,853 49.9 846 14.8 1,834 32.1 185 3.2 

Female 12,232 10,705 87.5 5,445 50.9 1,554 14.5 3,349 31.3 357 3.3 

See notes at end of table on next page.
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-3 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-2. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, and 

number and percentage who immediately enrolled in postsecondary education, by sector of their first-attended postsecondary 

institution, sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution, and participant characteristics—Continued

 Sector of first-attended postsecondary institution 3

Total with immediate 

postsecondary enrollment 2 Four-year public Four-year private Two-year public Other 4

Sector of UB/UBMS 

grantee institution and 

participant characteristics

Total cohort 

participants 1 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 5,607 4,987 88.9 2,610 52.3 611 12.3 1,584 31.8 182 3.6 

American Indian or 

Alaska Native 406 287 70.7 183 63.8 23 8.0 69 24.0 12 4.2 

Asian 1,104 1,030 93.3 667 64.8 136 13.2 217 21.1 10 1.0 

Black or African 

American 7,003 5,985 85.5 2,919 48.8 1,010 16.9 1,861 31.1 195 3.3 

Native Hawaiian or 

other Pacific 

Islander 182 156 85.7 48 30.8 12 7.7 89 57.1 7 4.5 

White 4,301 3,483 81.0 1,621 46.5 528 15.2 1,217 34.9 117 3.4 

More than one race 429 354 82.5 179 50.6 52 14.7 108 30.5 15 4.2 

1 Participants who graduated with a regular high school diploma were assigned to a high school graduation cohort year based on the date of high school graduation, using 

September through August as the academic year. 

2 For the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, these data include those who enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by Nov. 30, 2014.

3 Among those with immediate postsecondary enrollment.

4 “Other” includes two-year private, less-than-two-year public/private, and unknown sector information for the first postsecondary institution. 

5 “Other” includes two-year private and two- and four-year private for-profit postsecondary institutions, secondary schools, nonprofit organizations, and other organizations

NOTE: UB = regular Upward Bound and UBMS = Upward Bound Math-Science. The results presented for each of the participant characteristics exclude participants who had an 

unknown response for the given characteristic. Detail may not sum to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs Funded Projects Database, 2013–14 and UB/UBMS Longitudinal File: 2000–14; U.S. Department of Education, 

National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), fall 2013; and National Student Loan Data System data: Fall 2013 through fall 

2014. 
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-4 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-3. Number and percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 postsecondary graduation 

cohort, by highest degree earned, UB/UBMS program type, sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution, and participant characteristics

Highest degree earned 3

Total degree completers 2

Bachelor’s degree within 

six years

Associate degree 

within three years

Did not complete BA 

within six years or 

AA within 

three years

UB/UBMS program type, sector of 

UB/UBMS grantee institution, and 

participant characteristics

Total cohort 

participants 1 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Overall (UB and UBMS participants)

Total 12,802 5,093 39.8 4,538 35.4 555 4.3 7,709 60.2 

Sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution

Four-year public 6,218 2,441 39.3 2,240 36.0 201 3.2 3,777 60.7 

Four-year private 2,530 1,127 44.5 1,024 40.5 103 4.1 1,403 55.5 

Two-year public 3,353 1,253 37.4 1,024 30.5 229 6.8 2,100 62.6 

Other 4 701 272 38.8 250 35.7 22 3.1 429 61.2 

Eligibility

Low-income and potentially firstgeneration 10,214 3,971 38.9 3,500 34.3 471 4.6 6,243 61.1 

Low-income only 722 310 42.9 292 40.4 18 2.5 412 57.1 

Potentially first-generation only 1,853 808 43.6 742 40.0 66 3.6 1,045 56.4 

Gender

Male 4,510 1,538 34.1 1,371 30.4 167 3.7 2,972 65.9 

Female 8,292 3,555 42.9 3,167 38.2 388 4.7 4,737 57.1 

Race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino, any race 3,012 1,210 40.2 1,093 36.3 117 3.9 1,802 59.8

