+-------------------------+--------------------------------------------+
| A Profile of the        |                                            |
+-------------------------+--------------------------------------------+
|                         | Student Support\                           |
|                         | Services Program                           |
|                         |                                            |
|                         | 1998--1999 THROUGH 2001--2002              |
+-------------------------+--------------------------------------------+

Prepared for

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Postsecondary Education

Federal TRIO Programs

2005

By

Yu Zhang

Tsze Chan

Margaret Hale

Rita Kirshstein

American Institutes for Research®

This report was prepared for the U.S. Department of Education under
Contract No. ED-01-CO-0026/0010 by the American Institutes for
Research®. Frances Bergeron provided technical review of the content.
Shirley Johnson served as the contracting officer's representative. The
views expressed herein are those of the contractor. 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**\
Margaret Spellings\
*Secretary*

**Office of Postsecondary Education**\
Sally L. Stroup\
*Assistant Secretary*

**Federal TRIO Programs**\
Larry Oxendine\
*Director*

July 2005

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, *A Profile of the Student
Support Services Program: 1998--1999 Through 2001--2002*. Washington,
D.C., 2005.

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Photos by Paul Wood, U.S. Department of Education, and from the archives
of the U.S. Department of Education.

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Acknowledgments xi

Highlights xiii

Chapter 1: Introduction 1

Background 1

Data issues 4

Chapter 2: Program Activities and Objectives: 2001--02 7

Program services 7

Academic instruction 7

Academic support 9

Counseling and mentoring services 12

Cultural and enrichment activities 15

Program objectives: 2001--02 17

Chapter 3: Program Participants: 1998--99 to 2001--02 19

Current college grade 22

Eligibility status 24

Demographic characteristics 26

Gender 26

Race/ethnicity 26

Average age at entry 28

Grade level at program entry 28

Academic need 30

Length of service provision 32

Length of time receiving service 32

Project entry period 33

Enrollment status 33

Enrollment status during the reporting period 34

Enrollment status at the end of the program year 34

Grade point average and academic standing 37

Degree or certificate completed 38

Financial aid 40

Four-year institutions 40

Two-year institutions 42

Reasons full financial aid not offered or awarded 42

Four-year institutions 42

Two-year institutions 46

Chapter 4: Program Outcomes and Impacts 49

A note on the data used 49

Program outcomes 50

Academic standing 50

Grade point average 50

Persistence 52

Credentials and degrees earned 54

The impact of the SSS Program 56

A comparison of enrollment 57

A comparison of degrees earned 60

Chapter 5: Future Plans 63

Appendix A: Response Rates and Data Issues 65

Appendix B: Risk Factors of 1995--96 BPS Freshmen from Disadvantaged
Backgrounds 69

Appendix C: Glossary 71

Appendix D: Bibliography 75

TABLES

Table 1.01. Total and average annual SSS Program awards and number of
students to be served:\
1998--99 to 2001--02 2

Table 1.02. Percentage distribution of awards and students to be served
in the SSS Program, by selected grantee characteristics: 1998--99 to
2001--02 3

Table 1.03. Percentage distribution of awards and students to be served
in the SSS Program, by region: 1998--99 to 2001--02 4

Table 2.01. Percentage of grantees offering and percentage of
participants receiving SSS-funded academic instruction, by subject area
and type of institution: 2001--02 8

Table 2.02. Percentage of grantees offering and percentage of
participants receiving SSS-funded grant-\
specific "other" academic instruction, by support area and type of
institution: 2001--02 9

Table 2.03. Percentage of grantees offering and percentage of
participants receiving SSS-funded\
academic support services plus average contact hours, by type of
institution: 2001--02 11

Table 2.04. Percentage of grantees offering and percentage of
participants receiving SSS-funded grant-\
specific "other" academic support services plus average contact hours,
by type of institution: 2001--02 12

Table 2.05. Percentage of grantees offering and percentage of
participants receiving SSS-funded\
counseling and mentoring services plus average contact hours, by type of
institution:\
2001--02 14

Table 2.06. Percentage of grantees offering and percentage of
participants receiving SSS-funded grant-\
specific "other" counseling and mentoring services plus average contact
hours: 2001--02 15

Table 2.07. Percentage of grantees offering and percentage of
participants taking part in SSS-funded\
cultural and enrichment activities, by type of institution: 2001--02 16

Table 2.08. Percentage of grantees offering and percentage of
participants taking part in SSS-funded\
grant-specific "other" cultural and enrichment activities, by type of
institution: 2001--02 17

Table 2.09. Percentage of sampled grantees that met SSS-approved program
objectives: 2001--02 18

Table 3.01. Percentage distribution of active and prior SSS Program
participants, by participant status\
and type of institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 20

Table 3.02. Percentage distribution and number of active SSS Program
participants, by participant status\
and type of institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 21

Table 3.03. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program participants,
by college grade level and type of institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 23

Table 3.04. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program participants,
by eligibility criteria and type of institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 25

Table 3.05. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program participants,
by gender: 1998--99 to 2001--02 26

Table 3.06. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program participants,
by race/ethnicity and type of institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 28

Table 3.07. Average age at entry of active SSS Program participants, by
type of institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 29

Table 3.08. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program participants,
by college grade level at entry\
and type of institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 29

Table 3.09. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program participants,
by academic need and institution\
type: 1998--99 to 2001--02 30

Table 3.10. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program participants,
by years receiving services and institution type: 1998--99 to 2001--02
32

Table 3.11. Percentage distribution of new SSS Program participants, by
entry season and type of\
institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 33

Table 3.12. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program participants,
by enrollment status and type of institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 35

Table 3.13. Percentage distribution of the end-of-year status of active
SSS Program participants, by\
institution type: 1998--99 to 2001--02 36

Table 3.14. Average cumulative GPA of active SSS Program participants,
by type of institution:\
1998--99 to 2001--02 37

Table 3.15. Percentage of active SSS Program participants in good
academic standing, by type of\
institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 38

Table 3.16. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program participants,
by degree or certificate completed\
and type of institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 39

Table 3.17. Percentage of active SSS Program participants who applied
for and received financial aid,\
and mean aid requested and offered in four-year institutions, by sector:
1998--99 to 2001--02 41

Table 3.18. Percentage of active SSS Program participants who applied
for and received financial aid,\
and mean aid requested and offered in two-year institutions, by sector:
1998--99 to 2001--02 43

Table 3.19. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program aid
applicants, by reason of denial of full\
financial aid in four-year institutions and sector: 1998--99 to 2001--02
44

Table 3.20. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program aid
applicants, by reason of denial of full\
financial aid in two-year institutions and sector: 1998--99 to 2001--02
46

Table 4.01. Percentage distribution of the academic standing of four SSS
freshman cohorts, by type of\
institution: 1998--99 to 2001--02 51

Table 4.02. Average cumulative GPA of four SSS freshman cohorts over
years, by type of institution:\
1998--99 to 2001--02 52

Table 4.03. Percentage of SSS freshmen enrolled at the original two-year
institution and at other\
institutions in the second and third years: 1998--99 to 2000--01 53

Table 4.04. Percentage of SSS freshmen who remained enrolled at the
original four-year institution or any other postsecondary institution in
the second, third and fourth years: 1998--99 to 2000--01 53

Table 4.05. Percentage of SSS freshmen at two-year institutions who
received certificates or associate\
degrees at the end of the first, second and third years: 1998--99 to
2000--01 55

Table 4.06. Percentage of SSS freshmen at four-year institutions who
received bachelor's degrees at the\
end of the second, third and fourth years: 1998--99 to 2000--01 55

Table 4.07. Comparison of enrollment rates in the second and third years
in two-year institutions between\
the 1998--99 SSS freshmen and the 1995--96 BPS freshmen from
disadvantaged backgrounds 57

Table 4.08. Comparison of enrollment rates in the second and third years
in two-year institutions between\
the 1998--99 SSS freshmen and the 1995--96 BPS freshmen from various
backgrounds 58

Table 4.09. Comparison of enrollment rates in the second and third years
in four-year institutions\
between the 1998--99 SSS freshmen and the 1995--96 BPS freshmen from
disadvantaged backgrounds 58

Table 4.10. Comparison of enrollment rates during the second and third
years in two-year institutions between the 1998--99 full-time SSS
freshmen and the 1995--96 BPS full-time freshmen\
from disadvantaged backgrounds 59

Table 4.11. Comparison of enrollment rates during the second and third
years in four-year institutions between the 1998--99 full-time SSS
freshmen and the 1995--96 BPS full-time freshmen\
from disadvantaged backgrounds 59

Table 4.12. Comparison of percentage of credentials earned in two-year
institutions at the end of the\
first and second years between the 1998--99 SSS freshmen and the
1995--96 BPS freshmen\
from disadvantaged backgrounds 60

Table 4.13. Comparison of percentage of associate degrees earned in
two-year institutions at the end of\
the second year between the 1998--99 SSS freshmen and the 1995--96 BPS
freshmen from different disadvantaged backgrounds 60

Table 4.14. Comparison of percentage of bachelor's degrees earned in
four-year institutions at the end of the fourth year between the
1998--99 SSS freshmen and the 1995--96 BPS freshmen from disadvantaged
backgrounds 61

Table A-1. Percentage of SSS projects submitting aggregate performance
reports ("Agg.") and individual participant records ("Ind."), by sector:
1998--99 to 2001--02 65

Table A-2. Percentage of SSS projects submitting aggregate performance
reports ("Agg.") and individual participant records ("Ind."), by region:
1998--99 to 2001--02 66

Table A-3. States and territories in each region 66

Table A-4. Percentage of student records with missing or out-of-range
values, all sectors:\
1998--99 to 2001--02 67

Table A-5. Percentage of student records with missing or out-of-range
values, four-year sector:\
1998--99 to 2001--02 68

Table A-6. Percentage of student records with missing or out-of-range
values, two-year sector:\
1998--99 to 2001--02 68

Table B-1. Percentage distribution of risk factors of 1995--96 BPS
freshmen, by type of institution 69

Table B-2. Comparison of enrollment rates during the second and third
year in four-year institutions\
between the 1998--99 SSS freshmen and the 1995-96 BPS freshmen from
disadvantaged backgrounds with at least one risk factor 70

Table B-3. Comparison of percentage of bachelor's degrees earned at the
end of the fourth year in four-year institutions between the 1998--99
SSS freshmen and the 1995-96 BPS freshmen from disadvantaged backgrounds
with at least one risk factor 70

FIGURES

Figure 1.01. Number of grantee institutions, by institutional sector:
1998--99 to 2001--02 3

Figure 3.01. Percentage of active SSS Program participants who are
first- or second-year students:\
1998--99 to 2001--02 22

Figure 3.02. Percentage of active SSS Program participants, by program
eligibility and type of institution: 2001--02 24

Figure 3.03. Percentage distribution of active SSS Program participants,
by race/ethnicity: 2001--02 27

Figure 3.04. Percentage of active SSS Program participants, by
race/ethnicity and type of institution:\
2001--02 27

Figure 3.05. Average amount of financial aid requested by active SSS
Program participants in four-year\
and two-year institutions: 1998--99 to 2001--02 40

Foreword

To ensure the success of President Bush's education initiative "No Child
Left Behind," high-quality postsecondary educational opportunities must
be available to all students. In keeping with this goal, the Federal
TRIO Programs provide outreach and support to help low-income and
first-generation college students who need academic support progress
through the academic pipeline from middle school to postbaccalaureate
programs.

On behalf of the Federal TRIO Programs, I am pleased to present this
report, *A Profile of the Student Support Services Program: 1998--1999
Through 2001--2002*. This TRIO program is designed to increase college
retention and graduation rates for eligible students, increase the
transfer rates of eligible students from two-year to four-year
institutions, and foster an institutional climate supportive of the
success of low-income and first-generation college students and
individuals with disabilities.

This report is the third in a series of reports that present a national
profile of the Student Support Services (SSS) Program (see Appendix D:
Bibliography for last two titles). It presents grantee data from
2000--01 and 2001--02 for the first time and includes data from earlier
years for comparison purposes. Individual project reports, published
separately, summarize specific information submitted by each SSS project
and provide aggregate information on other SSS projects in the same
federal region, the same institutional sector, and the nation. The
performance report, submitted annually by SSS projects, was the primary
data source for both the individual project reports and the national
profile.

We are proud to continue our process for sharing national statistical
information on the Student Support Services Program. It is our hope that
the collection and dissemination of this information will foster
communication aimed at assessing our mission and implementing measures
to see how well we are doing. We look forward to continuing to work
together to improve program services and increase the number of students
who earn college degrees.

Larry Oxendine\
Director\
Federal TRIO Programs

Acknowledgments

This report is the end result of dedicated team effort. We thank the
Student Support Services (SSS) projects that reported the data in the
1998--99 to 2001--02 reporting years; Computer Business Methods Inc.
(CBMI) that collected the data; and Elise Brand of CBMI, who merged the
annual performance report (APR) data with the Title IV Financial Aid
data. Special thanks are given to Frances Bergeron, Linda Byrd-Johnson,
Teresita Kopka, and all other team members of the Federal TRIO Programs
for reviewing the various drafts, ensuring the accuracy of the figures
reported, and enriching the report with the context and history of the
program. We would also like to thank Paula Knepper of the National
Center for Education Statistics for clarifying aspects of the *Beginning
Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study*. Finally, we also express
gratitude to Mary Seburn, Amy Dingle, Julie Dugdale, and Amanda Huskey
who assisted in reviewing the report; Brian Hardwick and Andrew Cullen
who set up the Web page for collecting edited reports for 2001--02
annual performance reports; and Stephnie Blaine, Leesa Spencer and Elina
Hartwell for their help in preparing the report for publication.

Highlights

This report describes the annual performance report (APR) data provided
by Student Support Services (SSS) grantees for program years 1998--99 to
2001--02, and compares selected program outcomes with those from a
national representative sample. Program year 2001--02 was the beginning
of a new four-year funding cycle. The response rate of participant-level
data improved from 96 percent in 1998--99 to 98 percent in 2001--02. The
rate of missing data for key program measures such as "degree
completion" declined from 47 percent in 1998--99 to 16 percent in
2001--02.

Grantees

• In 2001--02, the SSS Program supported 944 grantees, a 19 percent
increase over the number of grantees supported in 2000--01, the final
year of the previous funding cycle.

• Approximately 51 percent of the SSS grantees in 2001--02 were
four-year institutions, a 3 percentage point reduction from the previous
funding cycle.

• Approximately 35 percent of the SSS grantees in 2001--02 were
four-year public institutions and another 47 percent were two-year
public institutions.

• More than 20 percent of the grantees in 2001--02 were minority-serving
institutions.

Services

• Among the 935 grantee institutions that submitted APRs in 2001--02,
approximately 30 percent provided at least one type of academic
instruction, 81 percent provided at least one type of academic support,
98 percent provided at least one type of counseling and advising, and 91
percent provided at least one type of cultural or enrichment activity.

• The most popular service was academic advising; 78 percent of
participants received this service in program year 2001--02.

• The percentages of grantee institutions meeting program objectives on
persistence, good academic standing, and graduation in program year
2001--02 were 94, 92 and 83 percent respectively.

Participants

• SSS Program grantees were funded to serve 199,956 postsecondary
students in program year 2001--02, a 13 percent increase over the number
of students to be served in 2000--01.

• The average per-student award increased over \$300 in four years, from
\$965 in 1998--99 to \$1,275 in 2001--02.

• The average number of students served by each grantee decreased
slightly from 224 students in 1998--99 to 212 students in 2001--02.

• Approximately 42 percent of students served in 1998--99 were new
participants. This percentage increased to 46 percent in 2001--02, owing
mostly to the increase among participants in two-year institutions.

• About 73 percent of the participants served in 2001--02 were either
low-income and first-generation college students, low-income college
students with disabilities, or college students with disabilities only.

• About two-thirds of students served in each program year were female.

• Across years, between 37 and 40 percent of all students served were
freshmen and another one-third were sophomores.

• Between 43 and 45 percent of students served during the four program
years were white, between 28 and 29 percent were African American, and
between 17 and 18 percent were Hispanic.

• In each program year, between 79 and 81 percent of students served
entered the program in their first year of postsecondary education.

• Over one-third of students served between 1998--99 and 2000--01 had
multiple academic needs.

• About two-thirds of the students served each program year were
enrolled as full-time, with a higher percentage of full-time
participants in four-year institutions than in two-year institutions.

• Every year, between 70 and 79 percent of the SSS participants applied
for financial aid and between 96 and 98 percent of those who applied
received some form of financial aid, even though the proportion
receiving full aid decreased between 1998--99 and 2001--02.

Program outcomes

• The average cumulative grade point average (GPA) of the 1998--99
cohort in four-year institutions improved from 2.3 in their freshman
year to 2.6 in their senior year.

• The percentage of the 1998--99 cohort in good academic standing
increased from 77 percent in their freshman year to 88 percent in their
senior year in four-year institutions.

• The graduation rate of students served in two-year institutions has
increased, with about 7 percent of the 2000--01 freshman cohort in
two-year institutions completing associate degrees after two years of
study versus 5 percent of the 1998--99 freshman cohort.

• The SSS 1998--99 freshman cohort in two-year institutions persisted at
a higher rate and graduated at a similar rate when compared with a
national sample of all postsecondary students with comparable
disadvantaged backgrounds.

• The SSS 1998--99 freshman cohort in four-year institutions persisted
at a higher rate in the second year when compared with a national sample
of all postsecondary students with comparable disadvantaged backgrounds.

Chapter 1

Introduction

This report is the third in a series of profiles describing the U.S.
Department of Education's Student Support Services (SSS) Program, one of
the Federal TRIO Programs that provide educational support and
opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds to assist them
in preparing for, enrolling in, and completing postsecondary education
programs.

Since the 1995--96 funding year, the U.S. Department of Education has
required each SSS grantee to submit an annual performance report (APR)
that includes individual participant data on all students served during
the reporting year and prior year participants still enrolled at the
grantee institution. This reporting format permits the Department of
Education to track the educational progress of participants over
multiple years to assess the extent to which program goals and
objectives are achieved. The APRs also include project-level information
on services and activities provided and a summary of project goals and
objectives.

The series of SSS profiles is based on the analyses of the APR data.
This report is different from the previous profiles in three ways:

• This report presents four years of APR data (1998--99 through
2001--02) to show trends in grantee and participant characteristics. The
2000--01 and 2001--02 APR data have not been reported previously.

• Beginning with the 1998--99 cohort of college freshmen served by the
SSS Program, this report presents program outcomes related to academic
standing, grade point average, persistence, and credentials and degrees
earned.

• This report also uses data from the U.S. Department of Education's
*Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study* (BPS) to provide a
context for the SSS Program's persistence and graduation rates.

Background

Authorized in 1968, the SSS Program is one of the three original TRIO
programs.[^1] The goal of the SSS Program is to increase the
postsecondary persistence and graduation rates of low-income,
first-generation college students and students with disabilities and to
facilitate these students' transition from one level of higher education
to the next. Activities and services offered by SSS projects include,
but are not limited to, instruction in basic skills, tutoring, academic
advising, financial aid and career counseling, transfer and graduate
school counseling, and mentoring. SSS projects may also provide special
services to eligible students with limited English proficiency.
Beginning in 2001--02, they may use up to 20 percent of the project
funds for grant aid to participants.

