What is Veterans
Upward Bound (VUB)?
Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) is a federally funded TRIO program
designed to help qualified military veterans prepare to enroll in a
postsecondary school.
What
is TRIO?
TRIO programs serve people of varying ages and educational levels.
VUB is just one such program funded by the U.S. Department of
Education. Other TRIO programs at WKU include:
- Student Support Services (SSS)
- Upward Bound (UB)
- Educational Talent Search (ETS)
- Equal Opportunity Center (EOC)
Other TRIO
programs not housed at WKU, but available elsewhere include:
- UB
Math/Science Initiatives
- McNair
Post-baccalaureate Graduate Program
- TRIO
Training Project
For more information about the TRIO programs, see the national TRIO website at
http://www.coenet.us//ecm/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
.
How do I contact the
Veteran’s Upward Bound (VUB) program?
You may e-mail us at veterans.upward.bound@wku.edu,
call us at (270) 745-5310, write us at Veterans Upward Bound,
Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Blvd. #11098,
Bowling Green, KY. 42101-1098 or look at our web site at http://www.wku.edu/vub
.
How
do/What must I do to qualify for VUB?
Anyone who wishes to benefit from our FREE educational services
must first meet a few simple eligibility requirements.
All participants must demonstrate academic potential as well
as have academic need. Not all students have the same needs, and
that's ok. Some students require developmental course work, while
others need more help with cutting through university red tape. For
more information on specific services provided by VUB, see http://www.wku.edu/vub.
When I provide
information to Veterans Upward Bound, is it shared with other
people?
We share that information with the people who are necessary to
get you enrolled in school. Our
records are kept under lock-and-key when we are not using them. We
never sell any information to companies for their contact lists.
What
classes are offered in Veterans Upward Bound?
Academic refresher classes are available in Language Arts,
Mathematics, Science, Foreign Language, and Computer Word
Processing.
Does the program have
a flexible schedule?
Classes are taught at the following times: MONDAY and WEDNESDAY
8:30 - 11:00 am, TUESDAY and THURSDAY 8:30 - 11:00 am ,1:00 - 3:30
pm, or 5:00 - 7:30 pm.
Can I take VUB
classes online?
We are currently designing this opportunity.
Call us at (270) 745-5310 to see if the online option is
available when you read this.
Can Veterans Upward
Bound help me apply for school?
Yes. Other services
provided by VUB include information and assistance with admissions,
financial aid, and career selection for your prospective
institution.
What about admissions
fees?
Veterans Upward Bound has agreements with WKU and some other
schools to use application fee waivers for needy participants. Note:
We will not provide this fee if you choose to attend school
before your work in VUB shows that you are academically read.
Do
I have to have a declared major when I begin?
Not really but we strongly suggest it so you do not take
unnecessary classes that might extend your time in college and coast
you extra dollars. You
may need to have a declared major early in your schedule at WKU if
you receive VA benefits. Regular financial aid does not require it
so long as you make satisfactory progress toward graduation.
Does VUB provide financial aid?
No. Although all services, including our academic refresher
classes, are free to qualified students, we do not provide financial
aid for college, university or technical school. We can,
however, help you with the financial aid application process, as
well as putting you in contact with the appropriate financial aid
officials at your prospective school.
I cannot remember if
I had the ACT or my ACT was low?
Is there anything I can do through Veterans Upward Bound?
VUB helps participants prepare for the ACT and pays for one ACT test
per participant.
Can VUB help me choose a career or school?
Yes. Using the COPS career interest inventory, our
coordinator/counselor can work with you to help determine what
career field might be appropriate for you. Our
coordinator/counselor can also help you determine which school will
best prepare you for your chosen field.
Can VUB help me find a job?
No. While we do not offer career placement services, we do
offer career counseling and resume development.
Does
Veterans Upward Bound provide anything else for students?
VUB sometimes has field trips, makes tickets to certain events
available to participants, holds open houses for participant and
their significant others, and has a awards banquet in the late
spring each year.
Where is Veterans
Upward Bound Located?
The VUB program has its own dedicated classroom with its own
computer lab. The classroom is adjacent to the VUB office in Jones-Jaggers
Hall room 129 and has its own private hall and outside doors.
Do Veteran's Upward Bound
(VUB) classes cost anything to attend?
NO! All VUB classes and supplies are free to qualified veterans.
How long should I plan on being in VUB classes before I am
ready to go on to a postsecondary school?
The answer to this question depends on several factors, including
your high school preparedness, your VUB assessment test scores and
your internal drive to succeed. Do not shortchange yourself by
planning to be in VUB for just a few weeks. While some
students may only require minimal work, others will want to attend
classes for a longer period of time. Participants work at
their own pace and it takes people different amounts of time to
complete the program depending on how much academic work must be
accomplished. The staff can advise you as to how long you might want
to spend in our classes. The staff will also advise you when they
feel you are ready to move on. Generally participants stay from 6-12
months.
Is there any
out-processing I must do when I leave VUB?
We need every participant to take a post-test before they leave
so we can measure progress to prove to the government we are doing
our job so they will keep funding us.
This should take about an hour.
See the Counselor for an appointment.
Do I have to buy a parking
permit to park on campus when I am in Veterans Upward Bound?
No. At this time VUB
provides complimentary permits, one day at a time, for our
participants to use when they are visiting our office or classroom.
I'm
already in college or voc/tech school. Can I benefit from VUB?
No. Our regulations prohibit us from serving any student
who is already enrolled at a postsecondary school. Some
schools, including WKU, have another TRIO program -- Student Support
Services -- which specifically serves students already enrolled. Unofficially
you can come to VUB but stipends and services that cost money are
not available. But, our
classroom and computers are available if you need them when classes
are not in session. You can
officially come back to VUB between semesters if you still need some
brush-up work.
Do I have to attend
Western Kentucky University after I complete Veterans Upward Bound?
Now. We hope you
will but you may choose any college, vocational, or technical school
you wish. We will still
help you with the enrollment process.
Can Veterans Upward Bound
help me with other VA concerns?
We are not VA counselors but now and then we might have an
answer for you. If not,
we will do our dead level best to refer you to someone who can help
you.
Can I invite other
veterans like my friends or family to join VUB?
ABSOLUTELY! Please do. We
are always looking for more veterans to serve.
If I have to leave the
area, can I go to another VUB program.
If this is needed, contact us and we will help you see if there
is a Veterans Upward Bound Program where you plan to move.
If there is an available program, we will refer you to them
in hopes of helping you be accepted there.
Go to this link to see where other programs currently exist.
Look at the Program Locator at the top left of the page.
http://navub.org/
Can I work for VUB while I
am in school?
If you qualify for VA benefits you might be eligible to work for
us part-time. You must
talk to the VA certifying officer on campus and then go through an
interview with us. We
are only allowed by the VA to have two student works at any time.
Your pay comes from the VA, not from VUB.
When I graduate from
school, is it possible for me to work for VUB full-time?
VUB gives some preference to former participants if you meet the job
description requirements but you must still compete with all the
other applicants at the time of the opening.
This is a rule of the campus.
Job announcements at WKU can be found at
http://www.wku.edu/hr/AAAweb/employment.htm.
We are not allowed to take applications in our office,
They must all be submitted online through WKU.
I have a question not answered on this page. What should
I do?
More information about VUB can be found on the VUB
Fact Sheet (a .pdf file). If you'd like to request
information about VUB, please see our information
request form. If you can't find the answers you're looking
for on this page or elsewhere on our site, feel free to e-mail us at
Veterans.Upward.Bound@WKU.edu
with any question you have.