American Indian or Alaska Native 310 61 19.7 50 16.1 11 3.5 249 80.3

Asian 724 404 55.8 384 53.0 20 2.8 320 44.2

Black or African American 5,200 1,985 38.2 1,826 35.1 159 3.1 3,215 61.8

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 141 30 21.3 9 6.4 21 14.9 111 78.7

White 2,944 1,229 41.7 1,025 34.8 204 6.9 1,715 58.3

More than one race 204 79 38.7 70 34.3 9 4.4 125 61.3 

See notes at end of table on p. B-7. 
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-5 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-3. Number and percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 postsecondary graduation 

cohort, by highest degree earned, UB/UBMS program type, sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution, and participant 

characteristics—Continued

Highest degree earned 3

Total degree completers 2

Bachelor’s degree within 

six years

Associate degree 

within three years

Did not complete BA 

within six years or 

AA within 

three years

UB/UBMS program type, sector of 

UB/UBMS grantee institution, and 

participant characteristics

Total cohort 

participants 1 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

UB participants only

Total 11,278 4,358 38.6 3,847 34.1 511 4.5 6,920 61.4 

Sector of UB grantee institution

Four-year public 5,269 1,991 37.8 1,813 34.4 178 3.4 3,278 62.2 

Four-year private 2,207 974 44.1 877 39.7 97 4.4 1,233 55.9 

Two-year public 3,138 1,139 36.3 923 29.4 216 6.9 1,999 63.7 

Other 4 664 254 38.3 234 35.2 20 3.0 410 61.7 

Eligibility

Low-income and potentially firstgeneration 9,014 3,403 37.8 2,971 33.0 432 4.8 5,611 62.2 

Low-income only 621 262 42.2 246 39.6 16 2.6 359 57.8 

Potentially first-generation only 1,633 690 42.3 627 38.4 63 3.9 943 57.7 

Gender

Male 3,948 1,304 33.0 1,150 29.1 154 3.9 2,644 67.0 

Female 7,330 3,054 41.7 2,697 36.8 357 4.9 4,276 58.3 

Race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino, any race 2,633 1,007 38.2 904 34.3 103 3.9 1,626 61.8 

American Indian or Alaska Native 277 47 17.0 36 13.0 11 4.0 230 83.0 

Asian 592 325 54.9 310 52.4 15 2.5 267 45.1 

Black or African American 4,587 1,714 37.4 1,564 34.1 150 3.3 2,873 62.6 

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 134 28 20.9 7 5.2 21 15.7 106 79.1 

White 2,613 1,078 41.3 889 34.0 189 7.2 1,535 58.7 

More than one race 181 67 37.0 59 32.6 8 4.4 114 63.0 

See notes at end of table on p. B-7. 
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-6 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-3. Number and percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 postsecondary graduation 

cohort, by highest degree earned, UB/UBMS program type, sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution, and participant 

characteristics—Continued

Highest degree earned 3

Total degree completers 2

Bachelor’s degree within 

six years

Associate degree 

within three years

Did not complete BA 

within six years or 

AA within 

three years

UB/UBMS program type, sector of 

UB/UBMS grantee institution, and 

participant characteristics

Total cohort 

participants 1 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

UBMS participants only

Total 1,524 735 48.2 691 45.3 44 2.9 789 51.8 

Sector of UBMS grantee institution

Four-year public 949 450 47.4 427 45.0 23 2.4 499 52.6 

Four-year private 323 153 47.4 147 45.5 6 1.9 170 52.6 

Two-year public 215 114 53.0 101 47.0 13 6.0 101 47.0 

Other 4 37 18 48.6 16 43.2 ‡ ‡ 16 43.2 

Eligibility

Low-income and potentially firstgeneration 1,200 568 47.3 529 44.1 39 3.3 632 52.7 

Low-income only 101 48 47.5 46 45.5 ‡ ‡ 53 52.5 

Potentially first-generation only 220 118 53.6 115 52.3 3 1.4 102 46.4 

Gender

Male 562 234 41.6 221 39.3 13 2.3 328 58.4 

Female 962 501 52.1 470 48.9 31 3.2 461 47.9 

Race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino, any race 379 203 53.6 189 49.9 14 3.7 176 46.4 