The 2001--02 program year (fiscal year \[FY\] 2001) was the beginning of
a new four-year funding cycle. In that year, the Department of Education
allocated \$254.9 million under the SSS Program to 944 grantees to serve
a targeted total of 199,956 college students (Table 1.01). In comparison
to the 2000--01 program year of the previous funding cycle (FY 2000),
this represents a 39 percent increase in program funding (from \$183.3
million to \$254.9 million), a 19 percent growth in the number of funded
projects (from 795 to 944), and a 13 percent increase in the estimated
numbers of students to be served (from 176,614 to 199,956). The large
increase in funding for the SSS Program in 2001--02 includes \$23.5
million in supplemental funding for SSS projects to use to provide grant
aid to eligible SSS participants. The average cost per student increased
by \$237 (from \$1,038 to \$1,275) between those same years, and the
average number of students to be served by each project decreased by 10
students (from 222 to 212).

+----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Table    |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| 1.01.    |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| Total    |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| and      |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| average  |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| annual   |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| SSS      |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| Program  |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| awards   |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| and      |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| number   |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| of       |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| students |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| to be    |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| served:\ |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| 1998--99 |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| to       |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| 2001--02 |         |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Fiscal   | Approp  | Number  | Number  | Average | Average | Average |
| year     | riation | of      | of      | award   | award   | number  |
|          |         | awards  | s       | per     | per     | of      |
|          |         |         | tudents | grantee | student | s       |
|          |         |         | to be   |         |         | tudents |
|          |         |         | served  |         |         | to be   |
|          |         |         |         |         |         | served  |
|          |         |         |         |         |         | per     |
|          |         |         |         |         |         | award   |
+----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 1998     | \$171,  | 796     | 178,099 | \$      | \$965   | 224     |
|          | 893,687 |         |         | 215,947 |         |         |
+----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 1999     | 178,    | 796     | 178,099 | 224,770 | 1,005   | 224     |
|          | 916,836 |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 2000     | 183,    | 795     | 176,614 | 230,564 | 1,038   | 222     |
|          | 298,415 |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 2001     | 254,    | 944     | 199,956 | 270,013 | 1,275   | 212     |
|          | 892,170 |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| NOTE:    |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| The      |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| number   |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| of       |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| students |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| to be    |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| served   |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| is the   |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| sum of   |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| part     |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| icipants |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| proposed |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| by       |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| projects |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| each     |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| year.    |         |         |         |         |         |         |
|          |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| SOURCE:  |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| Data     |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| from     |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| program  |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| files of |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| the U.S. |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| De       |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| partment |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| of       |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| Ed       |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| ucation, |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| Federal  |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| TRIO     |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| P        |         |         |         |         |         |         |
| rograms. |         |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

As Table 1.02 and Figure 1.01 show, public two-year institutions
received the largest share of the awards, and this share increased from
44 percent in 2000--01 to 47 percent in 2001--02. Almost 100 more
two-year institutions were funded in the new funding cycle. At the same
time, because more awards were made in 2001--02, the actual number of
awards made to other sectors did not decrease. Awards to
minority-serving institutions remained stable between 1998--99 and
2001--02, as did those to non-minority-serving institutions.

Federal regions IV, V and VI received a larger share of the SSS Program
funds than other regions (Table 1.03). Together, projects in these three
regions received about half the total awards made and proposed to serve
about half of the students in each of the four years.

<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 18%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="12">Table 1.02. Percentage distribution of awards and
students to be served in the SSS Program, by selected grantee
characteristics: 1998–99 to 2001–02</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">1998–99</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">1999–00</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">2000–01</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">2001–02</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td>Awards</td>
<td>Students</td>
<td></td>
<td>Awards</td>
<td>Students</td>
<td></td>
<td>Awards</td>
<td>Students</td>
<td></td>
<td>Awards</td>
<td>Students</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Number<sup>1</sup></td>
<td>796</td>
<td>178,099</td>
<td></td>
<td>796</td>
<td>175,573</td>
<td></td>
<td>795</td>
<td>174,088</td>
<td></td>
<td>944</td>
<td>199,956</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Percent</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Selected grantee characteristics</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Sector</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Public four-year</td>
<td>37.1</td>
<td>41.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>37.1</td>
<td>41.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>37.1</td>
<td>41.7</td>
<td></td>
<td>35.3</td>
<td>39.7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Private four-year</td>
<td>17.0</td>
<td>15.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>17.0</td>
<td>15.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>17.0</td>
<td>15.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>15.4</td>
<td>14.6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Public two-year</td>
<td>44.0</td>
<td>41.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>43.8</td>
<td>41.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>43.8</td>
<td>41.2</td>
<td></td>
<td>47.2</td>
<td>44.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Private two-year</td>
<td>2.0</td>
<td>1.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>2.1</td>
<td>1.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>2.1</td>
<td>1.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>2.1</td>
<td>1.6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Minority-serving institutions</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Historically black colleges and universities</td>
<td>7.5</td>
<td>7.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>7.5</td>
<td>7.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>7.5</td>
<td>7.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>7.2</td>
<td>7.2</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Hispanic-serving institutions</td>
<td>9.5</td>
<td>11.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>9.7</td>
<td>11.9</td>
<td></td>
<td>9.7</td>
<td>12.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>10.5</td>
<td>12.3</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Tribal institutions or agencies</td>
<td>2.0</td>
<td>1.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>2.0</td>
<td>1.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>2.0</td>
<td>1.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>2.5</td>
<td>1.9</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Not identified as minority-specific</td>
<td>80.9</td>
<td>79.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>80.8</td>
<td>79.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>80.8</td>
<td>79.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>79.8</td>
<td>78.7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="12"><p><sup>1</sup>Total number of projects funded and
estimated (projected) numbers of students to be served.</p>
<p>NOTE: Percentages in each column may not sum to 100% due to
rounding.</p>
<p>SOURCE: Data from programs files of the U.S. Department of Education,
Federal TRIO Programs.</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

  --------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
  Figure 1.01.                                                 
  Number of                                                    
  grantee                                                      
  institutions,                                                
  by                                                           
  institutional                                                
  sector:                                                      
  1998--99 to                                                  
  2001--02                                                     

                  1998-99        1999-00        2000-01        2001-02

  Public 4--year  295            295            295            333

  Private 4--year 135            135            135            145

  Public 2--year  350            349            348            446

  Private 2--year 16             17             17             20

  Source: Data                                                 
  from program                                                 
  files of the                                                 
  U.S. Department                                              
  of Education,                                                
  Federal TRIO                                                 
  Programs                                                     
  --------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 17%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="12">Table 1.03. Percentage distribution of awards and
students to be served in the SSS Program, by region: 1998–99 to
2001–02</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">1998–99</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">1999–00</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">2000–01</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">2001–02</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td>Awards</td>
<td>Students</td>
<td></td>
<td>Awards</td>
<td>Students</td>
<td></td>
<td>Awards</td>
<td>Students</td>
<td></td>
<td>Awards</td>
<td>Students</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Number</td>
<td>796</td>
<td>178,099</td>
<td></td>
<td>796</td>
<td>175,573</td>
<td></td>
<td>795</td>
<td>174,088</td>
<td></td>
<td>944</td>
<td>199,956</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Percent</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Region I</td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td></td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td></td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td></td>
<td>5.0</td>
<td>5.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Region II</td>
<td>9.7</td>
<td>11.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>9.7</td>
<td>11.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>9.7</td>
<td>11.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>9.0</td>
<td>10.8</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Region III</td>
<td>8.4</td>
<td>7.9</td>
<td></td>
<td>8.4</td>
<td>7.9</td>
<td></td>
<td>8.3</td>
<td>7.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>7.5</td>
<td>7.3</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Region IV</td>
<td>20.7</td>
<td>16.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>20.7</td>
<td>16.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>20.8</td>
<td>17.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>19.8</td>
<td>16.8</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Region V</td>
<td>16.5</td>
<td>17.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>16.5</td>
<td>17.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>16.5</td>
<td>17.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>15.5</td>
<td>16.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Region VI</td>
<td>12.2</td>
<td>13.7</td>
<td></td>
<td>12.2</td>
<td>13.7</td>
<td></td>
<td>12.2</td>
<td>13.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>14.1</td>
<td>15.0</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Region VII</td>
<td>7.4</td>
<td>7.1</td>
<td></td>
<td>7.4</td>
<td>7.1</td>
<td></td>
<td>7.4</td>
<td>7.2</td>
<td></td>
<td>7.8</td>
<td>7.5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Region VIII</td>
<td>6.5</td>
<td>6.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>6.5</td>
<td>6.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>6.5</td>
<td>6.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>6.6</td>
<td>6.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Region IX</td>
<td>9.5</td>
<td>10.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>9.5</td>
<td>10.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>9.6</td>
<td>10.7</td>
<td></td>
<td>10.3</td>
<td>11.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Region X</td>
<td>3.9</td>
<td>3.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>3.9</td>
<td>3.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>3.9</td>
<td>3.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>4.4</td>
<td>4.0</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="12"><p>Please refer to Appendix A for a list of states
within each region.</p>
<p>NOTE: Percentages in each column may not sum to 100% due to
rounding.</p>
<p>SOURCE: Data from program files of the U.S. Department of Education,
Federal TRIO Programs.</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Data issues

The APR requirements in each of the Federal TRIO Programs were revised
in recent years in response to the *Government Performance and Results
Act* (GPRA) of 1993 and the U.S. Department of Education's strategic
plan. In addition to providing statistical information on the TRIO
programs, the new APRs measure program outcomes and progress toward
meeting program goals. The SSS Program was the first of the TRIO
Programs to implement a revised performance reporting form following
GPRA. This report is the first to examine program outcomes by using the
multiple years of SSS data that are now available.

The APR consists of two data sets---project-aggregate data on services
and activities and student-level information. Previously published
profile reports have presented data from the 1996--97 to 1998--99 APRs,
and because of low response rates and other data quality issues, the
1995--96 data have not been reported. Because reliable student
identification is not available for participants served from 1996--97
through 1997--98, we have eliminated those cohorts from this report. The
remaining data (from 1998--99 through 2001--02 reporting years) allow
the tracking of students who started as freshmen in 1998--99 through
four years of postsecondary enrollment.[^2]

The grantee response rates have increased annually over the four-year
period covered in this report (see Appendix A). As noted above, a
complete APR consists of two data sets---project-aggregate data and
student-level information. A few grantees submitted aggregate data but
did not provide individual student data. Appendix A provides detailed
information about response rates, missing data, and other

data issues. In this report, project-aggregate data is reported in
chapter 2 and student-level information is reported in chapters 3 and 4.

The student numbers provided in Tables 1.01, 1.02 and 1.03 are the
estimated (projected) number of students to be served by SSS projects
with the funds provided, not the actual number of students served during
the funding year. The student numbers provided in chapters 2, 3 and 4
are the actual numbers of students served as reported by the grantees on
the APRs. The number of SSS participants receiving services in 2001--02
cited in chapter 2 (201,695) is derived from the project-level data
reported by the grantees, whereas the number of active SSS participants
(new and continuing) for 2001--02 reported in chapter 3 (207,198) is
derived from the individual participant records. For some grantees, the
two numbers differ. One possible explanation for the difference in the
two numbers is that a few grantees may have reported some prior-year
participants as continuing participants on the individual participant
data file, even though these individuals did not receive project
services during the project year being reported.

Another data issue concerns estimating persistence and graduation rates.
Data from the national study of the SSS Program show that many SSS
participants (over 25 percent by the third year) attend more than one
postsecondary institution as undergraduates.[^3] Because the APRs
require grantees to report the educational progress of participants only
for as long as they are enrolled at the grantee institution, the
postsecondary persistence and graduation rates of SSS participants will
be underreported.

To improve these estimates, the SSS APR data were merged with the
national Title IV financial aid records of 1998--99 to 2000--01 to
capture enrollment information for participants who left the grantee
institutions but continued at another postsecondary institution.[^4]
Because most students served by the SSS Program apply for financial aid,
this merge with financial aid data has supplemented critical enrollment
information for participants who transferred to another postsecondary
institution. In addition, SSS grantees were asked to verify or update
enrollment information on participants missing from the 2001--02 data
file who, according to their enrollment status at the end of 2000--01,
should have been enrolled in 2001--02. As discussed in chapter 4, these
efforts to find missing data resulted in increasing the reported
postsecondary persistence rates of SSS participants by about 10 to 11
percentage points for the 1998--99 cohort in the 1999--2000 reporting
year.

Chapter 2

Program Activities and Objectives: 2001--02

The Student Support Services (SSS) Program grantees provide a variety of
services to their students. This chapter describes the distribution of
services among SSS grantee institutions and indicates the percentages of
participants involved in each service. This chapter also reports on the
extent to which grantee institutions meet five program objectives
(persistence, good academic standing, graduation, transfer, and
administration).

In the reporting year 2001--02, nine of the 944 institutions receiving
awards did not submit APRs. Accordingly, this chapter is based on 935
grantees.[^5] In each section of this chapter, tables report data for
three populations---all grantees, four-year institutions, and two-year
institutions. This chapter reports only on the 2001--02 reporting year,
because early analyses indicated that program services and objectives
did not vary significantly from year to year. The data from a single
reporting year---the last reporting year---mirror program services and
objectives provided from 1998--99 through 2001--02.

Program services

SSS grantees provide four types of services: (1) academic instruction,
(2) academic support, (3) counseling and mentoring, and (4) cultural and
enrichment activities. Grantees report the total number of participants
served in each of these activities and the contact hours provided.
Grantees may also report on allowable services in the predetermined
category "other." The services reported in "other" are not specified in
the APR; accordingly they are grant-specific and vary across grantees.

Academic instruction

SSS grantees offered formal academic instruction in both for-credit and
not-for-credit formats in the following areas: reading, writing,
mathematics, English, and English for students of limited proficiency.
Table 2.01 reports the percentage of grantee institutions that provided
each type of academic instruction and the percentage of students who
received that instruction, divided into those who received credit for
that instruction and those who did not.

Mathematics was the most popular type of academic instruction offered by
grantees, followed by writing and reading. Overall, more than 30 percent
of grantees provided mathematics instruction. The percentage of grantees
offering academic instruction in mathematics differed by type of
institution: more four-year institutions (36 percent) than two-year
institutions (26 percent) offered academic instruction in mathematics.
Generally, more four-year institutions than two-year institutions
provided services in each academic instruction area.

At the student level, more than 16 percent of students from two-year
institutions received noncredit academic instruction in English, the
largest among all categories of academic instruction. Fewer than\
10 percent of the students received any other specific type of academic
instruction. Aside from noncredit instruction in English in two-year
colleges, more participants in four-year than two-year institutions
received academic instructions in every other area.

+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Table 2.01. Percentage  |              |              |              |
| of grantees offering    |              |              |              |
| and percentage of       |              |              |              |
| participants receiving  |              |              |              |
| SSS-funded academic     |              |              |              |
| instruction, by subject |              |              |              |
| area and type of        |              |              |              |
| institution: 2001--02   |              |              |              |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
|                         |              | Percentage   |              |
|                         |              | of           |              |
|                         |              | p            |              |
|                         |              | articipants\ |              |
|                         |              | receiving    |              |
|                         |              | service      |              |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
|                         | Percentage   | Credit       | Noncredit    |
|                         | of grantees  |              |              |
|                         | offering     |              |              |
|                         | service      |              |              |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| All institutions        | N = 935 ^1^  | N = 201,695  |              |
|                         |              | ^2^          |              |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Reading                 | 23.2         | 3.7          | 2.9          |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Writing                 | 24.8         | 3.0          | 4.5          |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Mathematics             | 30.9         | 6.9          | 6.5          |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| English                 | 19.7         | 5.3          | 9.9          |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| English for students of | 8.1          | 0.4          | 1.1          |
| limited proficiency     |              |              |              |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Four-year institutions  | N = 471 ^1^  | N = 108,718  |              |
|                         |              | ^2^          |              |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Reading                 | 26.2         | 4.5          | 3.9          |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Writing                 | 30.3         | 3.1          | 6.2          |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Mathematics             | 36.0         | 8.7          | 6.9          |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| English                 | 21.1         | 7.2          | 3.9          |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| English for students of | 8.8          | 0.3          | 1.5          |
| limited proficiency     |              |              |              |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Two-year institutions   | N = 464 ^1^  | N = 92,977   |              |
|                         |              | ^2^          |              |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Reading                 | 20.2         | 2.7          | 1.7          |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Writing                 | 19.1         | 2.8          | 2.6          |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Mathematics             | 25.8         | 4.8          | 6.1          |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| English                 | 18.2         | 3.1          | 16.9         |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| English for students of | 7.3          | 0.5          | 0.7          |
| limited proficiency     |              |              |              |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| ^1^Total number of      |              |              |              |
| grantees submitting     |              |              |              |
| APRs.                   |              |              |              |
|                         |              |              |              |
| ^2^Number of            |              |              |              |
| participants reported   |              |              |              |
| are aggregated from the |              |              |              |
| grant-level data        |              |              |              |
| submitted by the 935    |              |              |              |
| grantees                |              |              |              |
|                         |              |              |              |
| SOURCE: Data from       |              |              |              |
| program files of the    |              |              |              |
| U.S. Department of      |              |              |              |
| Education, Federal TRIO |              |              |              |
| Programs, SSS Annual    |              |              |              |
| Performance Reports.    |              |              |              |
+-------------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+

The grant-specific services reported in "other" can be categorized into
several groups. The four major groups are (1) study skills, (2)
orientation, (3) other subjects, and (4) computer skills. "Study skills"
refers to instruction in academic skills, study strategies, thinking
skills, grammar, and learning. "Orientation" includes instruction in
campus life, such as survival in college study, communication, personal
development, cultural adjustment, transition, and future careers and
jobs. "Other subjects" refers to academic areas other than the areas
discussed earlier. "Computer skills" refers to all instruction related
to improving students' knowledge and skills in the use of computers.

Table 2.02 presents the top four grant-specific academic instruction
areas reported. From 2 to\
12 percent of grantees offered "other" academic instruction. About 10
percent of the 935 grantees offered instruction in study skills, the
most popular grant-specific service reported. A higher percentage of
four-year grantees (12 percent) provided study skills than did two-year
grantees (7 percent). The percentage of students receiving the
grant-specific academic instruction was low; on average, less than 1
percent of participants received grant-specific academic instruction.

