Helping the Progress of Disadvantaged Students in Higher Education: The Federal Student Support Services Program

Student Support Services (SSS) is one of the largest federal TRIO programs designed to help disadvantaged students stay in and complete college. Through a longitudinal study of participants and comparable non participants, we examined the impact of SSS on retention. Data were collected through student questionnaires, institutional and program data, and students’ postsecondary transcripts. We found that SSS had a positive impact for all three measures of retention that were used, but the impact varied depending on which services students used and how much they participated. The results confirm that retention programs should address both academic and social integration on campus.