American Indian or Alaska Native 33 14 42.4 14 42.4 ‡ ‡ 19 57.6 

Asian 132 79 59.8 74 56.1 5 3.8 53 40.2 

Black or African American 613 271 44.2 262 42.7 9 1.5 342 55.8 

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 7 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ 5 71.4 

White 331 151 45.6 136 41.1 15 4.5 180 54.4 

More than one race 132 79 59.8 74 56.1 5 3.8 53 40.2 

See notes at end of table on p. B-7. 
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-7 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-3. Number and percentage of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 postsecondary graduation 

cohort, by highest degree earned, UB/UBMS program type, sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution, and participant 

characteristics—Continued

‡ Not reported to protect subgroups with fewer than three participants.

1 Includes those who completed high school during the 2007–08 academic year and enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by the fall term immediately following 

high school graduation (by Nov. 30, 2008). 

2 Includes (1) bachelor’s degrees that were completed within six years of the postsecondary enrollment cohort year (i.e. completed by Aug. 31, 2014) and (2) associate degrees 

that were completed within three years of the postsecondary enrollment cohort year (i.e., completed by Aug. 31, 2011).

3 Among those in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort.

4 “Other” includes two-year private and two- and four-year private for-profit postsecondary institutions, secondary schools, nonprofit organizations, and other organizations. 

NOTE: UB = regular Upward Bound and UBMS = Upward Bound Math-Science. The results presented for each of the participant characteristics exclude participants who had an 

unknown response for the given characteristic. Detail may not sum to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs Funded Projects Database, 2013–14 and UB/UBMS Longitudinal File: 2000–14; and National Student 

Clearinghouse data: Fall 2007 through fall 2014. 
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-8 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-4. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 postsecondary graduation cohort, and 

number and percentage who completed bachelor’s and associate degrees, by time to degree, UB and UBMS program type, sector 

of UB/UBMS grantee institution, and participant characteristics

Degree type and timing of degree completion 2

Bachelor’s degree Associate degree

Earned within four years Earned within six years Earned within two years Earned within three years

UB/UBMS program type, 

sector of UB/UBMS grantee 

institution, and participant 

characteristics

Total cohort 

participants 1 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Overall (UB and UBMS participants)

Total 12,802 2,004 15.7 4,538 35.4 434 3.4 909 7.1 

Sector of UB/UBMS grantee 

institution

Four-year public 6,218 967 15.6 2,240 36.0 137 2.2 318 5.1 

Four-year private 2,530 490 19.4 1,024 40.5 64 2.5 155 6.1 

Two-year public 3,353 436 13.0 1,024 30.5 215 6.4 398 11.9 

Other 3 701 111 15.8 250 35.7 18 2.6 38 5.4 

Eligibility status

Low-income and potentially firstgeneration 10,214 1,508 14.8 3,500 34.3 334 3.3 731 7.2 

Low-income only 722 141 19.5 292 40.4 23 3.2 45 6.2 

Potentially first-generation only 1,853 354 19.1 742 40.0 77 4.2 133 7.2 

Gender

Male 4,510 582 12.9 1,371 30.4 126 2.8 259 5.7 

Female 8,292 1,422 17.1 3,167 38.2 308 3.7 650 7.8 

Race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino, any race 3,012 435 14.4 1,093 36.3 94 3.1 204 6.8 

American Indian or Alaska Native 310 11 3.5 50 16.1 10 3.2 18 5.8 

Asian 724 162 22.4 384 53.0 10 1.4 32 4.4 

Black or African American 5,200 786 15.1 1,826 35.1 102 2.0 267 5.1 

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific 

Islander 141 3 2.1 9 6.4 4 2.8 21 14.9 

White 2,944 544 18.5 1,025 34.8 199 6.8 335 11.4 

More than one race 204 29 14.2 70 34.3 6 2.9 14 6.9 

See notes at end of table on p. B-11. 
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-9 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-4. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 postsecondary graduation cohort, and 

number and percentage who completed bachelor’s and associate degrees, by time to degree, UB and UBMS program type, sector 

of UB/UBMS grantee institution, and participant characteristics—Continued 

Degree type and timing of degree completion 2

Bachelor’s degree Associate degree

Earned within four years Earned within six years Earned within two years Earned within three years