+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Table 2.02.         |                 |              |             |
| Percentage of       |                 |              |             |
| grantees offering   |                 |              |             |
| and percentage of   |                 |              |             |
| participants        |                 |              |             |
| receiving           |                 |              |             |
| SSS-funded          |                 |              |             |
| grant-specific      |                 |              |             |
| "other" academic    |                 |              |             |
| instruction, by     |                 |              |             |
| support area and    |                 |              |             |
| type of             |                 |              |             |
| institution:        |                 |              |             |
| 2001--02            |                 |              |             |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
|                     |                 | **Percentage |             |
|                     |                 | of           |             |
|                     |                 | p            |             |
|                     |                 | articipants\ |             |
|                     |                 | receiving    |             |
|                     |                 | service**    |             |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
|                     | Percentage of   | Credit       | Noncredit   |
|                     | grantees        |              |             |
|                     | offering        |              |             |
|                     | service         |              |             |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| All institutions    | N = 935 ^1^     | N = 201,695  |             |
|                     |                 | ^2^          |             |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Study skills        | 9.9             | 1.9          | 1.1         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Orientation         | 7.6             | 0.9          | 0.3         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Other subjects      | 5.6             | 0.4          | 1.1         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Computer skills     | 3.0             | 0.2          | 0.8         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Four-year           | N = 471 ^1^     | N = 108,718  |             |
| institutions        |                 | ^2^          |             |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Study skills        | 12.3            | 2.9          | 1.2         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Orientation         | 6.5             | 0.7          | 0.2         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Other subjects      | 6.7             | 0.4          | 1.4         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Computer skills     | 3.6             | 0.2          | 1.0         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Two-year            | N = 464 ^1^     | N = 92,977   |             |
| institutions        |                 | ^2^          |             |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Study skills        | 7.3             | 0.8          | 0.9         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Orientation         | 8.8             | 1.1          | 0.4         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Other subjects      | 4.5             | 0.4          | 0.8         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| Computer skills     | 2.4             | 0.2          | 0.6         |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+
| ^1^Total number of  |                 |              |             |
| grantees submitting |                 |              |             |
| APRs.               |                 |              |             |
|                     |                 |              |             |
| ^2^Number of        |                 |              |             |
| participants        |                 |              |             |
| reported are        |                 |              |             |
| aggregated from the |                 |              |             |
| grant-level data    |                 |              |             |
| submitted by the    |                 |              |             |
| 935 grantees.       |                 |              |             |
|                     |                 |              |             |
| SOURCE: Data from   |                 |              |             |
| program files of    |                 |              |             |
| the U.S. Department |                 |              |             |
| of Education,       |                 |              |             |
| Federal TRIO        |                 |              |             |
| Programs, SSS       |                 |              |             |
| Annual Performance  |                 |              |             |
| Reports.            |                 |              |             |
+---------------------+-----------------+--------------+-------------+

Academic support

Academic support includes tutoring, supplemental instruction, assisted
labs, and workshops for study skills or orientation. These areas of
support are defined in the APR as follows:

• *Peer tutoring*---individual or small-group tutoring provided by other
students

• *Professional tutoring*---individual or small-group tutoring provided
by a graduate student or a professional staff person

• *Supplemental instruction*---organized tutoring sessions for specific
courses, which are tied directly to the instruction in the courses

• *Assisted labs*---academic support or tutoring provided through a
learning center or other formal means

• *Computer-assisted instruction*---academic support or tutoring
provided by means of computers instead of peer or professional tutors

• *Study skills classes/workshops*---activities designed to help
students gain the skills needed to succeed in the academic programs of
the institution

• *Orientation classes/workshops*---sessions or classes that help
students adjust to the institution and may include help in registering
for courses and familiarizing them with the academic requirements of the
institution

Table 2.03 shows the percentage of grantees that provided academic
support in each of these predetermined categories, the percentage of
students who received these services, and the average per-participant
contact hours. Peer one-to-one tutoring was the most frequently provided
support service, reported by 81 percent of grantees. The second most
popular academic support service was study skills workshops (73
percent), followed by professional one-to-one tutoring (65 percent).
Often-provided services usually served high percentages of participants.
Peer one-to-one tutoring had the highest participant percentage (29
percent). Some academic support services reported a relatively lower
percentage of grantees but had larger average per-participant contact
hours, such as assisted labs with 36 percent and 14 hours, respectively.

Four-year grantees were more likely to provide one-to-one peer tutoring
than two-year grantees\
(86 percent vs. 77 percent). Conversely, four-year grantees were less
likely to provide one-to-one professional tutoring than two-year
grantees (62 percent vs. 69 percent). With the exception of
computer-assisted instruction, four-year grantees reported more contact
hours than two-year institutions in each of the academic support
categories listed.

In addition to the academic support services listed in the APR, grantees
provided many grant-specific academic support services (see Table 2.04).
A small proportion of grantees, approximately 9 percent, provided
technology and resource support to program participants. Such support
included use of computers and other media, access to the Internet, and
labs. About 9 percent of schools provided support and placement
evaluations to students with disabilities. Some schools reported support
for study skills (8 percent) and orientation and seminars for adjusting
to college life (5 percent).

A large difference between two- and four-year institutions emerged in
the average contact hours for support and placement services for
students with disabilities. Overall, the average contact hours reported
for this service was about 15 hours. The average contact hours reported
by four-year institutions (23 hours) was more than twice that reported
by two-year institutions (10 hours).

+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Table 2.03.           |              |              |              |
| Percentage of         |              |              |              |
| grantees offering and |              |              |              |
| percentage of         |              |              |              |
| participants          |              |              |              |
| receiving SSS-funded  |              |              |              |
| academic support      |              |              |              |
| services plus average |              |              |              |
| contact hours, by     |              |              |              |
| type of institution:  |              |              |              |
| 2001--02              |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
|                       | Percentage   | Percentage   | Average      |
|                       | of\          | of           | contact\     |
|                       | grantees\    | p            | hours per\   |
|                       | offering     | articipants\ | participant  |
|                       | service      | receiving    |              |
|                       |              | service      |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| All institutions      | N = 935 ^1^  | N = 201,695  |              |
|                       |              | ^2^          |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Peer tutoring         | 81.4         | 28.8         | 12.2         |
| (one-to-one)          |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Peer tutoring (group) | 45.8         | 11.8         | 10.6         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Professional tutoring | 65.1         | 18.3         | 10.1         |
| (one-to-one)          |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Professional tutoring | 35.6         | 8.6          | 12.6         |
| (group)               |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Supplemental          | 32.2         | 6.4          | 13.3         |
| instruction           |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Assisted labs         | 35.6         | 11.5         | 14.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Computer-assisted     | 42.4         | 10.9         | 9.0          |
| instruction           |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Study skills          | 72.6         | 20.2         | 7.0          |
| workshops             |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Orientation workshops | 62.2         | 22.2         | 4.4          |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Four-year             | N = 471 ^1^  | N = 108,718  |              |
| institutions          |              | ^2^          |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Peer tutoring         | 86.0         | 32.3         | 12.8         |
| (one-to-one)          |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Peer tutoring (group) | 50.8         | 14.8         | 11.8         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Professional tutoring | 61.7         | 14.8         | 10.3         |
| (one-to-one)          |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Professional tutoring | 33.5         | 7.9          | 13.1         |
| (group)               |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Supplemental          | 35.6         | 7.3          | 13.6         |
| instruction           |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Assisted labs         | 33.5         | 9.7          | 15.6         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Computer-assisted     | 41.2         | 10.8         | 8.1          |
| instruction           |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Study skills          | 74.7         | 20.7         | 7.6          |
| workshops             |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Orientation workshops | 63.2         | 21.2         | 5.5          |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Two-year institutions | N = 464 ^1^  | N = 92,977   |              |
|                       |              | ^2^          |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Peer tutoring         | 76.6         | 24.7         | 11.2         |
| (one-to-one)          |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Peer tutoring (group) | 40.6         | 8.2          | 8.1          |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Professional tutoring | 68.7         | 22.3         | 10.1         |
| (one-to-one)          |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Professional tutoring | 37.8         | 9.4          | 12.1         |
| (group)               |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Supplemental          | 28.8         | 5.4          | 12.8         |
| instruction           |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Assisted labs         | 37.8         | 13.7         | 12.7         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Computer-assisted     | 43.6         | 11.0         | 10.1         |
| instruction           |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Study skills          | 70.4         | 19.5         | 6.3          |
| workshops             |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Orientation workshops | 61.2         | 23.4         | 3.1          |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| ^1^Total number of    |              |              |              |
| grantees submitting   |              |              |              |
| APRs.                 |              |              |              |
|                       |              |              |              |
| ^2^Number of          |              |              |              |
| participants reported |              |              |              |
| are aggregated from   |              |              |              |
| the grant-level data  |              |              |              |
| submitted by the 935  |              |              |              |
| grantees.             |              |              |              |
|                       |              |              |              |
| SOURCE: Data from     |              |              |              |
| program files of the  |              |              |              |
| U.S. Department of    |              |              |              |
| Education, Federal    |              |              |              |
| TRIO Programs, SSS    |              |              |              |
| Annual Performance    |              |              |              |
| Reports.              |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+

+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Table 2.04.           |              |               |              |
| Percentage of         |              |               |              |
| grantees offering and |              |               |              |
| percentage of         |              |               |              |
| participants          |              |               |              |
| receiving SSS-funded  |              |               |              |
| grant-specific        |              |               |              |
| "other" academic      |              |               |              |
| support services plus |              |               |              |
| average contact       |              |               |              |
| hours, by type of     |              |               |              |
| institution: 2001--02 |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
|                       | Percentage   | Percentage of | Average      |
|                       | of\          | participants\ | contact\     |
|                       | grantees\    | receiving     | hours per\   |
|                       | offering     | service       | participant  |
|                       | service      |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| All institutions      | N = 935 ^1^  | N = 201,695   |              |
|                       |              | ^2^           |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Technology and        | 8.9          | 3.1           | 7.4          |
| resource support      |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Support for students  | 8.7          | 2.4           | 14.7         |
| with disabilities     |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Study skills          | 7.6          | 2.4           | 9.6          |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Academic activities   | 5.7          | 2.3           | 4.6          |
| and monitoring        |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Orientation and       | 5.3          | 1.1           | 7.8          |
| seminar               |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Four-year             | N = 471 ^1^  | N = 108,718   |              |
| institutions          |              | ^2^           |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Technology and        | 9.2          | 3.0           | 9.7          |
| resource support      |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Support for students  | 8.4          | 1.7           | 22.6         |
| with disabilities     |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Study skills          | 9.4          | 2.9           | 10.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Academic activities   | 5.9          | 1.9           | 5.7          |
| and monitoring        |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Orientation and       | 5.4          | 1.3           | 8.4          |
| seminar               |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Two-year institutions | N = 464 ^1^  | N = 92,977    |              |
|                       |              | ^2^           |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Technology and        | 8.6          | 3.2           | 4.8          |
| resource support      |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Support for students  | 9.0          | 3.1           | 9.8          |
| with disabilities     |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Study skills          | 5.8          | 1.8           | 8.9          |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Academic activities   | 5.6          | 2.7           | 3.7          |
| and monitoring        |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| Orientation and       | 5.2          | 0.9           | 6.9          |
| seminar               |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+
| ^1^Total number of    |              |               |              |
| grantees submitting   |              |               |              |
| APRs.                 |              |               |              |
|                       |              |               |              |
| ^2^Number of          |              |               |              |
| participants reported |              |               |              |
| are aggregated from   |              |               |              |
| the grant-level data  |              |               |              |
| submitted by the 935  |              |               |              |
| grantees.             |              |               |              |
|                       |              |               |              |
| SOURCE: Data from     |              |               |              |
| program files of the  |              |               |              |
| U.S. Department of    |              |               |              |
| Education, Federal    |              |               |              |
| TRIO Programs, SSS    |              |               |              |
| Annual Performance    |              |               |              |
| Reports.              |              |               |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+---------------+--------------+

Counseling and mentoring services

The SSS Program not only provides academic instruction and academic
support services, but also offers counseling and mentoring to
participants. The definition of each type of service is provided in the
APR as follows:

• *Personal counseling*---crisis intervention and assistance with
personal problems and decisions

• *Academic advising*---assistance for students in making educational
plans, selecting appropriate courses, meeting academic requirements, and
planning for graduation and further education

• *Financial aid counseling*---assistance for students individually or
in small groups in completing financial aid applications or in working
with the institution's financial aid office to develop aid packages that
will meet the students' financial needs for attendance at the
institution

• *Career counseling and employment assistance*---assistance for
students in learning about career opportunities through written and
computerized information, assessing their career interests and
capabilities, and making occupational plans

• *Transfer counseling*---assistance for students interested in
four-year programs in meeting the academic requirements of those
programs, choosing four-year institutions, and applying for admission
and financial aid at those institutions

• *Graduate school counseling*---assistance for students in choosing
graduate or professional programs and applying for admission and
financial aid for those programs

• *Professional mentoring*---professionals, other than project staff,
working with project students to expose them to career and other
opportunities available to them

• *Peer counseling/mentoring*---a variety of supports, personal or
academic, provided by other students and designed to help project
participants adjust to the institution

The percentage of grantees providing each of these services ranged from
33 percent to 98 percent (see Table 2.05). The percentage of
participants who received these services ranged from 6 percent to 78
percent. The average contact hours ranged from 2 hours to 6 hours.

More than 90 percent of grantees provided personal counseling (94
percent), academic advising\
(98 percent), financial aid counseling (95 percent), and career
counseling and employment assistance\
(93 percent). Academic advising attracted the highest percentage of
participants, 78 percent, with services that averaged 4 contact hours.
Peer counseling and mentoring were reported by 47 percent of grantees
and had the longest average contact hours (6 hours).

A few two-year grantees provided graduate school counseling (9 percent),
with an average of 23 contact hours. This service was very popular with
four-year grantees (81 percent), but the average contact hours were only
2, less than one-tenth the average contact hours in two-year
institutions. As expected, the percentage of two-year institutions
providing transfer counseling (94 percent) was much higher than that of
four-year institutions (50 percent). In two-year institutions, 32
percent of participants received transfer counseling compared with 4
percent in four-year institutions. In contrast, two-year institutions
were less likely to provide peer counseling and mentoring (38 percent)
than were four-year institutions (57 percent), and a lower percentage of
their participants received this service (8 percent) than did
participants in four-year institutions (17 percent).

+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Table 2.05. Percentage of |             |             |             |
| grantees offering and     |             |             |             |
| percentage of             |             |             |             |
| participants receiving    |             |             |             |
| SSS-funded counseling and |             |             |             |
| mentoring services plus   |             |             |             |
| average contact hours, by |             |             |             |
| type of institution:      |             |             |             |
| 2001--02                  |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
|                           | Percentage  | Percentage  | Average     |
|                           | of\         | of          | contact\    |
|                           | grantees\   | pa          | hours per\  |
|                           | offering    | rticipants\ | participant |
|                           | service     | receiving   |             |
|                           |             | service     |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| All institutions          | N = 935 ^1^ | N = 201,695 |             |
|                           |             | ^2^         |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Personal counseling       | 94.1        | 41.3        | 4.3         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Academic advising         | 97.8        | 78.2        | 3.5         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Financial aid counseling  | 95.4        | 47.5        | 2.4         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Career counseling and     | 93.4        | 36.0        | 3.5         |
| employment assistance     |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Transfer counseling       | 71.6        | 16.6        | 2.6         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Graduate school           | 45.3        | 6.1         | 3.2         |
| counseling                |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Professional mentoring    | 33.1        | 7.4         | 4.5         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Peer counseling and       | 47.4        | 12.6        | 6.1         |
| mentoring                 |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Four-year institutions    | N = 471 ^1^ | N = 108,718 |             |
|                           |             | ^2^         |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Personal counseling       | 94.8        | 41.5        | 5.5         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Academic advising         | 97.9        | 75.8        | 3.8         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Financial aid counseling  | 95.0        | 44.3        | 3.3         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Career counseling and     | 93.9        | 34.8        | 4.4         |
| employment assistance     |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Transfer counseling       | 50.0        | 3.5         | 1.6         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Graduate school           | 81.0        | 10.6        | 1.9         |
| counseling                |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Professional mentoring    | 35.1        | 7.8         | 4.9         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Peer counseling/mentoring | 56.7        | 16.8        | 6.5         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Two-year institutions     | N = 464 ^1^ | N = 92,977  |             |
|                           |             | ^2^         |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Personal counseling       | 93.3        | 41.0        | 2.8         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Academic advising         | 97.6        | 81.0        | 3.1         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Financial aid counseling  | 95.9        | 51.3        | 1.5         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Career counseling and     | 92.9        | 37.5        | 2.5         |
| employment assistance     |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Transfer counseling       | 93.8        | 32.0        | 2.8         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Graduate school           | 8.8         | 0.8         | 23.1        |
| counseling                |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Professional mentoring    | 30.9        | 6.9         | 3.8         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Peer counseling/mentoring | 37.8        | 7.6         | 5.0         |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| ^1^Total number of        |             |             |             |
| grantees submitting APRs. |             |             |             |
|                           |             |             |             |
| ^2^Number of participants |             |             |             |
| reported are aggregated   |             |             |             |
| from the grant-level data |             |             |             |
| submitted by the 935      |             |             |             |
| grantees.                 |             |             |             |
|                           |             |             |             |
| SOURCE: Data from program |             |             |             |
| files of the U.S.         |             |             |             |
| Department of Education,  |             |             |             |
| Federal TRIO Programs,    |             |             |             |
| SSS Annual Performance    |             |             |             |
| Reports.                  |             |             |             |
+---------------------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+

The top four of the many grant-specific counseling and mentoring
services the SSS grantees provided are listed in Table 2.06. Campus life
assistance provides information about housing, personal crises, and
financial problems. Academic counseling includes setting goals,
preparing for graduate school, seeking a mentor, and withdrawing from
courses. The contact and visit service refers to grantee offices getting
in touch with participants through e-mail, phone, newsletter,
interviews, or visits. The support for students with disabilities
includes testing and referral.

The percentage of participants who received campus life assistance was
relatively low (less than\
2 percent). The contact and visit service was time intensive, averaging
23 contact hours overall, but the average contact hours reported by
two-year institutions was almost three times that reported by four-year
institutions (37 hours vs. 13 hours).

+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Table 2.06.           |              |              |              |
| Percentage of         |              |              |              |
| grantees offering and |              |              |              |
| percentage of         |              |              |              |
| participants          |              |              |              |
| receiving SSS-funded  |              |              |              |
| grant-specific        |              |              |              |
| "other" counseling    |              |              |              |
| and mentoring         |              |              |              |
| services plus average |              |              |              |
| contact hours:        |              |              |              |
| 2001--02              |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
|                       | Percentage   | Percentage   | Average      |
|                       | of\          | of           | contact\     |
|                       | grantees\    | p            | hours per\   |
|                       | offering     | articipants\ | participant  |
|                       | service      | receiving    |              |
|                       |              | service      |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| All institutions      | N = 935 ^1^  | N = 201,695  |              |
|                       |              | ^2^          |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Campus life           | 11.4         | 1.9          | 5.0          |
| assistance            |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Academic counseling   | 6.8          | 1.5          | 6.4          |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Contact and visit     | 5.0          | 0.6          | 23.1         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Support for students  | 7.7          | 1.3          | 9.5          |
| with disabilities     |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Four-year             | N = 471 ^1^  | N = 108,718  |              |
| institutions          |              | ^2^          |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Campus life           | 11.5         | 1.8          | 5.4          |
| assistance            |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Academic counseling   | 7.3          | 1.5          | 9.7          |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Contact and visit     | 5.4          | 0.6          | 13.0         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Support for students  | 6.7          | 1.2          | 16.7         |
| with disabilities     |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Two-year institutions | N = 464 ^1^  | N = 92,977   |              |
|                       |              | ^2^          |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Campus life           | 11.4         | 2.0          | 4.5          |
| assistance            |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Academic counseling   | 6.2          | 1.4          | 2.3          |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Contact and visit     | 4.5          | 0.5          | 36.8         |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| Support for students  | 8.8          | 1.6          | 3.5          |
| with disabilities     |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+
| ^1^Total number of    |              |              |              |
| grantees submitting   |              |              |              |
| APRs.                 |              |              |              |
|                       |              |              |              |
| ^2^Number of          |              |              |              |
| participants reported |              |              |              |
| are aggregated from   |              |              |              |
| the grant-level data  |              |              |              |
| submitted by the 935  |              |              |              |
| grantees.             |              |              |              |
|                       |              |              |              |
| SOURCE: Data from     |              |              |              |
| program files of the  |              |              |              |
| U.S. Department of    |              |              |              |
| Education, Federal    |              |              |              |
| TRIO Programs, SSS    |              |              |              |
| Annual Performance    |              |              |              |
| Reports.              |              |              |              |
+-----------------------+--------------+--------------+--------------+

Cultural and enrichment activities

Three cultural and enrichment activities are defined in the APR:

• *Cultural activities*---any project-sponsored activities, such as
field trips and special lectures and symposia, that have as their
purpose the improvement of the project participants' academic progress
and personal development

• *Campus visitations*---project-sponsored trips to other postsecondary
institutions for the purpose of acquainting students with institutions
that the project participants may wish to attend to further their
education (i.e., two-year/four-year transfers or graduate and
professional schools)

• *Information workshops*---a variety of short workshops or seminars
(usually a half day or less) on topics that range from stress management
and test taking to drug and alcohol abuse

More than 90 percent of grantees provided cultural and enrichment
activities in which approximately one-third of participants took part
(Table 2.07). Information workshops were reported by about
three-quarters of grantees, and one in four program participants joined
the workshops. More than half the grantees (54 percent) organized campus
visitations, but because these are highly customized activities, only 7
percent of students participated. Because transferring students to
four-year institutions is a goal for two-year institutions, 82 percent
of two-year institutions reported campus visitations, much higher than
the percentage reported at four-year institutions (26 percent).

