SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                   FORM 8 - K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) - April 30, 1997



                            COLLECTIVE BANCORP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


          Delaware                   0-17515                   22-2942769
      (State or other              (Commission              (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of incorporation)     File Number)             Identification No.)


              716 West White Horse Pike, Cologne, New Jersey 08213
               (Address of principal executive offices, zip code)


                                  609-625-1110
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

<PAGE>




Item  5.  Other Events


         In  April  1997,  the  Registrant  publicly  reported  its  results  of
         operations for the three and  nine-month  periods ended March 31, 1997.
         Filed  herewith  is a portion  of the  financial  statements  and notes
         thereto for such periods that will be included in the Registrant's Form
         10-Q for the  quarterly  period  ended March 31,  1997.  The  financial
         information   contained   herein   will  be  included  in  a  Form  S-4
         registration  statement to be filed by Summit  Bancorp.  in  connection
         with the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated February 27, 1997, between
         the Registrant and Summit Bancorp.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
           (c) Exhibits

              (27)  Financial Data Schedule

              (99)  Financial Statements of Collective Bancorp, Inc. and 
                    Subsidiary:

                  .1 Statements of Consolidated Financial Condition as of 
                     March 31, 1997 and  June 30, 1996.

                  .2 Statements  of  Consolidated  Operations  for the three 
                     months ended March 31, 1997 and 1996 and the nine months 
                     ended March 31, 1997 and 1996.

                  .3 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.





                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.


                                                   Collective Bancorp, Inc.
                                                   ------------------------- 
                                                         (Registrant)



Date:  April 30, 1997                              BERNARD H. BERKMAN
                                                   ------------------
                                                   Bernard H. Berkman
                                                   Executive Vice President and
                                                   Chief Accounting Officer
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 8 - K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) - April 30, 1997

                            COLLECTIVE BANCORP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          Delaware                   0-17515                   22-2942769
      (State or other              (Commission              (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of incorporation)     File Number)             Identification No.)

              716 West White Horse Pike, Cologne, New Jersey 08213
               (Address of principal executive offices, zip code)

                                  609-625-1110
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Item  5.  Other Events

         In  April  1997,  the  Registrant  publicly  reported  its  results  of
         operations for the three and  nine-month  periods ended March 31, 1997.
         Filed  herewith  is a portion  of the  financial  statements  and notes
         thereto for such periods that will be included in the Registrant's Form
         10-Q for the  quarterly  period  ended March 31,  1997.  The  financial
         information   contained   herein   will  be  included  in  a  Form  S-4
         registration  statement to be filed by Summit  Bancorp.  in  connection
         with the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated February 27, 1997, between
         the Registrant and Summit Bancorp.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
           (c) Exhibits

              (27)  Financial Data Schedule

              (99)  Financial Statements of Collective Bancorp, Inc. and 
                    Subsidiary:

                  .1 Statements of Consolidated Financial Condition as of 
                     March 31, 1997 and  June 30, 1996.

                  .2 Statements  of  Consolidated  Operations  for the three 
                     months ended March 31, 1997 and 1996 and the nine months 
                     ended March 31, 1997 and 1996.

                  .3 Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

                                                   Collective Bancorp, Inc.
                                                   ------------------------- 
                                                         (Registrant)

Date:  April 30, 1997                              BERNARD H. BERKMAN
                                                   ------------------
                                                   Bernard H. Berkman
                                                   Executive Vice President and
                                                   Chief Accounting Officer