UB/UBMS program type, 

sector of UB/UBMS grantee 

institution, and participant 

characteristics

Total cohort 

participants 1 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

UB participants only

Total 11,278 1,711 15.2 3,847 34.1 391 3.5 827 7.3 

Sector of UB grantee institution

Four-year public 5,269 790 15.0 1,813 34.4 120 2.3 279 5.3 

Four-year private 2,207 420 19.0 877 39.7 59 2.7 146 6.6 

Two-year public 3,138 399 12.7 923 29.4 195 6.2 368 11.7 

Other 3 664 102 15.4 234 35.2 17 2.6 34 5.1 

Eligibility status

Low-income and potentially firstgeneration 9,014 1,290 14.3 2,971 33.0 302 3.4 666 7.4 

Low-income only 621 120 19.3 246 39.6 21 3.4 41 6.6 

Potentially first-generation only 1,633 300 18.4 627 38.4 68 4.2 120 7.3 

Gender

Male 3,948 486 12.3 1,150 29.1 117 3.0 236 6.0 

Female 7,330 1,225 16.7 2,697 36.8 274 3.7 591 8.1 

Race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino, any race 2,633 355 13.5 904 34.3 83 3.2 183 7.0 

American Indian or Alaska Native 277 8 2.9 36 13.0 8 2.9 14 5.1 

Asian 592 132 22.3 310 52.4 8 1.4 26 4.4 

Black or African American 4,587 677 14.8 1,564 34.1 96 2.1 249 5.4 

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific 

Islander 134 ‡ ‡ 7 5.2 4 3.0 21 15.7 

White 2,613 479 18.3 889 34.0 177 6.8 304 11.6 

More than one race 181 25 13.8 59 32.6 6 3.3 12 6.6 

See notes at end of table on p. B-11. 
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-10 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-4. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 postsecondary graduation cohort, and 

number and percentage who completed bachelor’s and associate degrees, by time to degree, UB and UBMS program type, sector 

of UB/UBMS grantee institution, and participant characteristics—Continued 

Degree type and timing of degree completion 2

Bachelor’s degree Associate degree

Earned within four years Earned within six years Earned within two years Earned within three years

UB/UBMS program type, 

sector of UB/UBMS grantee 

institution, and participant 

characteristics

Total cohort 

participants 1 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

UBMS participants only

Total 1,524 293 19.2 691 45.3 43 2.8 82 5.4 

Sector of UBMS grantee institution

Four-year public 949 177 18.7 427 45.0 17 1.8 39 4.1 

Four-year private 323 70 21.7 147 45.5 5 1.5 9 2.8 

Two-year public 215 37 17.2 101 47.0 20 9.3 30 14.0 

Other 3 37 9 24.3 16 43.2 ‡ ‡ 4 10.8 

Eligibility status

Low-income and potentially firstgeneration 1,200 218 18.2 529 44.1 32 2.7 65 5.4 

Low-income only 101 21 20.8 46 45.5 ‡ ‡ 4 4.0 

Potentially first-generation only 220 54 24.5 115 52.3 9 4.1 13 5.9 

Gender

Male 562 96 17.1 221 39.3 9 1.6 23 4.1 

Female 962 197 20.5 470 48.9 34 3.5 59 6.1 

Race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino, any race 379 80 21.1 189 49.9 11 2.9 21 5.5 

American Indian or Alaska Native 33 3 9.1 14 42.4 ‡ ‡ 4 12.1 

Asian 132 30 22.7 74 56.1 ‡ ‡ 6 4.5 

Black or African American 613 109 17.8 262 42.7 6 1.0 18 2.9 

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific 

Islander 7 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ 7 100.0 ‡ ‡ 

White 331 65 19.6 136 41.1 22 6.6 31 9.4 

More than one race 23 4 17.4 11 47.8 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ 

See notes at the end of table on p. B-11. 
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-11 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-4. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 postsecondary graduation cohort, and 

number and percentage who completed bachelor’s and associate degrees, by time to degree, UB and UBMS program type, sector 

of UB/UBMS grantee institution, and participant characteristics—Continued 

‡ Not reported to protect subgroups with fewer than three participants.