+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Table 2.07.           |                      |                      |
| Percentage of         |                      |                      |
| grantees offering and |                      |                      |
| percentage of         |                      |                      |
| participants taking   |                      |                      |
| part in SSS-funded    |                      |                      |
| cultural and          |                      |                      |
| enrichment            |                      |                      |
| activities, by type   |                      |                      |
| of institution:       |                      |                      |
| 2001--02              |                      |                      |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
|                       | Percentage of\       | Percentage of\       |
|                       | grantees offering    | participants taking  |
|                       |                      | part                 |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| All institutions      | N = 935 ^1^          | N = 201,695 ^2^      |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Cultural activities   | 91.1                 | 34.4                 |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Campus visitations    | 53.8                 | 6.7                  |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Information workshops | 74.7                 | 24.1                 |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Four-year             | N = 471 ^1^          | N = 108,718 ^2^      |
| institutions          |                      |                      |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Cultural activities   | 90.2                 | 34.0                 |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Campus visitations    | 26.2                 | 3.3                  |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Information workshops | 70.9                 | 23.1                 |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Two-year institutions | N = 464 ^1^          | N = 92,977 ^2^       |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Cultural activities   | 92.1                 | 34.8                 |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Campus visitations    | 82.2                 | 10.6                 |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| Information workshops | 78.5                 | 25.2                 |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| ^1^Total number of    |                      |                      |
| grantees submitting   |                      |                      |
| APRs.                 |                      |                      |
|                       |                      |                      |
| ^2^Number of          |                      |                      |
| participants reported |                      |                      |
| are aggregated from   |                      |                      |
| the grant-level data  |                      |                      |
| submitted by the 935  |                      |                      |
| grantees.             |                      |                      |
|                       |                      |                      |
| SOURCE: Data from     |                      |                      |
| program files of the  |                      |                      |
| U.S. Department of    |                      |                      |
| Education, Federal    |                      |                      |
| TRIO Programs, SSS    |                      |                      |
| Annual Performance    |                      |                      |
| Reports.              |                      |                      |
+-----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

In addition to the activities listed above, grantee institutions
provided several grant-specific cultural and enrichment activities not
listed in the APR. Table 2.08 reports the three most commonly cited
grant-specific activities. About 9 percent of the grantees offered
activities for campus life enrichment, such as career fairs,
newsletters, and club activities. Social events were the second most
popular activities. Approximately 7 percent of grantees provided social
events such as award banquets, TRIO day, and SSS student meetings. The
third largest group of activities included academic support services,
such as mentoring, goal setting for students, conferences, and meetings.
However, only 4 percent of grantees reported these activities. Two-year
institutions were more likely to offer these grant-specific cultural and
enrichment activities than were four-year institutions.

+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Table 2.08. Percentage of   |                   |                   |
| grantees offering and       |                   |                   |
| percentage of participants  |                   |                   |
| taking part in SSS-funded   |                   |                   |
| grant-specific "other"      |                   |                   |
| cultural and enrichment     |                   |                   |
| activities, by type of      |                   |                   |
| institution: 2001--02       |                   |                   |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
|                             | Percentage of\    | Percentage of\    |
|                             | grantees offering | participants      |
|                             |                   | taking part       |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| All institutions            | N = 935 ^1^       | N = 201,695 ^2^   |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Campus life enrichment      | 9.0               | 3.3               |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Social events               | 7.4               | 2.2               |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Academic supports           | 3.8               | 1.1               |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Four-year institutions      | N = 471 ^1^       | N = 108,718 ^2^   |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Campus life enrichment      | 7.3               | 1.9               |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Social events               | 6.3               | 1.9               |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Academic supports           | 3.6               | 1.0               |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Two-year institutions       | N = 464 ^1^       | N = 92,977 ^2^    |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Campus life enrichment      | 10.7              | 4.9               |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Social events               | 8.6               | 2.6               |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| Academic supports           | 4.1               | 1.2               |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| ^1^Total number of grantees |                   |                   |
| submitting APRs.            |                   |                   |
|                             |                   |                   |
| ^2^Number of participants   |                   |                   |
| reported are aggregated     |                   |                   |
| from the grant-level data   |                   |                   |
| submitted by the 935        |                   |                   |
| grantees.                   |                   |                   |
|                             |                   |                   |
| SOURCE: Data from program   |                   |                   |
| files of the U.S.           |                   |                   |
| Department of Education,    |                   |                   |
| Federal TRIO Programs, SSS  |                   |                   |
| Annual Performance Reports. |                   |                   |
+-----------------------------+-------------------+-------------------+

Program objectives: 2001--02

The APR also collects narrative information on the grantees' progress in
meeting the program objectives. The information includes the approved
objectives, the extent to which the grantee achieved each objective, and
specific information to support the accomplishment of each objective.
Five objectives were defined in the 2001--02 APR:

• *Persistence*---percentage of eligible participants who will persist
toward completing the academic programs in which they were enrolled

• *Good academic standing*---percentage of eligible participants who
will meet academic performance levels required to stay in good academic
standing at the grantee institution

• *Graduation*---percentage of eligible participants who will graduate
each year

• *Transfer*---percentage of eligible participants who will transfer
each year

• *Administration*---the extent to which the grantee will meet the
administrative requirements, including record keeping, reporting, and
financial accountability

To examine the 2001--02 program objectives, random samples of 7 percent
of grantee institutions were selected from a total of 935 grantees,
proportional to the numbers of four-year and two-year grantees.[^6] In
all, 34 four-year and 33 two-year grantee institutions were included in
the samples.

Most grantees reported data on persistence, good academic standing,
graduation, and administration. Because transfer was not an objective
for four-year institutions, only four of 34 sampled four-year
institutions reported data on this objective. Table 2.09 reports the
percentage of sampled grantees that met their objectives in the 2001--02
program year.

More than 90 percent of grantees met objectives of persistence (94
percent) and good academic standing (92 percent). More than 70 percent
of grantees met the other three objectives. All four-year institutions
that reported data on persistence met the objective (100 percent). In
contrast, only\
88 percent of the two-year institutions reportedly attained this
objective.

+--------------------+----+-------+---+----+--------+---+----+-------+
| Table 2.09.        |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| Percentage of      |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| sampled grantees   |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| that met           |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| SSS-approved       |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| program            |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| objectives:        |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| 2001--02           |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
+--------------------+----+-------+---+----+--------+---+----+-------+
|                    | A  |       |   | F  |        |   | Tw |       |
|                    | ll |       |   | ou |        |   | o- |       |
|                    | in |       |   | r- |        |   | ye |       |
|                    | st |       |   | ye |        |   | ar |       |
|                    | it |       |   | ar |        |   | in |       |
|                    | ut |       |   | in |        |   | st |       |
|                    | io |       |   | st |        |   | it |       |
|                    | ns |       |   | it |        |   | ut |       |
|                    |    |       |   | ut |        |   | io |       |
|                    |    |       |   | io |        |   | ns |       |
|                    |    |       |   | ns |        |   |    |       |
+--------------------+----+-------+---+----+--------+---+----+-------+
| Objectives         | N  | Pe    |   | N  | P      |   | N  | Pe    |
|                    | ^  | rcent |   | ^  | ercent |   | ^  | rcent |
|                    | 1^ | ^2^   |   | 1^ | ^2^    |   | 1^ | ^2^   |
+--------------------+----+-------+---+----+--------+---+----+-------+
| Persistence        | 64 | 93.7  |   | 32 | >      |   | 32 | 87.5  |
|                    |    |       |   |    |  100.0 |   |    |       |
+--------------------+----+-------+---+----+--------+---+----+-------+
| Good academic      | 65 | 92.3  |   | 33 | > 93.9 |   | 32 | 90.6  |
| standing           |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
+--------------------+----+-------+---+----+--------+---+----+-------+
| Graduation         | 63 | 82.5  |   | 33 | > 87.9 |   | 30 | 76.7  |
+--------------------+----+-------+---+----+--------+---+----+-------+
| Transfer           | 29 | 70.0  |   | 4  | > 75.0 |   | 25 | 68.0  |
+--------------------+----+-------+---+----+--------+---+----+-------+
| Administration     | 60 | 85.0  |   | 31 | > 87.1 |   | 29 | 82.8  |
+--------------------+----+-------+---+----+--------+---+----+-------+
| ^1^Number of       |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| sampled            |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| institutions       |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| reporting the      |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| listed objectives. |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
|                    |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| ^2^Percent of      |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| sampled            |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| institutions       |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| meeting the listed |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| objectives.        |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
|                    |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| SOURCE: Data from  |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| program files of   |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| the U.S.           |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| Department of      |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| Education, Federal |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| TRIO Programs, SSS |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| Annual Performance |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
| Reports.           |    |       |   |    |        |   |    |       |
+--------------------+----+-------+---+----+--------+---+----+-------+

Chapter 3

Program Participants: 1998--99 to 2001--02

Every reporting year, SSS grantees report demographic, academic and
program participation information on participants. This chapter
characterizes participants who were served by the program at any point
during the four years from 1998--99 to 2001--02.

The number of participants reported in this chapter is slightly
different from that reported in chapters 1 and 2. The number of
participants reported in chapter 1 is the proposed number. In chapter 2,
the number of participants is based on grant-level data as reported by
grantees. In this chapter, the number of participants is based on
individual participant records reported by grantees that submitted APRs
in each reporting year. As discussed early in chapter 1, a few grantees
submitted aggregate data but did not provide individual student data
(see Appendix A). Because of this, the number of grantees and
participants reported in this chapter may differ from numbers reported
in earlier chapters. In addition, the number of participants reported in
each table varies due to the fact that grantees, at times, did not
report the information.

In order to adjust for the fact that the estimates of postsecondary
persistence and graduation rates only account for participants enrolled
at the grantee institution, the SSS APR data used in this profile were
merged with the Title IV financial aid records from 1998--99 to 2000--01
in an attempt to capture enrollment information for participants who
left the grantee institution but continued at or graduated from another
postsecondary institution.

Depending on whether or not they receive program services in a given
year, participants fall into one of the following three status
categories:

• *New participant*---the individual has not been reported in previous
years and has a project entry date in the academic year in which they
are reported as "new."

• *Continuing participant*---the individual is currently enrolled and
served and has a project entry date falling prior to the year in which
they are reported as "continuing."

• *Prior participant*---the individual received project services before
the reporting year but did not receive project services during the
reporting year. Starting in reporting year 2001--02, the category of
"prior participant" was further differentiated to distinguish between
those who were still enrolled and those who were no longer enrolled at
the grantee institution.

The first two categories (i.e., *new participant* and *continuing
participant*) combined reflect *active participants*.[^7]

Table 3.01 presents the distribution of participant status over the four
reporting years. Overall, new participants constituted about 30 percent
of all participants in each reporting year. The percentage of new
participants varied with the type of institution. In the four-year
institutions, about one in four participants was new in each reporting
year, and the percentage of new participants dropped slightly between
1998--99 and 2001--02. In comparison, new participants constituted about
38 percent of all participants in two-year institutions, and the
percentage increased slightly from 1998--99 to 2001--02.

+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table 3.01. Percentage |          |          |          |          |
| distribution of active |          |          |          |          |
| and prior SSS Program  |          |          |          |          |
| participants, by       |          |          |          |          |
| participant status and |          |          |          |          |
| type of institution:   |          |          |          |          |
| 1998--99 to 2001--02   |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|                        | 1998--99 | 1999--00 | 2000--01 | 2001--02 |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| All participants:      |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 234,322  | 248,667  | 247,295  | 312,148  |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants       | 31.4     | 30.2     | 29.6     | 30.5     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Continuing             | 43.8     | 43.4     | 44.0     | 35.9     |
| participants           |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Prior participants     | 24.8     | 26.4     | 26.3     | 33.6     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Enrolled               | ---      | ---      | ---      | 19.5     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| No longer enrolled     | ---      | ---      | ---      | 14.1     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| All participants,      |          |          |          |          |
| four-year              |          |          |          |          |
| institutions:          |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 143,180  | 155,964  | 155,926  | 186,660  |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants       | 27.3     | 25.9     | 25.2     | 24.6     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Continuing             | 41.8     | 41.2     | 41.9     | 36.1     |
| participants           |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Prior participants     | 30.9     | 33.0     | 32.9     | 39.3     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Enrolled               | ---      | ---      | ---      | 24.9     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| No longer enrolled     | ---      | ---      | ---      | 14.4     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| All participants,      |          |          |          |          |
| two-year institutions: |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 91,142   | 92,703   | 91,369   | 125,488  |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants       | 37.9     | 37.6     | 37.2     | 39.3     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Continuing             | 47.0     | 47.2     | 47.7     | 35.6     |
| participants           |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Prior participants     | 15.1     | 15.3     | 15.1     | 25.2     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Enrolled               | ---      | ---      | ---      | 11.4     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| No longer enrolled     | ---      | ---      | ---      | 13.8     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ---Indicates number    |          |          |          |          |
| for the cell is not    |          |          |          |          |
| available.             |          |          |          |          |
|                        |          |          |          |          |
| ^1^The number of       |          |          |          |          |
| participants based on  |          |          |          |          |
| valid responses only;  |          |          |          |          |
| total may differ from  |          |          |          |          |
| other tables due to    |          |          |          |          |
| missing data.          |          |          |          |          |
|                        |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from      |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the   |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of     |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal     |          |          |          |          |
| TRIO Programs, SSS     |          |          |          |          |
| Annual Performance     |          |          |          |          |
| Reports.               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

About 44 percent of the participants in the first three reporting years
were continuing students (i.e., those who received services both before
*and* during the reporting year). The percentage dropped to about 36
percent in 2001--02. Interestingly, the percentage of prior students
(i.e., those who had received program services before but not during the
reporting year) increased by almost the same amount from the earlier
years to 2001--02. Separating the prior participants into enrolled and
not

enrolled categories in 2001--02 evidently provided the clarification
needed to correctly report prior participants who continued to be
enrolled in the grantee institution.

The percentage of continuing participants and the decrease in that
percentage in 2001--02 varies by type of institution. Two-year
institutions had a larger drop in the percentage of students classified
as continuing in 2001--02 than did four-year institutions (a drop of 11
percentage points for the two-year institutions between reporting years
1998--99 and 2001--02 vs. a drop of 6 percentage points for the
four-year institutions).

In addition, with the exception of reporting year 2001--02, the
percentage of prior participants in two-year institutions was about half
that in four-year institutions. The smaller percentage of prior
participants in two-year institutions reflects the fact that
participants in two-year programs simply have less time, relative to
their counterparts in four-year institutions, to become prior
participants.

The remainder of this chapter focuses only on *active* participants
(i.e., both "new" and "continuing" participants). Overall, between
two-thirds and three-quarters of the participants in each reporting year
were active participants. The percentage of active participants was
lower for four-year institutions than for two-year institutions
throughout the period under consideration. As Table 3.02 shows, the
number of students that the SSS Program grantees served per year
increased from 176,311 in 1998--99 to 207,198 in 2001--02. Among the
active participants, the percentage of new participants remained stable
at around 41 percent between 1998--99 and 2000--01 and jumped to 46
percent in 2001--02 because a large number of new grantees were funded
in the new funding cycle.

<table style="width:100%;">
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 21%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="12">Table 3.02. Percentage distribution and number of
active SSS Program participants, by participant status and type of
institution: 1998–99 to 2001–02</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">1998–99</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">1999–00</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">2000–01</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">2001–02</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td>Percent</td>
<td>Total <sup>1</sup></td>
<td></td>
<td>Percent</td>
<td>Total <sup>1</sup></td>
<td></td>
<td>Percent</td>
<td>Total <sup>1</sup></td>
<td></td>
<td>Percent</td>
<td>Total <sup>1</sup></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Active participants, all institutions:</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>176,311</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>183,048</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>182,182</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>207,198</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>New participants</td>
<td>41.8</td>
<td>73,661</td>
<td></td>
<td>41.1</td>
<td>75,156</td>
<td></td>
<td>40.2</td>
<td>73,285</td>
<td></td>
<td>45.9</td>
<td>95,155</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Continuing participants</td>
<td>58.2</td>
<td>102,650</td>
<td></td>
<td>58.9</td>
<td>107,892</td>
<td></td>
<td>59.8</td>
<td>108,897</td>
<td></td>
<td>54.1</td>
<td>112,043</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Active participants, four-year institutions:</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>98,895</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>104,502</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>104,621</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>113,306</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>New participants</td>
<td>39.6</td>
<td>39,114</td>
<td></td>
<td>38.6</td>
<td>40,327</td>
<td></td>
<td>37.6</td>
<td>39,296</td>
<td></td>
<td>40.5</td>
<td>45,895</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Continuing participants</td>
<td>60.4</td>
<td>59,781</td>
<td></td>
<td>61.4</td>
<td>64,175</td>
<td></td>
<td>62.4</td>
<td>65,325</td>
<td></td>
<td>59.5</td>
<td>67,411</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Active participants, two-year institutions:</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>77,416</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>78,546</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>77,561</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>93,892</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>New participants</td>
<td>44.6</td>
<td>34,547</td>
<td></td>
<td>44.3</td>
<td>34,829</td>
<td></td>
<td>43.8</td>
<td>33,989</td>
<td></td>
<td>52.5</td>
<td>49,260</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Continuing participants</td>
<td>55.4</td>
<td>42,869</td>
<td></td>
<td>55.7</td>
<td>43,717</td>
<td></td>
<td>56.2</td>
<td>43,572</td>
<td></td>
<td>47.5</td>
<td>44,632</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="12"><p><sup>1</sup>The number of participants based on
valid responses only; total may differ from other tables due to missing
data.</p>
<p>SOURCE: Data from program files of the U.S. Department of Education,
Federal TRIO Programs, SSS Annual Performance Reports.</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Current college grade

Overall, almost three-quarters of active participants in each reporting
year were first- or second-year students. As both Figure 3.01 and Table
3.03 show, the percentage of active second-year participants remained
stable at about 35 percent throughout the four-year period, but the
percentage of first-year students dropped about 3 percentage points over
the period (i.e., from 40 percent in 1998--99 to 37 percent in
2001--02). Table 3.03 further shows that about 22 to 25 percent of the
active participants were in their third or fourth years. Another 2 to 3
percent of participants were in their fifth year of college or later.

By definition, only first- and second-year students are expected to be
enrolled in two-year institutions. Active participants in two-year
institutions were almost equally divided between first- and second-year
students during the four reporting years. At four-year institutions,
although the percentage of first-year participants was lower than in
two-year institutions, more first-year students were in the program than
were students from any other college grade level. However, the
percentage of first-year participants in four-year institutions declined
over the reporting period. In 2001--02, about 27 percent of the active
participants in four-year institutions were first-year students, a
decrease of about 4 percentage points when compared with 1998--99.

Within each reporting year, the percentage of active participants in
four-year institutions decreased with each higher college grade level,
until the fourth year when the decline is reversed, reflecting perhaps
the special needs of the graduating students.

  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------
  Figure 3.01. Percentage                         
  of active participants                          
  who are first- or                               
  second-year students:                           
  1998--99 to 2001--02                            

                          First-year              Second-year

  1998--99                39.5                    34.8

  1999--00                37.1                    35.5

  2000--01                37.4                    34.7

  2001--02                36.8                    34.6

  Source: Data from                               
  program files of the                            
  U.S. Department of                              
  Education, Federal TRIO                         
  Programs, SSS Annual                            
  Performance Reports                             
  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table 3.03. Percentage  |          |          |          |          |
| distribution of active  |          |          |          |          |
| SSS Program             |          |          |          |          |
| participants, by        |          |          |          |          |
| college grade level and |          |          |          |          |
| type of institution:    |          |          |          |          |
| 1998--99 to 2001--02    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|                         | 1998--99 | 1999--00 | 2000--01 | 2001--02 |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants:    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^               | 172,987  | 180,055  | 178,861  | 203,948  |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                 | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| First year              | 39.5     | 37.1     | 37.4     | 36.8     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Second year             | 34.8     | 35.5     | 34.7     | 34.6     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Third year              | 10.7     | 11.2     | 11.2     | 10.3     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Fourth year             | 12.5     | 13.1     | 13.7     | 12.0     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Fifth year              | 2.2      | 2.6      | 2.5      | 1.8      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Graduated with          | ---      | ---      | ---      | 1.8      |
| associate degree        |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Graduated with          | ---      | ---      | ---      | 2.4      |
| bachelor's degree       |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Graduate/professional   | 0.4      | 0.5      | 0.5      | 0.2      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,    |          |          |          |          |
| four-year institutions: |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^               | 96,152   | 102,158  | 101,778  | 111,672  |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                 | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| First year              | 30.8     | 28.0     | 28.3     | 27.3     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Second year             | 24.5     | 24.9     | 23.6     | 24.3     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Third year              | 18.2     | 19.0     | 19.2     | 18.4     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Fourth year             | 22.2     | 22.8     | 23.9     | 21.6     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Fifth year              | 3.7      | 4.5      | 4.3      | 3.3      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Graduated with          | ---      | ---      | ---      | 0.4      |
| associate degree        |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Graduated with          | ---      | ---      | ---      | 4.3      |
| bachelor's degree       |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Graduate/professional   | 0.7      | 0.7      | 0.8      | 0.3      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,    |          |          |          |          |
| two-year institutions:  |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^               | 76,835   | 77,897   | 77,083   | 92,276   |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                 | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| First year              | 50.4     | 49.1     | 49.5     | 48.3     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Second year             | 47.6     | 49.3     | 49.3     | 47.1     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Third year              | 1.3      | 1.0      | 0.7      | 0.6      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Fourth year             | 0.4      | 0.3      | 0.3      | 0.4      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Fifth year              | 0.3      | 0.2      | 0.1      | 0.1      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Graduated with          | ---      | ---      | ---      | 3.5      |
| associate degree        |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Graduated with          | ---      | ---      | ---      | 0.0      |
| bachelor's degree       |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Graduate/professional   | 0.0      | 0.1      | 0.1      | 0.1      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ---Indicates number for |          |          |          |          |
| the cell is not         |          |          |          |          |
| available.              |          |          |          |          |
|                         |          |          |          |          |
| ^1^The number of        |          |          |          |          |
| participants based on   |          |          |          |          |
| valid responses only;   |          |          |          |          |
| total may differ from   |          |          |          |          |
| other tables due to     |          |          |          |          |
| missing data.           |          |          |          |          |
|                         |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from       |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the    |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of      |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal TRIO |          |          |          |          |
| Programs, SSS Annual    |          |          |          |          |
| Performance Reports.    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

Eligibility status

To be eligible to participate in the SSS Program, a student must be
low-income, a first-generation college student, or disabled. These terms
are defined below:

• *Low-income student*---a student whose family's taxable income does
not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level in the calendar year
preceding the year in which the individual initially participates in the
project. The poverty level amount is determined by using criteria
established by the Bureau of the Census of the U.S. Department of
Commerce.[^8]

• *First-generation college student*---a student from a family in which
neither parent (whether natural or adoptive) received a baccalaureate
degree or a student who, prior to the age of 18, regularly resided with
and received support from only one natural or adoptive parent and whose
supporting parent did not receive a baccalaureate degree.

• *Student with disabilities*---a student who has a diagnosed physical
or mental impairment that substantially limits his or her ability to
participate in the educational experiences and opportunities offered by
the grantee institution.

The statute and regulations governing SSS require that two-thirds of the
participants in any SSS project must be either disabled or
first-generation college students from low-income families. The
remaining one-third may be low-income individuals, first-generation
individuals, individuals with disabilities or a combination of the
three. At least one-third of the individuals with disabilities must also
be low-income individuals. Figure 3.02 shows the percentage of active
SSS Program participants, by program eligibility and type of
institution.

  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------
  Figure 3.02. Percentage                         
  of active SSS Program                           
  participants, by                                
  program eligibility and                         
  type of institution:                            
  2001--02                                        

                          Four-year               Two-year

  Low income and first    59.1                    62.5
  generation                                      

  Low income and disabled 5.5                     6.7

  Low income only         8.5                     6

  First generation only   19.7                    18.8

  Disabled only           7.2                     6

  Source: Data from                               
  program files of the                            
  U.S. Department of                              
  Education, Federal TRIO                         
  Programs, SSS Annual                            
  Performance Reports.                            
  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

Table 3.04 shows that approximately 73 percent of active participants in
all institutions were either low-income and first-generation college
students, low-income college students with disabilities or college
students with disabilities only, as required by the governing statutes.
Over 19 percent of active participants in all institutions were
first-generation college students only and just over 7 percent were
low-income only students. Approximately half of participants with
disabilities were from low-income families. The eligibility
distributions of active participants in four-year and two-year
institutions are very similar.

+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table 3.04. Percentage |          |          |          |          |
| distribution of active |          |          |          |          |
| SSS Program            |          |          |          |          |
| participants, by       |          |          |          |          |
| eligibility criteria   |          |          |          |          |
| and type of            |          |          |          |          |
| institution: 1998--99  |          |          |          |          |
| to 2001--02            |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|                        | 1998--99 | 1999--00 | 2000--01 | 2001--02 |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| all institutions:      |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 175,236  | 182,347  | 181,122  | 202,616  |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Low-income and         | 59.7     | 59.9     | 59.7     | 60.7     |
| first-generation       |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Low-income and         | 6.2      | 6.0      | 5.8      | 6.0      |
| disabled               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Low-income only        | 7.7      | 7.6      | 7.3      | 7.4      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| First-generation only  | 19.4     | 19.4     | 20.1     | 19.3     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Disabled only          | 6.9      | 7.1      | 7.0      | 6.7      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| four-year              |          |          |          |          |
| institutions:          |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 98,252   | 104,018  | 103,764  | 110,525  |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Low-income and         | 59.1     | 59.2     | 58.6     | 59.1     |
| first-generation       |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Low-income and         | 5.7      | 5.6      | 5.4      | 5.5      |
| disabled               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Low-income only        | 8.7      | 8.6      | 8.3      | 8.5      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| First-generation only  | 19.3     | 19.3     | 20.1     | 19.7     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Disabled only          | 7.2      | 7.3      | 7.6      | 7.2      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| two-year institutions: |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 76,984   | 78,329   | 77,358   | 92,091   |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Low-income and         | 60.5     | 60.8     | 61.3     | 62.5     |
| first-generation       |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Low-income and         | 6.9      | 6.5      | 6.3      | 6.7      |
| disabled               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Low-income only        | 6.5      | 6.4      | 6.0      | 6.0      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| First-generation only  | 19.6     | 19.5     | 20.1     | 18.8     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Disabled only          | 6.5      | 6.8      | 6.3      | 6.0      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^The number of       |          |          |          |          |
| participants based on  |          |          |          |          |
| valid responses only;  |          |          |          |          |
| total may differ from  |          |          |          |          |
| other tables due to    |          |          |          |          |
| missing data.          |          |          |          |          |
|                        |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from      |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the   |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of     |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal     |          |          |          |          |
| TRIO Programs, SSS     |          |          |          |          |
| Annual Performance     |          |          |          |          |
| Reports.               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

Demographic characteristics

Gender

According to the *Digest of Education Statistics*, approximately 44
percent of the 15 million students enrolled in U.S. colleges in 1998--99
were male and 57 percent were female.[^9] Compared with this national
enrollment pattern, the enrollment pattern for the SSS Program shows
that male students have been consistently underrepresented; half as many
male as female participants were served by grantees for all the
reporting years under consideration (see Table 3.05). The gender
difference was more pronounced in the two-year institutions than in the
four-year institutions.

+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table 3.05. Percentage |          |          |          |          |
| distribution of active |          |          |          |          |
| SSS Program            |          |          |          |          |
| participants, by       |          |          |          |          |
| gender: 1998--99 to    |          |          |          |          |
| 2001--02               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|                        | 1998--99 | 1999--00 | 2000--01 | 2001--02 |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| all institutions:      |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 176,208  | 182,919  | 182,129  | 203,860  |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Male                   | 34.2     | 33.9     | 33.8     | 32.9     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Female                 | 65.8     | 66.1     | 66.2     | 67.1     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| four-year              |          |          |          |          |
| institutions:          |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 98,820   | 104,412  | 104,586  | 111,619  |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Male                   | 37.0     | 36.7     | 36.8     | 35.9     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Female                 | 63.0     | 63.3     | 63.3     | 64.1     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| two-year institutions: |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 77,388   | 78,507   | 77,543   | 92,241   |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Male                   | 30.7     | 30.1     | 29.8     | 29.3     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Female                 | 69.3     | 69.8     | 70.2     | 70.7     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^The number of       |          |          |          |          |
| participants based on  |          |          |          |          |
| valid responses only;  |          |          |          |          |
| total may differ from  |          |          |          |          |
| other tables due to    |          |          |          |          |
| missing data.          |          |          |          |          |
|                        |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from      |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the   |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of     |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal     |          |          |          |          |
| TRIO Programs, SSS     |          |          |          |          |
| Annual Performance     |          |          |          |          |
| Reports.               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

Race/ethnicity

In 2001--02, about 43 percent of all active SSS Program participants
were white (see Figure 3.03). About 38 percent of the students served by
four-year institutions were white, compared with 41 percent in 1998--99
(see Figure 3.04 and Table 3.06). About half of the participants in
two-year institutions were white, and another quarter were African
American. Ratios between whites and African Americans were smaller in
four-year institutions.

  ----------------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- -------- ----------- ----------
  Figure 3.03.                                                                      
  Percentage                                                                        
  distribution of                                                                   
  active SSS                                                                        
  Program                                                                           
  participants, by                                                                  
  race/ethnicity:                                                                   
  2001--02                                                                          

                    American   Asian    Black or   Hispanic\   White    Native      More than
                    Indian or           African    or Latino            Hawaiian\   one race
                    Alaska              American                        or other    reported
                    Native                                              Pacific     
                                                                        Islander    

  2001--02          4          4        29         18          43       1           1

  Source: Data from                                                                 
  program files of                                                                  
  the U.S.                                                                          
  Department of                                                                     
  Education,                                                                        
  Federal TRIO                                                                      
  Programs, SSS                                                                     
  Annual                                                                            
  Performance                                                                       
  Reports.                                                                          
  ----------------- ---------- -------- ---------- ----------- -------- ----------- ----------

  ------------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------
  Figure 3.04. Percentage                          
  of active SSS Program                            
  participants, by                                 
  race/ethnicity and type                          
  of institution: 2001--02                         

                            Four-year              Two-year

  American Indian or Alaska 3.0                    4.4
  Native                                           

  Asian                     5.8                    2.9

  Black or African American 30.2                   26.8

  Hispanic or Latino        20.5                   15.2

  White                     38.4                   48.0

  Native Hawaiian or other  0.8                    1.7
  Pacific Islander                                 

  More than one race        1.3                    1.1
  reported                                         

  Source: Data from program                        
  files of the U.S.                                
  Department of Education,                         
  Federal TRIO Programs,                           
  SSS Annual Performance                           
  Reports.                                         
  ------------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------

+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table 3.06. Percentage |          |          |          |          |
| distribution of active |          |          |          |          |
| SSS Program            |          |          |          |          |
| participants, by       |          |          |          |          |
| race/ethnicity and     |          |          |          |          |
| type of institution:   |          |          |          |          |
| 1998--99 to 2001--02   |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|                        | 1998--99 | 1999--00 | 2000--01 | 2001--02 |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| all institutions:      |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 174,203  | 181,344  | 180,467  | 201,550  |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| American Indian or     | 3.3      | 3.2      | 3.2      | 3.6      |
| Alaska Native          |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Asian                  | 4.7      | 4.8      | 4.7      | 4.4      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Black or African       | 28.2     | 28.2     | 29.2     | 28.7     |
| American               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Hispanic or Latino     | 17.1     | 17.4     | 17.2     | 18.1     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| White                  | 45.0     | 44.4     | 43.5     | 42.7     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Native Hawaiian or     | 1.2      | 1.2      | 1.2      | 1.2      |
| Other Pacific Islander |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| More than one race     | 0.6      | 0.8      | 1.0      | 1.2      |
| reported               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| four-year              |          |          |          |          |
| institutions:          |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 97,393   | 103,203  | 103,333  | 110,019  |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| American Indian or     | 2.9      | 2.6      | 2.6      | 3.0      |
| Alaska Native          |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Asian                  | 5.6      | 5.9      | 5.8      | 5.8      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Black or African       | 29.8     | 29.2     | 30.2     | 30.2     |
| American               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Hispanic or Latino     | 19.1     | 20.4     | 20.4     | 20.5     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| White                  | 41.0     | 40.0     | 39.0     | 38.4     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Native Hawaiian or     | 1.0      | 1.0      | 0.9      | 0.8      |
| other Pacific Islander |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| More than one race     | 0.6      | 0.9      | 1.1      | 1.3      |
| reported               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| two-year institutions: |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 76,810   | 78,141   | 77,134   | 91,531   |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| American Indian or     | 3.8      | 4.0      | 3.9      | 4.4      |
| Alaska Native          |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Asian                  | 3.6      | 3.4      | 3.3      | 2.9      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Black or African       | 26.1     | 26.8     | 27.7     | 26.8     |
| American               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Hispanic or Latino     | 14.6     | 13.6     | 13.1     | 15.2     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| White                  | 50.0     | 50.1     | 49.6     | 48.0     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Native Hawaiian or     | 1.6      | 1.5      | 1.6      | 1.7      |
| other Pacific Islander |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| More than one race     | 0.5      | 0.7      | 0.8      | 1.1      |
| reported               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^The number of       |          |          |          |          |
| participants based on  |          |          |          |          |
| valid responses only;  |          |          |          |          |
| total may differ from  |          |          |          |          |
| other tables due to    |          |          |          |          |
| missing data.          |          |          |          |          |
|                        |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from      |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the   |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of     |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal     |          |          |          |          |
| TRIO Programs, SSS     |          |          |          |          |
| Annual Performance     |          |          |          |          |
| Reports.               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

Average age at entry

Overall, the average age of active participants remained stable at 25.2
years throughout the four-year reporting period. Participants served by
two-year grantee institutions were about four years older than their
counterparts in four-year institutions (see Table 3.07).

Grade level at program entry

Approximately 80 percent of the active participants entered the SSS
Program when they were in their first year of study, including 22
percent who had attended previously. Around 12 to 13 percent of
participants entered in their second year, and the remaining were in
either their third or fourth year when they joined the program (see
Table 3.08).

+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table 3.07. Average    |          |          |          |          |
| age at entry of active |          |          |          |          |
| SSS Program            |          |          |          |          |
| participants, by type  |          |          |          |          |
| of institution:        |          |          |          |          |
| 1998--99 to 2001--02   |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|                        | 1998--99 | 1999--00 | 2000--01 | 2001--02 |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| all institutions       |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Average age at         | 25.2     | 25.2     | 25.0     | 25.2     |
| entry^1^               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| four-year institutions |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Average age at         | 23.5     | 23.6     | 23.1     | 23.2     |
| entry^1^               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| two-year institutions  |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Average age at         | 27.4     | 27.6     | 27.5     | 27.6     |
| entry^1^               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^The number of       |          |          |          |          |
| participants based on  |          |          |          |          |
| valid responses only;  |          |          |          |          |
| total may differ from  |          |          |          |          |
| other tables due to    |          |          |          |          |
| missing data.          |          |          |          |          |
| Calculation based on   |          |          |          |          |
| the starting date of   |          |          |          |          |
| the reporting year,    |          |          |          |          |
| July 1.                |          |          |          |          |
|                        |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from      |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the   |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of     |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal     |          |          |          |          |
| TRIO Programs, SSS     |          |          |          |          |
| Annual Performance     |          |          |          |          |
| Reports.               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Table 3.08.         |           |           |           |           |
| Percentage          |           |           |           |           |
| distribution of     |           |           |           |           |
| active SSS Program  |           |           |           |           |
| participants, by    |           |           |           |           |
| college grade level |           |           |           |           |
| at entry and type   |           |           |           |           |
| of institution:     |           |           |           |           |
| 1998--99 to         |           |           |           |           |
| 2001--02            |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
|                     | 1998--99  | 1999--00  | 2000--01  | 2001--02  |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Active              |           |           |           |           |
| participants, all   |           |           |           |           |
| institutions:       |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number^1^           | 173,495   | 180,769   | 180,224   | 201,453   |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Percent             | 100.0     | 100.0     | 100.0     | 100.0     |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1st year, never     | 57.3      | 58.7      | 60.2      | 57.0      |
| attended before     |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1st year, attended  | 21.9      | 21.1      | 21.0      | 22.1      |
| before              |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2nd year            | 13.0      | 12.7      | 11.8      | 13.3      |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 3rd year            | 5.2       | 5.0       | 4.7       | 5.0       |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 4th year            | 2.3       | 2.1       | 1.9       | 2.4       |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 5th year/other      | 0.3       | 0.3       | 0.3       | 0.3       |
| undergraduate       |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Active              |           |           |           |           |
| participants,       |           |           |           |           |
| four-year           |           |           |           |           |
| institutions:       |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number^1^           | 96,961    | 103,089   | 103,420   | 109,793   |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Percent             | 100.0     | 100.0     | 100.0     | 100.0     |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1st year, never     | 62.0      | 62.9      | 64.6      | 62.1      |
| attended before     |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1st year, attended  | 12.8      | 12.3      | 12.4      | 12.3      |
| before              |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2nd year            | 11.8      | 11.8      | 11.0      | 11.7      |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 3rd year            | 9.0       | 8.7       | 8.1       | 9.0       |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 4th year            | 4.0       | 3.7       | 3.3       | 4.4       |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 5th year/other      | 0.4       | 0.6       | 0.6       | 0.5       |
| undergraduate       |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Active              |           |           |           |           |
| participants,       |           |           |           |           |
| two-year            |           |           |           |           |
| institutions:       |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number^1^           | 76,534    | 77,680    | 76,804    | 91,660    |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Percent             | 100.0     | 100.0     | 100.0     | 100.0     |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1st year, never     | 51.4      | 53.1      | 54.3      | 50.8      |
| attended before     |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1st year, attended  | 33.5      | 32.9      | 32.7      | 33.7      |
| before              |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2nd year            | 14.5      | 13.8      | 12.8      | 15.2      |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 3rd year            | 0.3       | 0.2       | 0.1       | 0.2       |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 4th year            | 0.2       | 0.0       | 0.0       | 0.1       |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 5th year/other      | 0.2       | 0.0       | 0.0       | 0.0       |
| undergraduate       |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| ^1^The number of    |           |           |           |           |
| participants based  |           |           |           |           |
| on valid responses  |           |           |           |           |
| only; total may     |           |           |           |           |
| differ from other   |           |           |           |           |
| tables due to       |           |           |           |           |
| missing data.       |           |           |           |           |
|                     |           |           |           |           |
| SOURCE: Data from   |           |           |           |           |
| program files of    |           |           |           |           |
| the U.S. Department |           |           |           |           |
| of Education,       |           |           |           |           |
| Federal TRIO        |           |           |           |           |
| Programs, SSS       |           |           |           |           |
| Annual Performance  |           |           |           |           |
| Reports.            |           |           |           |           |
+---------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+

In two-year institutions, about 85 percent of the active participants
were first-year students when they joined the program, 10 percent more
than in four-year institutions. In addition, at program entry, 20
percent more first-year students in two-year institutions had previously
attended college than had their counterparts in four-year institutions.