1 Includes those who completed high school during the 2007–08 academic year and enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by the fall term immediately following 

high school graduation (by Nov. 30, 2008).

2 Among those in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort. Timing of degree completion is calculated relative to the postsecondary education enrollment cohort 

year. For the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort, “within two years” means by Aug. 31, 2010; “within three years” means by Aug. 31, 2011; “within four years” 

means by Aug. 31, 2012; and “within six years” means by Aug. 31, 2014. Participants who earned both a bachelor’s degree and an associate degree are included in the results for 

both of these degree types; therefore, the sum of the degree type columns do not equal the number reported in the Total column in each row. 

3 “Other” includes two-year private and two- and four-year private for-profit postsecondary institutions, secondary schools, nonprofit organizations, and other organizations

NOTE: UB = regular Upward Bound; and UBMS = Upward Bound Math-Science. The results presented for each of the participant characteristics exclude participants who had an 

unknown response for the given characteristic. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs Funded Projects Database, 2013–14 and UB/UBMS Longitudinal File: 2000–14; and National Student 

Clearinghouse data: Fall 2007 through fall 2014. 
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-12 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-5. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort and 

number and percentage who immediately enrolled at any postsecondary institution and at their grantee institution, by the sector 

of UB/UBMS grantee institution

Total with immediate postsecondary enrollment at institutions2

Any Grantee 

Sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution 

Total 2013–14 high 

school graduation 

cohort participants 1 Number Percent Number Percent of cohort Percent of enrollees

Total 17,636 15,093 85.6 4,236 24.0 28.1 

Sector of UB/UBMS grantee institution

Four-year public grantee 8,609 7,325 85.1 2069 24.0 28.2 

Four-year private grantee 3,566 3,086 86.5 280 7.9 9.1 

Two-year public grantee 5,410 4,640 85.8 1872 34.6 40.3 

Two-year private 51 42 82.4 15 29.4 35.7 

1 Participants who graduated with a regular high school diploma were assigned to a high school graduation cohort year based on the date of high school graduation, using 

September through August as the academic year. Count includes cohort participants who received services from projects that were hosted by institutions of higher education 

(i.e., grantee institution). Results exclude 2013–14 high school graduation cohort participants who received services from secondary schools, nonprofit agencies, or institutions 

other than two- or four-year institutions of higher education. 

2 For the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort, the data include those who enrolled in program of postsecondary education by Nov. 30, 2014.

NOTE: UB = regular Upward Bound; and UBMS = Upward Bound Math-Science. Because of the small number of cohort participants who received services from two-year private 

grantee institutions (51 participants), the results for this group of participants should be interpreted with caution.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs Funded Projects Database, 2013–14 and UB/UBMS Longitudinal File: 2000–14; and National Student Loan Data 

System data: Fall 2013 through fall 2014. 
Appendix B. Tables Showing the Participant Outcomes of UB and UBMS Participants B-13 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Table B-6. Number of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science participants in the 2008 postsecondary graduation cohort, and 

number and percentage who completed bachelor’s and associate degrees at their grantee institution, by time to degree and sector 

of UB/UBMS grantee institution

Degree type and timing of degree completion at grantee institution 3

Bachelor’s degree Associate degree

Total degree completers 

at grantee institution 2

Earned within 

four years

Earned within 

six years

Earned within 

two years

Earned within 

three years

Sector of UB/UBMS grantee 

institution

Total 2008 

postsecondary 

education cohort 

participants 1 Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

Total 12,140 958 7.9 277 2.3 750 6.2 123 1.0 226 1.9 

Sector of grantee institution

Four-year public 6,218 667 10.7 232 3.7 657 10.6 12 0.2 25 0.4 

Four-year private 2,530 74 2.9 43 1.7 74 2.9 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ 

Two-year public 3,353 214 6.4 ‡ ‡ 19 0.6 108 3.2 198 5.9 

Two-year private 39 3 7.7 ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ 3 7.7 3 7.7 

‡ Not reported to protect subgroups with fewer than three participants.