Academic need

Students join the SSS Program for help with a variety of academic needs.
Table 3.09 lists the distribution of students by the needs reported. For
reporting years 1998--99 to 2000--01, students for whom the main need
was not possible to determine were reported as having "multiple needs."
Within these three years, more students were reported with multiple
needs than with any single need listed, followed by students whose
academic needs were identified with diagnostic tests. The multiple-needs
category was dropped in 2001--02, and those students were recategorized
into one of the other 11 categories provided. This change may explain
the larger percentage of participants classified as "other" in 2001--02.

Students at two-year institutions had very different needs from those of
students at four-year institutions. The percentage of participants whose
academic needs were identified with "diagnostic tests," for example, was
more than twice as high at two-year institutions (30 percent) as at
four-year institutions (12 percent) in 2001--02. The percentage of
participants in two-year institutions who had been out of the academic
pipeline for five or more years was more than twice that in four-year
institutions.

  ----------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
  Table 3.09. Percentage                                      
  distribution of active                                      
  SSS Program                                                 
  participants, by                                            
  academic need and                                           
  institution type:                                           
  1998--99 to 2001--02                                        

                          1998--99    1999--00    2000--01    2001--02

  Active participants,                                        
  all institutions:                                           

  Number^1^               171,407     179,565     179,773     194,978

  Percent                 100.0       100.0       100.0       100.0

  Low high school GPA     2.7         2.8         3.0         3.5

  Low SAT scores, verbal  1.1         1.0         1.0         1.4

  Low SAT scores, math    0.8         0.8         0.9         1.2

  Low ACT scores          7.6         7.4         7.5         9.1

  Predictive indicator^2^ 7.8         8.5         9.5         20.7

  Diagnostic tests        16.9        16.6        16.2        20.3

  Low college GPA         3.4         3.1         2.9         4.2

  High school equivalency 0.8         0.7         0.7         1.0

  Failing grades          2.1         2.1         1.9         2.9

  Out of academic         4.3         4.4         4.3         6.5
  pipeline for 5+ years                                       

  Multiple                38.4        37.9        38.0        ---

  Other                   14.2        14.6        14.1        29.0
  ----------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

> *Table continued on next page*

+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Table 3.09.          |          |           |           |           |
| Percentage           |          |           |           |           |
| distribution of      |          |           |           |           |
| active SSS Program   |          |           |           |           |
| participants, by     |          |           |           |           |
| academic need and    |          |           |           |           |
| institution type:    |          |           |           |           |
| 1998--99 to          |          |           |           |           |
| 2001--02---Continued |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
|                      | 1998--99 | 1999--00  | 2000--01  | 2001--02  |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Active participants, |          |           |           |           |
| four-year            |          |           |           |           |
| institutions:        |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number^1^            | 96,053   | 101,918   | 102,649   | 105,272   |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Percent              | 100.0    | 100.0     | 100.0     | 100.0     |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Low high school GPA  | 4.0      | 4.0       | 4.5       | 5.3       |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Low SAT scores,      | 1.8      | 1.6       | 1.6       | 2.4       |
| verbal               |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Low SAT scores, math | 1.2      | 1.2       | 1.4       | 1.9       |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Low ACT scores       | 10.6     | 10.5      | 10.4      | 12.9      |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Predictive           | 7.4      | 8.0       | 8.7       | 22.5      |
| indicator^2^         |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Diagnostic tests     | 10.9     | 10.1      | 9.3       | 12.4      |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Low college GPA      | 4.2      | 4.1       | 3.9       | 5.7       |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| High school          | 0.4      | 0.4       | 0.4       | 0.5       |
| equivalency          |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Failing grades       | 1.7      | 1.9       | 1.9       | 2.9       |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Out of academic      | 2.9      | 2.9       | 2.8       | 4.0       |
| pipeline for 5+      |          |           |           |           |
| years                |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Multiple             | 39.8     | 38.7      | 38.8      | ---       |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Other                | 15.4     | 16.7      | 16.3      | 29.7      |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Active participants, |          |           |           |           |
| two-year             |          |           |           |           |
| institutions:        |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number^1^            | 75,354   | 77,647    | 77,124    | 89,706    |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Percent              | 100.0    | 100.0     | 100.0     | 100.0     |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Low high school GPA  | 1.1      | 1.2       | 0.9       | 1.3       |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Low SAT scores,      | 0.2      | 0.2       | 0.2       | 0.3       |
| verbal               |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Low SAT scores, math | 0.3      | 0.2       | 0.3       | 0.4       |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Low ACT scores       | 3.8      | 3.4       | 3.7       | 4.6       |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Predictive           | 8.4      | 9.3       | 10.6      | 18.7      |
| indicator^2^         |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Diagnostic tests     | 24.5     | 25.2      | 25.5      | 29.6      |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Low college GPA      | 2.5      | 1.9       | 1.6       | 2.6       |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| High school          | 1.2      | 1.2       | 1.2       | 1.7       |
| equivalency          |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Failing grades       | 2.6      | 2.4       | 1.8       | 3.0       |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Out of academic      | 6.1      | 6.2       | 6.3       | 9.5       |
| pipeline for 5+      |          |           |           |           |
| years                |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Multiple             | 36.7     | 36.9      | 37.0      | ---       |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Other                | 12.7     | 11.9      | 11.1      | 28.3      |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| ---Indicates number  |          |           |           |           |
| for the cell is not  |          |           |           |           |
| available.           |          |           |           |           |
|                      |          |           |           |           |
| ^1^The number of     |          |           |           |           |
| participants based   |          |           |           |           |
| on valid responses   |          |           |           |           |
| only; total may      |          |           |           |           |
| differ from other    |          |           |           |           |
| tables due to        |          |           |           |           |
| missing data.        |          |           |           |           |
|                      |          |           |           |           |
| ^2^Predictive        |          |           |           |           |
| indicator is defined |          |           |           |           |
| as "a composite      |          |           |           |           |
| variable for         |          |           |           |           |
| estimating the       |          |           |           |           |
| potential success of |          |           |           |           |
| a student in college |          |           |           |           |
| using a variety of   |          |           |           |           |
| factors that may     |          |           |           |           |
| include indicators   |          |           |           |           |
| such as high school  |          |           |           |           |
| GPA, SAT, or ACT     |          |           |           |           |
| test scores, high    |          |           |           |           |
| school preparedness, |          |           |           |           |
| etc."                |          |           |           |           |
|                      |          |           |           |           |
| SOURCE: Data from    |          |           |           |           |
| program files of the |          |           |           |           |
| U.S. Department of   |          |           |           |           |
| Education, Federal   |          |           |           |           |
| TRIO Programs, SSS   |          |           |           |           |
| Annual Performance   |          |           |           |           |
| Reports.             |          |           |           |           |
+----------------------+----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+

Length of service provision

Length of time receiving service

From 1998--99 to 2001--02, about two-thirds to three-quarters of the
participants received program services for two years or less (see Table
3.10). Not surprisingly, more students received services for two years
or less in two-year than in four-year institutions. For the reporting
period under consideration, 73 to 80 percent of the participants in
two-year institutions received services for two years or less; between
62 to 68 percent of students in four-year institutions received services
for two years or less.

+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table 3.10. Percentage |          |          |          |          |
| distribution of active |          |          |          |          |
| SSS Program            |          |          |          |          |
| participants, by years |          |          |          |          |
| receiving services and |          |          |          |          |
| institution type:      |          |          |          |          |
| 1998--99 to 2001--02   |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|                        | 1998--99 | 1999--00 | 2000--01 | 2001--02 |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| all institutions:      |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 169,965  | 166,360  | 174,359  | 195,626  |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number of years        |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 0--1                   | 45.2     | 38.4     | 41.1     | 47.3     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 1--2                   | 27.9     | 28.4     | 25.6     | 23.0     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 2--3                   | 12.5     | 16.8     | 15.3     | 13.1     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 3--4                   | 7.0      | 7.9      | 9.4      | 8.0      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 4--5                   | 3.8      | 4.1      | 4.3      | 4.4      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Over 5                 | 3.7      | 4.4      | 4.3      | 4.1      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| four-year              |          |          |          |          |
| institutions:          |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 95,513   | 97,171   | 100,008  | 107,750  |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number of years        |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 0--1                   | 41.7     | 35.8     | 37.5     | 41.7     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 1--2                   | 26.1     | 26.6     | 24.1     | 23.0     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 2--3                   | 13.7     | 17.0     | 16.2     | 14.6     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 3--4                   | 8.8      | 9.9      | 11.1     | 10.1     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 4--5                   | 5.2      | 5.4      | 5.8      | 5.7      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Over 5                 | 4.6      | 5.3      | 5.3      | 5.0      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,   |          |          |          |          |
| two-year institutions: |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 74,452   | 69,189   | 74,351   | 87,876   |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number of years        |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 0--1                   | 49.6     | 42.1     | 45.9     | 54.3     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 1--2                   | 30.2     | 30.9     | 27.7     | 23.2     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 2--3                   | 11.0     | 16.5     | 14.1     | 11.3     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 3--4                   | 4.7      | 5.2      | 7.1      | 5.5      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| 4--5                   | 2.1      | 2.3      | 2.3      | 2.8      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Over 5                 | 2.4      | 3.1      | 2.9      | 2.9      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^The number of       |          |          |          |          |
| participants based on  |          |          |          |          |
| valid responses only;  |          |          |          |          |
| total may differ from  |          |          |          |          |
| other tables due to    |          |          |          |          |
| missing data.          |          |          |          |          |
|                        |          |          |          |          |
| NOTE: The APR requires |          |          |          |          |
| grantee institutions   |          |          |          |          |
| to report all          |          |          |          |          |
| individual             |          |          |          |          |
| participants served by |          |          |          |          |
| the project in the     |          |          |          |          |
| current year. Because  |          |          |          |          |
| the APR does not set a |          |          |          |          |
| standard date for      |          |          |          |          |
| defining the length of |          |          |          |          |
| time receiving         |          |          |          |          |
| services, the specific |          |          |          |          |
| starting and ending    |          |          |          |          |
| dates for the          |          |          |          |          |
| reporting period vary  |          |          |          |          |
| across postsecondary   |          |          |          |          |
| institutions. In this  |          |          |          |          |
| table, June 30 was     |          |          |          |          |
| used as the cut-off    |          |          |          |          |
| date for the end of    |          |          |          |          |
| reporting year and the |          |          |          |          |
| starting date of the   |          |          |          |          |
| new reporting period   |          |          |          |          |
| is July 1.             |          |          |          |          |
|                        |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from      |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the   |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of     |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal     |          |          |          |          |
| TRIO Programs, SSS     |          |          |          |          |
| Annual Performance     |          |          |          |          |
| Reports.               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

Project entry period

Students could enter the SSS Program at any time. Because project entry
date defines new participants, Table 3.11 focuses on the new
participants only. Table 3.11 shows that most new participants entered
the program in the fall of each of the four years under consideration.
More participants in two-year institutions than in four-year
institutions entered in the period from December to February.

+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table 3.11. Percentage |          |          |          |          |
| distribution of new    |          |          |          |          |
| SSS Program            |          |          |          |          |
| participants, by entry |          |          |          |          |
| season and type of     |          |          |          |          |
| institution: 1998--99  |          |          |          |          |
| to 2001--02            |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|                        | 1998--99 | 1999--00 | 2000--01 | 2001--02 |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants, all  |          |          |          |          |
| institutions:          |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 73,661   | 75,156   | 73,285   | 95,155   |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Entry Season           |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| September--November    | 44.1     | 43.1     | 43.4     | 40.0     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| December--February     | 20.8     | 21.4     | 21.5     | 23.6     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| March--May             | 9.0      | 8.8      | 8.5      | 10.5     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| June--August           | 26.1     | 26.7     | 26.7     | 25.9     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants,      |          |          |          |          |
| four-year              |          |          |          |          |
| institutions:          |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 39,114   | 40,327   | 39,296   | 45,895   |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Entry Season           |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| September--November    | 46.0     | 44.7     | 46.2     | 42.2     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| December--February     | 17.7     | 17.6     | 17.3     | 19.2     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| March--May             | 7.7      | 7.8      | 7.6      | 8.1      |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| June--August           | 28.7     | 29.9     | 28.9     | 30.6     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants,      |          |          |          |          |
| two-year institutions: |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^              | 34,547   | 34,829   | 33,989   | 49,260   |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Entry Season           |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| September--November    | 41.9     | 41.2     | 39.9     | 37.8     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| December--February     | 24.5     | 26.0     | 26.5     | 28.1     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| March--May             | 10.6     | 10.1     | 9.7      | 13.0     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| June--August           | 23.0     | 22.7     | 24.0     | 21.0     |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^The number of       |          |          |          |          |
| participants based on  |          |          |          |          |
| valid responses only;  |          |          |          |          |
| total may differ from  |          |          |          |          |
| other tables due to    |          |          |          |          |
| missing data.          |          |          |          |          |
|                        |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from      |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the   |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of     |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal     |          |          |          |          |
| TRIO Programs, SSS     |          |          |          |          |
| Annual Performance     |          |          |          |          |
| Reports.               |          |          |          |          |
+------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

Enrollment status

Persistence (i.e., continued enrollment in postsecondary institutions)
is a primary objective of the SSS Program. SSS grantees are required to
report individual student information for as long as the participant
remains enrolled in the grantee institution. The enrollment status of
participants who leave grantee institutions and go to other institutions
of higher education is not reported, leading to an underestimation of
the impact that the SSS Program might have on the participants. To
improve the estimation of continued enrollment of the SSS participants,
other data were sought to supplement the APRs.

Because the majority of the students served by the program are from
low-income families, many of them apply for student financial aid.
Financial aid is disbursed only to enrolled students. Student-level
information collected by the Federal Student Aid Office of the U.S.
Department of Education was merged with the SSS data in an effort to
adjust the estimates of end-of-year enrollment by including those
enrolled in nongrantee institutions. At the time this report was
prepared, 2001--02 financial aid data were not available, so the
enrollment during the year in 2001--02 could not be adjusted this way.
Instead, grantees with participants who were enrolled in 2000--01 but
were not reported in the 2001--02 APRs were recontacted to fill in the
missing 2001--02 participants' enrollment status.

Enrollment status during the reporting period

Between 1998--99 and 2001--02, about two-thirds of active participants
were enrolled in each reporting year as full-time students, although the
percentage of full-time students decreased slightly in later years (see
Table 3.12). Only about half the active program participants in two-year
institutions were enrolled as full-time students; another one-quarter of
the active participants varied between full-time and part-time
throughout the year. In 2001-02, the percentage of full-time
participants at four-year institutions was 25 percentage points higher
than at two-year institutions (approximately 78 percent vs. 53 percent,
respectively). The percentage of participants who reported varied
enrollment status in two-year institutions was twice as large as that in
four-year institutions (e.g., 23 percent vs. 12 percent, respectively).

Enrollment status at the end of the program year

Overall, the percentage of students who enrolled at the end of the
reporting year and expected to continue to enroll in the following
year---the continuing participants category in Table 3.13---declined
from 73 percent to 67 percent over the period under consideration. When
examined across type of institution, four-year institutions had higher
percentages of continuing students than two-year institutions in each of
the reporting years. At the same time, the percentage of students who
graduated increased over the four years in both two-year and four-year
institutions. The graduation rates of 2000--01 and 2001--02 participants
in both types of institutions and overall increased by almost the same
percentage as the decrease in the percentage of continuing students.
Thus, recontacting the grantees may have resulted in a switch of some of
the participants from "continuing" to "graduated" status.

Table 3.13 also shows that, as expected, two-year institutions reported
larger percentages of students transferring before graduation (about 6
percent in two-year institutions vs. 2 to 3 percent in four-year
institutions). Finally, the percentage of participants who withdrew for
personal reasons was larger in two-year institutions than in four-year
institutions (10 to 11 percent of participants in two-year institutions
vs. 4 to 5 percent in four-year institutions in each reporting year).

+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table 3.12. Percentage  |          |          |          |          |
| distribution of active  |          |          |          |          |
| SSS Program             |          |          |          |          |
| participants, by        |          |          |          |          |
| enrollment status and   |          |          |          |          |
| type of institution:    |          |          |          |          |
| 1998--99 to 2001--02    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|                         | 1998--99 | 1999--00 | 2000--01 | 2001--02 |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,    |          |          |          |          |
| all institutions:       |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^               | 174,991  | 182,284  | 181,685  | 204,970  |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                 | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Full-time               | 68.6     | 68.0     | 67.8     | 66.5     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ¾ time                  | 4.8      | 4.8      | 4.9      | 5.1      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ½ time                  | 5.7      | 6.1      | 5.8      | 5.7      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Less than ½ time        | 3.9      | 3.6      | 3.5      | 3.2      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Varied                  | 15.8     | 16.0     | 16.6     | 16.9     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Not enrolled^2^         | 1.2      | 1.6      | 1.4      | 2.7      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,    |          |          |          |          |
| four-year institutions: |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^               | 98,399   | 104,030  | 104,399  | 111,684  |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                 | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Full-time               | 80.6     | 79.4     | 79.9     | 77.8     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ¾ time                  | 3.4      | 3.0      | 3.2      | 3.1      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ½ time                  | 3.6      | 4.1      | 3.9      | 3.2      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Less than ½ time        | 2.3      | 1.9      | 2.0      | 1.7      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Varied                  | 9.4      | 10.4     | 9.8      | 11.5     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Not enrolled^2^         | 1.0      | 1.3      | 1.2      | 2.9      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,    |          |          |          |          |
| two-year institutions:  |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^               | 76,592   | 78,254   | 77,286   | 93,286   |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Percent                 | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    | 100.0    |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Full-time               | 53.3     | 52.7     | 51.5     | 53.0     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ¾ time                  | 6.7      | 7.3      | 7.1      | 7.5      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ½ time                  | 8.4      | 8.9      | 8.3      | 8.7      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Less than ½ time        | 6.0      | 5.8      | 5.6      | 4.9      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Varied                  | 24.0     | 23.4     | 25.9     | 23.4     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Not enrolled^2^         | 1.6      | 2.0      | 1.6      | 2.5      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^The number of        |          |          |          |          |
| participants based on   |          |          |          |          |
| valid responses only;   |          |          |          |          |
| total may differ from   |          |          |          |          |
| other tables due to     |          |          |          |          |
| missing data.           |          |          |          |          |
|                         |          |          |          |          |
| ^2^"Not enrolled"       |          |          |          |          |
| reflects invalid data   |          |          |          |          |
| but is included here to |          |          |          |          |
| allow summation to 100  |          |          |          |          |
| percent.                |          |          |          |          |
|                         |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from       |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the    |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of      |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal TRIO |          |          |          |          |
| Programs, SSS Annual    |          |          |          |          |
| Performance Reports.    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Table 3.13. Percentage    |         |         |         |         |
| distribution of the       |         |         |         |         |
| end-of-year status of     |         |         |         |         |
| active SSS Program        |         |         |         |         |
| participants, by          |         |         |         |         |
| institution type:         |         |         |         |         |
| 1998--99 to 2001--02      |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                           | 1       | 1       | 2       | 2       |
|                           | 998--99 | 999--00 | 000--01 | 001--02 |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants, all  |         |         |         |         |
| institutions:             |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                 | 165,396 | 175,720 | 175,597 | 198,002 |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent                   | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Continuing participants   | 72.6    | 70.9    | 71.4    | 66.8    |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Academic dismissal        | 2.3     | 1.9     | 2.2     | 2.0     |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Dismissal for nonacademic | 0.1     | 0.2     | 0.2     | 0.2     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for financial    | 0.5     | 0.5     | 0.6     | 0.7     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for health       | 0.7     | 0.7     | 0.6     | 0.7     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for academic     | 1.8     | 1.8     | 1.5     | 1.5     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for personal     | 6.9     | 7.5     | 7.2     | 6.4     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Transferred               | 3.5     | 3.8     | 3.6     | 4.5     |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Graduated                 | 8.9     | 9.8     | 10.0    | 14.6    |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Graduated and transferred | 2.3     | 2.5     | 2.5     | 2.4     |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Enrolled in graduate      | 0.3     | 0.4     | 0.3     | 0.2     |
| degree program            |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants,      |         |         |         |         |
| four-year institutions:   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                 | 93,829  | 100,946 | 100,969 | 109,175 |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent                   | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Continuing participants   | 78.1    | 76.8    | 77.1    | 71.9    |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Academic dismissal        | 2.9     | 2.5     | 2.8     | 2.4     |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Dismissal for nonacademic | 0.1     | 0.2     | 0.2     | 0.1     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for financial    | 0.4     | 0.3     | 0.4     | 0.4     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for health       | 0.4     | 0.4     | 0.4     | 0.4     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for academic     | 1.6     | 1.7     | 1.3     | 1.2     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for personal     | 4.8     | 4.8     | 4.4     | 3.8     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Transferred               | 2.0     | 2.1     | 2.0     | 3.0     |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Graduated                 | 9.1     | 10.3    | 10.9    | 16.1    |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Graduated and transferred | 0.3     | 0.1     | 0.1     | 0.2     |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Enrolled in graduate      | 0.4     | 0.7     | 0.5     | 0.4     |
| degree program            |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants,      |         |         |         |         |
| two-year institutions:    |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                 | 71,567  | 74,774  | 74,628  | 88,827  |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent                   | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Continuing participants   | 65.5    | 62.9    | 63.6    | 60.9    |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Academic dismissal        | 1.5     | 1.0     | 1.4     | 1.3     |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Dismissal for nonacademic | 0.2     | 0.2     | 0.2     | 0.3     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for financial    | 0.8     | 0.8     | 0.8     | 0.9     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for health       | 1.0     | 1.1     | 0.9     | 1.0     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for academic     | 2.0     | 2.0     | 1.9     | 1.9     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Withdrew for personal     | 9.7     | 11.3    | 10.9    | 9.5     |
| reasons                   |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Transferred               | 5.5     | 6.0     | 5.8     | 6.3     |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Graduated                 | 8.6     | 9.0     | 8.9     | 12.8    |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Graduated and transferred | 5.1     | 5.6     | 5.7     | 5.1     |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Enrolled in graduate      | 0.2     | 0.1     | 0.0     | 0.0     |
| degree program            |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| ^1^The number of          |         |         |         |         |
| participants based on     |         |         |         |         |
| valid responses only;     |         |         |         |         |
| total may differ from     |         |         |         |         |
| other tables due to       |         |         |         |         |
| missing data.             |         |         |         |         |
|                           |         |         |         |         |
| SOURCE: Data from program |         |         |         |         |
| files of the U.S.         |         |         |         |         |
| Department of Education,  |         |         |         |         |
| Federal TRIO Programs,    |         |         |         |         |
| SSS Annual Performance    |         |         |         |         |
| Reports.                  |         |         |         |         |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

Grade point average and academic standing

Table 3.14 presents the average cumulative grade point average (GPA) for
active participants enrolled in institutions with 4-point scale systems.
The average was approximately 2.6 for all the years reported, regardless
of type of institution.

New participants consistently showed slightly lower GPAs than continuing
participants, who had received project services for a longer time. This
pattern occurred in both four-year and two-year\
grantee institutions.

+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table 3.14. Average      |          |          |          |          |
| cumulative GPA of active |          |          |          |          |
| SSS Program              |          |          |          |          |
| participants, by type of |          |          |          |          |
| institution:\            |          |          |          |          |
| 1998--99 to 2001--02     |          |          |          |          |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|                          | 1998--99 | 1999--00 | 2000--01 | 2001--02 |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants, all |          |          |          |          |
| institutions:            |          |          |          |          |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^                | 171,951  | 178,797  | 178,052  | 199,046  |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| All active participants  | 2.6      | 2.6      | 2.6      | 2.6      |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants         | 2.5      | 2.5      | 2.5      | 2.6      |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Continuing participants  | 2.7      | 2.7      | 2.7      | 2.7      |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,     |          |          |          |          |
| four-year institutions:  |          |          |          |          |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^                | 96,828   | 102,549  | 102,616  | 108,981  |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| All active participants  | 2.6      | 2.6      | 2.6      | 2.6      |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants         | 2.5      | 2.5      | 2.5      | 2.5      |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Continuing participants  | 2.6      | 2.7      | 2.7      | 2.7      |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,     |          |          |          |          |
| two-year institutions:   |          |          |          |          |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^                | 75,123   | 76,248   | 75,436   | 90,065   |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| All active participants  | 2.6      | 2.6      | 2.6      | 2.6      |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants         | 2.5      | 2.5      | 2.5      | 2.6      |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Continuing participants  | 2.7      | 2.7      | 2.7      | 2.7      |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^The number of         |          |          |          |          |
| participants based on    |          |          |          |          |
| valid responses only;    |          |          |          |          |
| total may differ from    |          |          |          |          |
| other tables due to      |          |          |          |          |
| missing data.            |          |          |          |          |
|                          |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from        |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the     |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of       |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal TRIO  |          |          |          |          |
| Programs, SSS Annual     |          |          |          |          |
| Performance Reports.     |          |          |          |          |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

Table 3.15 presents the percentage of active participants who were
reported to be in good academic standing at the end of each reporting
year. As expected from the findings presented in the previous table,
there was a small increase in the percentage of participants in good
academic standing throughout the reporting years. Also as expected, the
percentage of those in good academic standing was higher among
continuing participants than among new participants.

+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table 3.15. Percentage   |          |          |          |          |
| of active SSS Program    |          |          |          |          |
| participants in good     |          |          |          |          |
| academic standing, by    |          |          |          |          |
| type of institution:     |          |          |          |          |
| 1998--99 to 2001--02     |          |          |          |          |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
|                          | 1998--99 | 1999--00 | 2000--01 | 2001--02 |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants, all |          |          |          |          |
| institutions:            |          |          |          |          |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^                | 170,892  | 179,380  | 179,067  | 199,751  |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| All active participants  | 86.1     | 87.2     | 87.6     | 87.9     |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants         | 83.6     | 85.0     | 85.1     | 86.1     |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Continuing participants  | 87.9     | 88.8     | 89.2     | 89.5     |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,     |          |          |          |          |
| four-year institutions:  |          |          |          |          |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^                | 97,121   | 102,874  | 103,049  | 109,164  |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| All active participants  | 85.8     | 87.3     | 87.7     | 87.9     |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants         | 82.3     | 84.4     | 84.6     | 85.0     |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Continuing participants  | 88.1     | 89.1     | 89.6     | 89.9     |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Active participants,     |          |          |          |          |
| two-year institutions:   |          |          |          |          |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Number^1^                | 73,771   | 76,506   | 76,018   | 90,587   |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| All active participants  | 86.5     | 87.2     | 87.4     | 88.0     |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| New participants         | 85.1     | 85.6     | 85.6     | 87.1     |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Continuing participants  | 87.6     | 88.4     | 88.8     | 89.0     |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^The number of         |          |          |          |          |
| participants based on    |          |          |          |          |
| valid responses only;    |          |          |          |          |
| total may differ from    |          |          |          |          |
| other tables due to      |          |          |          |          |
| missing data.            |          |          |          |          |
|                          |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from        |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the     |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of       |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal TRIO  |          |          |          |          |
| Programs, SSS Annual     |          |          |          |          |
| Performance Reports.     |          |          |          |          |
+--------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

Degree or certificate completed

The percentage of active participants completing a degree or certificate
increased during the reporting period but varied by the type of
institution (see Table 3.16). From 1998--99 to 2001--02, the percentage
of participants who completed their first bachelor's degree in four-year
institutions increased from 9 percent to 11 percent. During the same
period, the percentage of participants who completed an associate degree
in two-year institutions remained relatively stable (i.e., between 12
and 13 percent). Relatively few participants, especially those at
four-year institutions, attained certificates or diplomas in the period
under consideration. The percentage of students in all institutions who
were still working to graduate, reported as "No degree or certificate
completed" in Table 3.16, increased from 40 percent in 1998--99 to 72
percent in the 2001--02 reporting year. At the same time, the table
shows a large downward shift in the percentage of participants with
missing information, decreasing from 47 percent in 1998--99 to 13
percent in the 2001--02 reporting year. The shift occurred in both
two-year and four-year institutions, again suggesting that the effort of
recontacting the grantees to fill in enrollment and related graduation
information for the 2001--02 participants improved the reporting of
students who continued in both types of institutions.

+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Table 3.16. Percentage      |         |         |         |         |
| distribution of active SSS  |         |         |         |         |
| Program participants, by    |         |         |         |         |
| degree or certificate       |         |         |         |         |
| completed and type of       |         |         |         |         |
| institution: 1998--99 to    |         |         |         |         |
| 2001--02                    |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                             | 1       | 1       | 2       | 2       |
|                             | 998--99 | 999--00 | 000--01 | 001--02 |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants, all    |         |         |         |         |
| institutions:               |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                   | 176,407 | 183,078 | 182,424 | 207,198 |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent                     | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Certificate/diploma for     | 0.9     | 1.4     | 1.2     | 1.3     |
| less than two-year program  |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Certificate/diploma for     | 1.0     | 0.8     | 0.9     | 0.7     |
| two-year program            |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Associate degree            | 5.7     | 6.1     | 6.3     | 5.9     |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 1st bachelor's degree       | 5.1     | 6.2     | 6.4     | 6.2     |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 2nd bachelor's degree       | 0.0     | 0.0     | 0.0     | 0.0     |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Teaching credential program | 0.0     | 0.0     | 0.0     | 0.0     |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Graduate or professional    | 0.2     | 0.2     | 0.1     | 0.2     |
| degree                      |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| No degree or certificate    | 39.7    | 49.8    | 55.2    | 72.3    |
| completed                   |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Missing                     | 47.3    | 35.5    | 30.0    | 13.4    |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants,        |         |         |         |         |
| four-year institutions:     |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                   | 98,948  | 104,523 | 104,794 | 113,306 |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent                     | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Certificate/diploma for     | 0.1     | 0.7     | 0.4     | 0.4     |
| less than two-year program  |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Certificate/diploma for     | 0.5     | 0.3     | 0.3     | 0.2     |
| two-year program            |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Associate degree            | 1.3     | 1.5     | 1.4     | 1.1     |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 1st bachelor's degree       | 8.9     | 10.8    | 11.0    | 11.3    |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 2nd bachelor's degree       | 0.0     | 0.0     | 0.1     | 0.0     |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Teaching credential program | 0.0     | 0.1     | 0.1     | 0.0     |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Graduate or professional    | 0.1     | 0.1     | 0.1     | 0.3     |
| degree                      |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| No degree or certificate    | 41.7    | 49.9    | 55.6    | 72.4    |
| completed                   |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Missing                     | 47.3    | 36.6    | 31.1    | 14.3    |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants,        |         |         |         |         |
| two-year institutions:      |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                   | 77,459  | 78,555  | 77,630  | 93,892  |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent                     | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Certificate/diploma for     | 2.0     | 2.3     | 2.2     | 2.4     |
| less than two-year program  |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Certificate/diploma for     | 1.7     | 1.4     | 1.7     | 1.3     |
| two-year program            |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Associate degree            | 11.9    | 12.3    | 12.9    | 11.7    |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 1st bachelor's degree       | 0.3     | 0.1     | 0.1     | 0.1     |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 2nd bachelor's degree       | 0.0     | 0.0     | 0.0     | 0.0     |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Teaching credential program | 0.0     | 0.0     | 0.0     | 0.0     |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Graduate or professional    | 0.2     | 0.2     | 0.0     | 0.1     |
| degree                      |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| No degree or certificate    | 36.7    | 49.6    | 54.5    | 72.3    |
| completed                   |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Missing                     | 47.2    | 34.2    | 28.5    | 12.2    |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| ^1^The number of            |         |         |         |         |
| participants may differ     |         |         |         |         |
| from other tables due to    |         |         |         |         |
| missing data.               |         |         |         |         |
|                             |         |         |         |         |
| NOTE: Because the           |         |         |         |         |
| percentages in this table   |         |         |         |         |
| include records of active   |         |         |         |         |
| participants only, the      |         |         |         |         |
| estimates are lower than    |         |         |         |         |
| those percentages reported  |         |         |         |         |
| in previous reports that    |         |         |         |         |
| had included all            |         |         |         |         |
| participants, regardless of |         |         |         |         |
| their participant status.   |         |         |         |         |
| For example, during the     |         |         |         |         |
| 1998--99 program year, if   |         |         |         |         |
| all participants had been   |         |         |         |         |
| included, the percentage of |         |         |         |         |
| participants who completed  |         |         |         |         |
| their first bachelor's      |         |         |         |         |
| degree in four-year         |         |         |         |         |
| institutions would have     |         |         |         |         |
| been 15 rather than 9       |         |         |         |         |
| percent.                    |         |         |         |         |
|                             |         |         |         |         |
| SOURCE: Data from program   |         |         |         |         |
| files of the U.S.           |         |         |         |         |
| Department of Education,    |         |         |         |         |
| Federal TRIO Programs, SSS  |         |         |         |         |
| Annual Performance Reports. |         |         |         |         |
+-----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

Financial aid

Because two-year institutions usually cost less than four-year
institutions, and private institutions usually have higher costs than
public institutions, this discussion differentiates the findings by both
institution type and sector (public/private). As Figure 3.05 shows, in
each reporting year, the average amount of financial aid requested by
active participants in two-year institutions was about two-thirds the
amount requested by active participants in four-year institutions.

  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------
  Figure 3.05. Average                            
  amount of financial aid                         
  requested, by active                            
  participants in                                 
  four-year and two-year                          
  institutions: 1998--99                          
  to 2001--02                                     

                          Average amount          Average amount
                          requested\              requested\
                          in four-year            in two-year
                          institutions            institutions

  1998--99                10.5                    6.3

  1999--00                10.7                    6.2

  2000--01                11.3                    6.7

  2001--02                12.0                    7.7

  Source: Data from                               
  program files of the                            
  U.S. Department of                              
  Education, Federal TRIO                         
  Programs, SSS Annual                            
  Performance Reports.                            
  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

Four-year institutions

Because students from low-income families are one of the targeted
populations for the SSS Program, a large portion of the SSS active
participants need financial aid. From 1998--99 to 2001--02, close to 80
percent of active participants in four-year institutions applied for
financial aid (see Table 3.17), and virtually all who applied received
some aid. The percentage of active program participants who applied for
financial aid differed across private and public four-year institutions.
In private four-year institutions, 85 to 89 percent of the active
participants applied for financial aid, compared with about
three-quarters of participants in public institutions. The gap, however,
is narrowing---from a 14 percentage point difference in 1998--99 to a 9
percentage point difference in 2001--02.

Overall, among four-year institutions, the percentage of active program
participants who applied for financial aid and were offered full aid
dropped from approximately 47 percent in 1998--99 to about 43 percent in
2001--02. The drop was more pronounced among private four-year
institutions than public four-year institutions. The lower percentage of
program participants receiving full aid can be attributed to the rise in
the cost of attendance per student---during the period, the average
amount of financial aid requested increased around 15 percent. The ratio
of the amount awarded to the amount requested, however, was relatively
stable across both public and private institutions and across years, at
approximately 89 percent.

Another factor affecting the percentage of program participants
receiving full aid is a change in the Higher Education Act (HEA)
amendments in 1998. Prior to 1998, SSS grantees were required to meet
the full financial need of SSS participants. After the 1998 amendments,
SSS grantees were encouraged but not required to provide full aid. This
change in the statute partially explains the drop in the percentage of
active participants receiving full aid between 1999--2000 and 2000--01
and the further drop between 2000--01 and 2001--02.

+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Table 3.17. Percentage of  |         |         |         |         |
| active SSS Program         |         |         |         |         |
| participants who applied   |         |         |         |         |
| for and received financial |         |         |         |         |
| aid, and mean aid          |         |         |         |         |
| requested and offered in   |         |         |         |         |
| four-year institutions, by |         |         |         |         |
| sector: 1998--99 to        |         |         |         |         |
| 2001--02                   |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                            | 1       | 1       | 2       | 2       |
|                            | 998--99 | 999--00 | 000--01 | 001--02 |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants, all   |         |         |         |         |
| four-year institutions:    |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                  | 98,895  | 104,502 | 104,621 | 113,306 |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent requesting aid     | 78.1    | 78.9    | 77.5    | 77.8    |
| (aid applicants)           |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid applicants   | 77,203  | 82,470  | 81,087  | 88,097  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded any aid    | 97.3    | 97.9    | 97.3    | 97.8    |
| (aid awardees)             |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid awardees     | 75,148  | 80,693  | 78,881  | 86,178  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded full aid   | 47.2    | 47.8    | 45.6    | 42.8    |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid requested         | \       | 10,724  | 11,342  | 12,039  |
|                            | $10,458 |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid offered           | \$9,258 | 9,498   | 10,100  | 10,851  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants,       |         |         |         |         |
| public four-year           |         |         |         |         |
| institutions:              |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                  | 74,253  | 78,004  | 76,954  | 84,890  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent requesting aid     | 74.5    | 75.4    | 74.8    | 75.5    |
| (aid applicants)           |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid applicants   | 55,290  | 58,781  | 57,553  | 64,069  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded any aid    | 96.8    | 97.6    | 96.8    | 97.5    |
| (aid awardees)             |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid awardees     | 53,503  | 57,353  | 55,735  | 62,499  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded full aid   | 44.0    | 46.7    | 45.4    | 42.8    |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid requested         | \$9,110 | 9,498   | 9,748   | 10,501  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid offered           | \$7,942 | 8,290   | 8,638   | 9,224   |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants,       |         |         |         |         |
| private four-year          |         |         |         |         |
| institutions:              |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                  | 24,642  | 26,498  | 27,667  | 28,416  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent requesting aid     | 88.9    | 89.4    | 85.1    | 84.6    |
| (aid applicants)           |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid applicants   | 21,913  | 23,689  | 23,534  | 24,028  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded any aid    | 98.8    | 98.5    | 98.4    | 98.6    |
| (aid awardees)             |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid awardees     | 21,645  | 23,340  | 23,146  | 23,679  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded full aid   | 49.9    | 50.7    | 46.2    | 42.8    |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid requested         | \       | 13,789  | 15,238  | 16,161  |
|                            | $13,860 |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid offered           | \       | 12,563  | 13,676  | 14,407  |
|                            | $12,624 |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| ^1^The number of           |         |         |         |         |
| participants based on      |         |         |         |         |
| valid responses only;      |         |         |         |         |
| total may differ from      |         |         |         |         |
| other tables due to        |         |         |         |         |
| missing data.              |         |         |         |         |
|                            |         |         |         |         |
| SOURCE: Data from program  |         |         |         |         |
| files of the U.S.          |         |         |         |         |
| Department of Education,   |         |         |         |         |
| Federal TRIO Programs, SSS |         |         |         |         |
| Annual Performance         |         |         |         |         |
| Reports.                   |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

Two-year institutions

From 1998--99 to 2000--01, the percentage of active participants in
two-year institutions requesting financial aid remained stable at about
70 percent but increased to 73 percent in 2001--02\
(see Table 3.18). In every year from 1998--99 to 2001--02, approximately
96 percent of all applicants received some financial aid.