1 Includes those who completed high school during the 2007–08 academic year and enrolled in a program of postsecondary education by the fall term immediately following 

high school graduation (by Nov. 30, 2008), and who received services from projects that were hosted by institutions of higher education (i.e., grantee institutions). Results 

exclude 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort participants who received services from secondary schools, nonprofit agencies, or institutions other than two- or fouryear institutions of higher education. 

2 Includes (1) bachelor’s degrees that were completed at the grantee institution within six years of the postsecondary enrollment cohort year (i.e. completed by Aug. 31, 2014) 

and (2) associate degrees that were completed at the grantee institution within three years of the postsecondary enrollment cohort year (i.e. completed by Aug. 31, 2011).

3 Among those in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort. Timing of degree completion is calculated relative to the postsecondary education enrollment cohort 

year. For the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort, “within two years” means by Aug. 31, 2010; “within three years” means by Aug. 31, 2011; “within four years” 

means by Aug. 31, 2012; and “within six years” means by Aug. 31, 2014. Participants who earned both a bachelor’s degree and an associate degree are included in the results for 

both of these degree types; therefore, the sums of the degree type columns do not equal the number reported in the Total 2008 postsecondary education cohort participants 

column in each row. Because of the small number of cohort participants who received services from two-year private grantee institutions (39 participants), the results for this 

group of participants should be interpreted with caution.

NOTE: UB = Upward Bound; and UBMS = Upward Bound Math-Science. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Federal TRIO Programs Funded Projects Database, 2013–14 and UB/UBMS Longitudinal File 2000–14; and National Student 

Clearinghouse data: Fall 2007 through fall 2014. 
Appendix C. National Rates of Immediate Postsecondary 

Enrollment and Postsecondary Degree Completion

C-1 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Appendix C. National Rates of Immediate Postsecondary 

Enrollment and Postsecondary Degree Completion 

National rates of immediate postsecondary enrollment

As described in the Program Outcomes section of this report, the immediate postsecondary 

enrollment rate among all UB and UBMS participants in the 2013–14 high school graduation cohort 

was 86 percent, and the corresponding rates by UB and UBMS eligibility criteria were as follows:

• 85 percent among those who were both low-income and first-generation; 

• 88 percent among those who were low-income only; and

• 87 percent among those who were first-generation only. 

To provide context for the immediate postsecondary enrollment rates reported for UB and UBMS 

participants, this report presents national rates of immediate postsecondary enrollment drawn from 

the 2013 Current Population Survey (CPS).33 The CPS-based immediate enrollment rates 

presented below include individuals who were 16 to 24 years of age who graduated from high 

school or completed the General Educational Development (GED) test in 2013. Readers are 

cautioned to not directly compare the CPS rates to those reported for UB and UBMS participants 

in this report for several reasons. Compared to participants in the UB and UBMS 2013–14 high 

school graduation cohort, the individuals included in the CPS immediate postsecondary 

enrollment rates were in an earlier cohort, and in some cases were older and did not graduate with 

a regular high school diploma. Additionally, individuals included in the CPS rate may not share 

the same risk characteristics (such as being both low-income and potentially first-generation 

college students) as UB and UBMS participants, and they may have different motivations and 

expectations. In terms of family income, readers should note an additional comparability issue 

when interpreting CPS-based immediate enrollment rates relative to those reported for UB and 

UBMS participants. Specifically, “low income” as defined in the CPS-based immediate 

enrollment rates refers to the bottom 20 percent of all family incomes, while the “low income” 

status for UB and UBMS participants is based on federal poverty levels, which are determined by 

a family’s taxable income relative to the number of members included in the family. 

Figure C-1 presents the CPS immediate postsecondary enrollment rates for individuals who 

graduated from high school or completed the GED test in 2013.34 Results are presented overall 

and by level of family income. 

 

33 The CPS is a monthly household survey—conducted by the Bureau of the Census for the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics—that collects data from a random sample of 60,000 households via personal and telephone interviews. 

The CPS postsecondary enrollments reported are from the Digest of Education Statistics 2014, Table 302.30, 

retrieved March 10, 2016 from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d14/tables/dt14_302.30.asp. 34 The calculation included individuals 16 to 24 years of age who graduated from high school or completed the GED 

test in 2013 (January through October); those who enrolled in a program of postsecondary education at a two- or 

four-year college in the fall immediately after completing high school were considered to have immediately enrolled 

in a program of postsecondary education. The 2013 CPS immediate postsecondary enrollment rate was a two-year 

moving average (i.e., an average of the 2012 and 2013 rates). Moving averages produce more stable estimates. 
Appendix C. National Rates of Immediate Postsecondary 

Enrollment and Postsecondary Degree Completion

C-2 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Figure C-1. Percentage of 2013 high school completers who immediately enrolled in two-year and 

four-year colleges, by income level: 2013 

Note: Figure includes individuals ages 16 to 24 who graduated from high school or completed the General Educational 

Development (GED) test in 2013 (January through October). Those who enrolled in a program of postsecondary education at a 

two- or four-year college in the fall immediately after completing high school were considered to have immediately enrolled in 

a program of postsecondary education. The immediate postsecondary enrollment rates are based on a two-year moving 

average (reflects the average of 2012 and 2013). Moving averages produce more stable estimates. “Low income” refers to the 

bottom 20 percent of all family incomes; “high income” refers to the top 20 percent of all family incomes; and “middle income” 

refers to the 60 percent in between. 

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October Supplement, 1990–2013. See 

Digest of Education Statistics 2014, table 302.30.

 Of the 3 million high school completers in 2013,35 66 percent enrolled in a two- or fouryear college the following fall.

 In 2013, the immediate college enrollment rate for high school completers from highincome families (80 percent) was 31 percentage points higher than the rate for those from 

low-income families (49 percent).36

National rates of postsecondary degree completion

The Program Outcomes section of this report provided postsecondary degree completion rates 

for UB and UBMS participants. Among all UB and UBMS participants in the 2008 

postsecondary enrollment cohort 

 

35 Includes GED recipients. 36 “Low income” refers to the bottom 20 percent of all family incomes, “high income” refers to the top 20 percent of 

all family incomes, and “middle income” refers to the 60 percent in between. 
Appendix C. National Rates of Immediate Postsecondary 

Enrollment and Postsecondary Degree Completion

C-3 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

• 40 percent completed either a bachelor’s degree within six years or an associate degree 

within three years of postsecondary enrollment; 

• 35 percent completed a bachelor’s degree within six years; and

• 4 percent did not complete a bachelor’s degree within six years but did complete an 

associate degree within three years. 

To provide context for the postsecondary degree completion rates reported for UB and UBMS 

participants, national rates of postsecondary degree completion are presented below. The 

national rates are based on data from the 2004 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal 

Study (BPS:04); the BPS:04 was a longitudinal study that follows a nationally representative 

cohort of students who enrolled in a program of postsecondary education for the first time during 

2003–04. These national rates are not directly comparable to the degree completion rates 

reported for UB and UBMS participants because they may not share the same demographic and 

academic background characteristics as UB and UBMS participants in the 2008 postsecondary 

education enrollment cohort, or the same motivation and expectations as UB and UBMS 

participants in the 2008 postsecondary education enrollment cohort; therefore, readers are 

cautioned to not directly compare the BPS rates to those reported for UB and UBMS 

participants. 

Figure C-2 summarizes the national postsecondary degree completion rates for students who 

graduated with a regular high school diploma in 2003 and enrolled in a program of 

postsecondary education for the first time in 2003–04.37 Students who completed both a 

bachelor’s degree and an associate degree within six years are shown in the highest degree 

earned category (i.e., bachelor’s degree).

Figure C-2 also presents national postsecondary degree completion rates by family income level 

and parental education level. In terms of family income, readers should note an additional 

comparability issue when interpreting these BPS-based postsecondary degree completion rates 

relative to those reported for UB and UBMS participants; specifically, “low income,” as defined 

in the BPS-based postsecondary degree completion rates, refers to 2002 adjusted gross incomes

less than $32,000, while UB and UBMS “low income” status is based on federal poverty levels, 

which are determined by a family’s taxable income relative to the number of members included 

in the family. 

 

37 Results include students who graduated with a regular diploma during 2003 and enrolled in a program of 

postsecondary education for the first time during 2003–04 at Title IV-eligible postsecondary institutions in the 50 

states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The reported results are based on the U.S. Department of 

Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003–04 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal 

Study, Second Follow-up (BPS:04/09). Results were computed using NCES PowerStats (at 

https://nces.ed.gov/datalab) on March 21, 2016.
Appendix C. National Rates of Immediate Postsecondary 

Enrollment and Postsecondary Degree Completion

C-4 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

Figure C-2. Percentage of students who graduated high school with a regular high school diploma and 

enrolled in a postsecondary institution for the first time in 2003–04 and who completed a 

bachelor’s degree or an associate degree in six years, or did not complete a degree, by 

family income level and parental education level: 2004–09

NOTE: Results include students who graduated with a regular diploma during 2003 and enrolled in a program of postsecondary 

education for the first time during 2003–04 at Title IV-eligible postsecondary institutions in the 50 states, the District of 

Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Students who completed both an associate degree and a bachelor’s degree within six years of entry 

into postsecondary education (i.e., by 2009) are shown in the “highest degree earned” category (i.e., bachelor’s degree). “Low 

income” includes students whose adjusted family income in 2002 was less than $32,000; “higher income” includes students 

whose adjusted family income in 2002 was $32,000 or higher. For dependent students, income values reflect the student’s 

parents’ adjusted gross income; for independent students, income values reflect the student’s adjusted gross income (plus their 

spouse’s adjusted gross income, if applicable). “First-generation college student” includes those whose parents’ highest level of 

education was less than a bachelor’s degree; “not first-generation college students” are those whose parents had earned a 

bachelor’s degree or higher. Parental education information reflects the highest level of education completed by the student’s 

mother or father; results exclude students who did not know their parents’ highest level of education. Detail may not sum to 

totals because of rounding.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003-04 Beginning Postsecondary Students 

Longitudinal Study, Second Follow-up (BPS:04/09). Results computed using NCES PowerStats (at https://nces.ed.gov/datalab) on 

March 21, 2016. 

 Among recent high school graduates who were also 2003–04 first-time postsecondary 

students, 54 percent had completed an associate degree or higher within six years of 

entering a program of postsecondary education.38 

 

38 The BPS associate degree completion rates are calculated using a six-year period, whereas the associate degree 

rates reported for UB and UBMS participants are based on two-year and three-year periods.
Appendix C. National Rates of Immediate Postsecondary 

Enrollment and Postsecondary Degree Completion

C-5 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

 The rate of earning a bachelor’s or associate degree within six years varied by income 

level and parental education level.

o Among recent high school graduates who were also 2003–04 first-time postsecondary 

students and low income (i.e., adjusted income was less than $32,000), 40 percent 

had completed an associate degree or higher within six years of entering a program of 

postsecondary education. For higher income students (i.e., adjusted income was 

$32,000 or more), 60 percent had completed an associate degree or higher within six 

years.

o Among recent high school graduates who were also 2003–04 first-time postsecondary 

students and first-generation college students,39 44 percent had completed an 

associate degree or higher within six years, compared to 66 percent of students who 

were not first-generation college students. 

o For recent high school graduates who were also 2003–04 first-time postsecondary 

students from low-income families and were first-generation college students, 36 

percent had completed an associate degree or higher within six years.

 

39 First-generation college students include those whose parents’ highest level of education was less than a 

bachelor’s degree; students who were not first-generation college students are those whose parents (mother and/or 

father) had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. 
Appendix C. National Rates of Immediate Postsecondary 

Enrollment and Postsecondary Degree Completion

6 Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science Programs

The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparation 

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