As was the case in four-year institutions, the increased cost of
attendance and the change in the 1998 statute affected the percentage of
students who received full aid in two-year institutions. The drop,
however, was much larger than that in four-year institutions. In
2001--02, fewer than 30 percent of students received full aid in
two-year institutions compared with more than 40 percent the year
before. The drop was particularly large for those enrolled in private
two-year institutions. At the same time, the amount of aid requested by
and awarded to the aid recipients increased from 1998--99 to 2001--02,
but especially between reporting years 2000--01 and 2001--02. The
increase was higher for the participants at private two-year
institutions than at public two-year institutions.

In spite of the larger awards, the percentage of the average amount of
aid offered versus the amount requested for private two-year
institutions decreased from 72 percent in 1998--99 to 66 percent in
2001--02. For public institution participants, the percentage remained
more constant at between 70 and 66 percent. These percentages are lower
than those of the four-year institutions.

Reasons full financial aid not offered or awarded

As previously shown, not all active program participants who applied for
financial aid received it, and some of those who received aid did not
get all that they had requested. The APR collected a comprehensive list
of reasons full aid was not offered. For ease of discussion, these
reasons are broadly grouped into three main classifications: (1) student
and personal reasons, including refused loan, failed to make adequate
academic progress, refused college work-study aid, was not enrolled
full-time, and was not eligible for financial aid; (2) institutional
reasons, including insufficient federal grant aid, insufficient college
work-study aid, insufficient institutional aid, and insufficient loans;
and (3) other reasons.

Four-year institutions

Table 3.19 reports the distribution of the reasons active SSS
participants in four-year institutions were not offered the aid
requested.[^10] The table shows that in the four-year period under
consideration, approximately one in six participants did not receive the
full amount because of institutional reasons, including various problems
with insufficient funding, and another one in five did not receive the
full amount because of personal reasons, the most prevalent of which was
refusing the loan (approximately 12 percent).

+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Table 3.18. Percentage of  |         |         |         |         |
| active SSS Program         |         |         |         |         |
| participants who applied   |         |         |         |         |
| for and received financial |         |         |         |         |
| aid, and mean aid          |         |         |         |         |
| requested and offered in   |         |         |         |         |
| two-year institutions, by  |         |         |         |         |
| sector: 1998--99 to        |         |         |         |         |
| 2001--02                   |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                            | 1       | 1       | 2       | 2       |
|                            | 998--99 | 999--00 | 000--01 | 001--02 |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants, all   |         |         |         |         |
| two-year institutions:     |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                  | 77,416  | 78,546  | 77,561  | 93,892  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent requested aid (aid | 69.7    | 69.5    | 70.1    | 72.7    |
| applicants)                |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid applicants   | 53,928  | 54,580  | 54,399  | 68,290  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded any aid    | 95.9    | 96.3    | 95.9    | 96.3    |
| (awardees)                 |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid awardees     | 51,727  | 52,558  | 52,154  | 65,757  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded full aid   | 41.5    | 41.4    | 40.5    | 28.7    |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid requested         | \$6,289 | 6,227   | 6,676   | 7,717   |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid offered           | \$4,323 | 4,374   | 4,645   | 5,118   |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants,       |         |         |         |         |
| public two-year            |         |         |         |         |
| institutions:              |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                  | 74,788  | 75,929  | 75,061  | 90,813  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent requested aid (aid | 69.1    | 68.7    | 69.5    | 72.2    |
| applicants)                |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid applicants   | 51,662  | 52,172  | 52,151  | 65,560  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded any aid    | 95.9    | 96.2    | 95.7    | 96.3    |
| (awardees)                 |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid awardees     | 49,523  | 50,182  | 49,931  | 63,113  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded full aid   | 41.3    | 41.2    | 40.4    | 28.9    |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid requested         | \$6,168 | 6,083   | 6,541   | 7,554   |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid offered           | \$4,228 | 4,250   | 4,525   | 5,011   |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Active participants,       |         |         |         |         |
| private two-year           |         |         |         |         |
| institutions:              |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                  | 2,628   | 2,617   | 2,500   | 3,079   |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent requested aid (aid | 86.2    | 92.0    | 89.9    | 88.7    |
| applicants)                |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid applicants   | 2,266   | 2,408   | 2,248   | 2,730   |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded any aid    | 97.3    | 98.7    | 98.9    | 96.9    |
| (awardees)                 |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number of aid awardees     | 2,204   | 2,376   | 2,223   | 2,644   |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent awarded full aid   | 46.5    | 45.4    | 43.8    | 22.7    |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid requested         | \$9,043 | 9,358   | 9,811   | 11,640  |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Mean aid offered           | \$6,542 | 7,078   | 7,391   | 7,719   |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| ^1^The number of           |         |         |         |         |
| participants based on      |         |         |         |         |
| valid responses only;      |         |         |         |         |
| total may differ from      |         |         |         |         |
| other tables due to        |         |         |         |         |
| missing data.              |         |         |         |         |
|                            |         |         |         |         |
| SOURCE: Data from program  |         |         |         |         |
| files of the U.S.          |         |         |         |         |
| Department of Education,   |         |         |         |         |
| Federal TRIO Programs, SSS |         |         |         |         |
| Annual Performance         |         |         |         |         |
| Reports.                   |         |         |         |         |
+----------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

More participants in public vs. private four-year institutions did not
receive the full amount because of personal reasons (e.g., 21 percent
vs. 12 percent, respectively, in 2001--02). At the same time, more
participants in private vs. public four-year institutions did not
receive the full amount because of institutional reasons (e.g., 23
percent vs. 14 percent, respectively, in 2001--02). Comparing 1998--99
with 2001--02, the percentage of aid applicants who failed to receive
full aid due to institutional reasons decreased in four-year public
institutions (17 percent vs. 14 percent) and increased in four-year
private institutions (15 percent vs. 23 percent).

  -------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Table 3.19. Percentage                                            
  distribution of active SSS                                        
  Program aid applicants, by                                        
  reason of denial of full                                          
  financial aid in four-year                                        
  institutions and sector:                                          
  1998--99 to 2001--02                                              

                                   1998--99   1999--00   2000--01   2001--02

  All four-year institutions:                                       

  Number^1^                        77,203     82,470     81,087     88,097

  Percent                          100.0      100.0      100.0      100.0

  Personal reasons                 19.8       18.5       19.4       18.7

  Student refused loan             12.4       11.6       12.3       11.8

  Student failed to make adequate  1.3        0.9        1.0        1.1
  academic progress                                                 

  Student refused college          2.7        2.7        3.0        3.1
  work-study aid                                                    

  Student not enrolled full-time   2.4        2.2        2.1        1.9

  Student not eligible for         1.0        1.1        1.0        0.8
  financial aid                                                     

  Institutional reasons            16.2       16.1       16.0       16.0

  Insufficient federal grant aid   8.2        7.8        7.2        5.8

  Insufficient college work-study  1.4        1.3        1.3        1.1
  aid                                                               

  Insufficient institutional aid   5.7        5.6        5.8        7.0

  Insufficient loans               0.9        1.4        1.7        2.1

  Other reasons or no response     18.1       18.5       20.2       23.5

  Full amount awarded              45.9       46.8       44.4       41.9

  Four-year public institutions:                                    

  Number^1^                        55,290     58,781     57,553     64,069

  Percent                          100.0      100.0      100.0      100.0

  Personal reasons                 21.4       21.0       21.3       21.4

  Student refused loan             13.1       12.8       13.1       13.3

  Student failed to make adequate  1.6        1.1        1.0        1.3
  academic progress                                                 

  Student refused college          2.8        3.1        3.4        3.6
  work-study aid                                                    

  Student not enrolled full-time   2.7        2.7        2.6        2.3

  Student not eligible for         1.2        1.3        1.2        0.9
  financial aid                                                     

  Institutional reasons            16.8       16.7       16.2       13.6

  Insufficient federal grant aid   8.6        8.5        7.6        4.6

  Insufficient college work-study  1.7        1.5        1.5        1.1
  aid                                                               

  Insufficient institutional aid   5.4        5.3        5.6        6.2

  Insufficient loans               1.1        1.4        1.5        1.7

  Other reasons or no response     17.3       16.8       18.5       23.3

  Full amount awarded              44.6       45.5       43.9       41.8
  -------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------

> *Table continued on next page*

+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Table 3.19. Percentage       |         |         |         |         |
| distribution of active SSS   |         |         |         |         |
| Program aid applicants, by   |         |         |         |         |
| reason of denial of full     |         |         |         |         |
| financial aid in four-year   |         |         |         |         |
| institutions and sector:     |         |         |         |         |
| 1998--99 to                  |         |         |         |         |
| 2001--02---Continued         |         |         |         |         |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                              | 1       | 1       | 2       | 2       |
|                              | 998--99 | 999--00 | 000--01 | 001--02 |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Four-year private            |         |         |         |         |
| institutions:                |         |         |         |         |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Number^1^                    | 21,913  | 23,689  | 23,534  | 24,028  |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Percent                      | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Personal reasons             | 15.6    | 12.7    | 14.7    | 11.5    |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Student refused loan         | 10.8    | 8.7     | 10.4    | 7.7     |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Student failed to make       | 0.6     | 0.5     | 0.7     | 0.5     |
| adequate academic progress   |         |         |         |         |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Student refused college      | 2.2     | 1.8     | 2.0     | 1.8     |
| work-study aid               |         |         |         |         |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Student not enrolled         | 1.4     | 1.1     | 1.0     | 0.9     |
| full-time                    |         |         |         |         |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Student not eligible for     | 0.6     | 0.6     | 0.6     | 0.6     |
| financial aid                |         |         |         |         |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Institutional reasons        | 14.9    | 14.7    | 15.6    | 22.5    |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Insufficient federal grant   | 7.4     | 6.1     | 6.1     | 8.8     |
| aid                          |         |         |         |         |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Insufficient college         | 0.7     | 0.6     | 0.9     | 1.2     |
| work-study aid               |         |         |         |         |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Insufficient institutional   | 6.5     | 6.5     | 6.3     | 9.2     |
| aid                          |         |         |         |         |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Insufficient loans           | 0.3     | 1.5     | 2.3     | 3.3     |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Other reasons or no response | 20.1    | 22.8    | 24.4    | 23.9    |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Full amount awarded          | 49.3    | 49.9    | 45.4    | 42.2    |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| ^1^The number of             |         |         |         |         |
| participants based on valid  |         |         |         |         |
| responses only; total may    |         |         |         |         |
| differ from other tables due |         |         |         |         |
| to missing data.             |         |         |         |         |
|                              |         |         |         |         |
| SOURCE: Data from program    |         |         |         |         |
| files of the U.S. Department |         |         |         |         |
| of Education, Federal TRIO   |         |         |         |         |
| Programs, SSS Annual         |         |         |         |         |
| Performance Reports.         |         |         |         |         |
+------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

Two-year institutions

Table 3.20 shows that among program participants in two-year
institutions who applied for financial aid in the period under
consideration, about one in three did not receive the full amount
because of personal reasons and another 15 to 19 percent were denied
because of institutional reasons. Personal reasons for not receiving
full aid at private two-year institutions fluctuated from 7 to 14
percent during the same period, less than half that of public two-year
institutions.

The largest percentage of program participants in two-year institutions
failed to receive full aid because of personal reasons, but among
participants in private two-year institutions, institutional reasons
were the most commonly reported for failing to receive full aid.

  -------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Table 3.20. Percentage                                            
  distribution of active SSS                                        
  Program aid applicants, by                                        
  reason of denial of full                                          
  financial aid in two-year                                         
  institutions and sector:                                          
  1998--99 to 2001--02                                              

                                   1998--99   1999--00   2000--01   2001--02

  All two-year institutions:                                        

  Number^1^                        53,928     54,580     54,399     68,290

  Percent                          100.0      100.0      100.0      100.0

  Personal reasons                 29.1       27.9       30.4       31.5

  Student refused loan             14.3       14.5       14.2       15.1

  Student failed to make adequate  1.5        1.5        1.8        1.7
  academic progress                                                 

  Student refused college          4.7        4.4        4.8        5.0
  work-study aid                                                    

  Student not enrolled full-time   6.3        5.2        7.4        8.4

  Student not eligible for         2.3        2.3        2.2        1.3
  financial aid                                                     

  Institutional reasons            14.6       14.2       15.3       18.6

  Insufficient federal grant aid   6.6        7.0        7.2        8.0

  Insufficient college work-study  1.4        1.3        1.3        1.7
  aid                                                               

  Insufficient institutional aid   5.9        4.6        5.6        7.2

  Insufficient loans               0.7        1.3        1.2        1.7

  Other reasons or no response     16.6       18.2       15.6       22.4

  Full amount awarded              39.8       39.9       38.9       27.6

  Two-year public institutions:                                     

  Number^1^                        51,662     52,172     52,151     65,560

  Percent                          100.0      100.0      100.0      100.0

  Personal reasons                 29.7       28.7       31.1       32.5

  Student refused loan             14.5       14.9       14.5       15.5

  Student failed to make adequate  1.4        1.5        1.8        1.8
  academic progress                                                 

  Student refused college          4.9        4.6        4.9        5.1
  work-study aid                                                    

  Student not enrolled full-time   6.5        5.4        7.7        8.8

  Student not eligible for         2.4        2.3        2.2        1.3
  financial aid                                                     

  Institutional reasons            14.1       13.6       14.7       18.0

  Insufficient federal grant aid   6.4        6.9        6.9        7.8

  Insufficient college work-study  1.5        1.2        1.2        1.7
  aid                                                               

  Insufficient institutional aid   5.5        4.2        5.4        6.9

  Insufficient loans               0.7        1.3        1.2        1.6

  Other reasons or no response     16.7       17.9       15.4       21.7

  Full amount awarded              39.6       39.6       38.7       27.9
  -------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------

> *Table continued on next page*

+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Table 3.20. Percentage        |        |        |        |        |
| distribution of active SSS    |        |        |        |        |
| Program aid applicants, by    |        |        |        |        |
| reason of denial of full      |        |        |        |        |
| financial aid in two-year     |        |        |        |        |
| institutions and sector:      |        |        |        |        |
| 1998--99 to                   |        |        |        |        |
| 2001--02---Continued          |        |        |        |        |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|                               | 19     | 19     | 20     | 20     |
|                               | 98--99 | 99--00 | 00--01 | 01--02 |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Two-year private              |        |        |        |        |
| institutions:                 |        |        |        |        |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Number^1^                     | 2,266  | 2,408  | 2,248  | 2,730  |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Percent                       | 100.0  | 100.0  | 100.0  | 100.0  |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Personal reasons              | 14.4   | 7.1    | 12.7   | 8.1    |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Student refused loan          | 7.9    | 4.0    | 6.8    | 5.5    |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Student failed to make        | 3.4    | 1.0    | 1.7    | 0.3    |
| adequate academic progress    |        |        |        |        |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Student refused college       | 0.5    | 0.6    | 1.6    | 0.8    |
| work-study aid                |        |        |        |        |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Student not enrolled          | 1.1    | 0.7    | 1.3    | 0.2    |
| full-time                     |        |        |        |        |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Student not eligible for      | 1.5    | 0.8    | 1.3    | 1.3    |
| financial aid                 |        |        |        |        |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Institutional reasons         | 26.9   | 24.8   | 25.3   | 29.0   |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Insufficient federal grant    | 10.0   | 8.9    | 12.3   | 11.8   |
| aid                           |        |        |        |        |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Insufficient college          | 1.3    | 3.1    | 1.5    | 1.8    |
| work-study aid                |        |        |        |        |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Insufficient institutional    | 15.0   | 12.6   | 11.5   | 13.7   |
| aid                           |        |        |        |        |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Insufficient loans            | 0.6    | 0.2    | 0.0    | 1.7    |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Other reasons or no response  | 13.6   | 23.4   | 18.7   | 40.8   |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| Full amount awarded           | 45.2   | 44.8   | 43.3   | 22.0   |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| ^1^The number of participants |        |        |        |        |
| based on valid responses      |        |        |        |        |
| only; total may differ from   |        |        |        |        |
| other tables due to missing   |        |        |        |        |
| data.                         |        |        |        |        |
|                               |        |        |        |        |
| SOURCE: Data from program     |        |        |        |        |
| files of the U.S. Department  |        |        |        |        |
| of Education, Federal TRIO    |        |        |        |        |
| Programs, SSS Annual          |        |        |        |        |
| Performance Reports.          |        |        |        |        |
+-------------------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+

CHAPTER 4

Program Outcomes and Impacts

As discussed earlier, the SSS Program is designed to provide support and
opportunities for disadvantaged participants to assist them in
completing postsecondary educational programs. This chapter presents
enrollment status, academic standing, grade point average (GPA), and
degree completion for four freshman cohorts (i.e., SSS participants who
started their first year of postsecondary education in 1998--99,
1999--2000, 2000--01, and 2001--02). To provide a context for these
program outcomes, the chapter also compares enrollment and degree
completion of SSS participants who were in their first year in 1998--99
with that of a national sample of students.

A note on the data used

Enrollment and degree completion information are required to measure the
overarching SSS Program goal of postsecondary education completion.
Tracking enrollment and degree completions for individual participants
while they are still enrolled in the grantee institution presents less
of a problem than tracking the same information for those who have left
the grantee institutions prior to graduation. Grantees are not required
to report on participants who have left the grantee institution. Many of
these students, especially those from two-year institutions, transfer to
other institutions and proceed to complete a degree in four-year
institutions. Therefore, using the APRs as the sole source of
information will underestimate the actual program outcomes. External
data sources are needed to supplement the APRs for a more accurate
reporting of the SSS Program outcomes.

Most of the SSS participants are from low-income families and are likely
to apply for federal financial assistance such as the Pell Grant when
enrolling in postsecondary institutions. Because financial aid
applications are filed individually and awards are disbursed only to
those who enroll, the Title IV financial aid dataset in effect tracks
the enrollment status of an individual student until graduation. For
this reason, the APRs of 1998--99, 1999--2000, and 2000--01 were merged
with the Title IV financial aid data for those years to obtain
enrollment data and, for a few participants enrolled in four-year
institutions, bachelor's degree completion data.[^11] At the time the
datasets were merged, financial aid data were not available for
2001--02.

About 80 percent of the SSS participants were matched with the financial
aid data for the three years that data were available. For 2001--02
APRs, financial aid data were not available, but grantees were contacted
to update the enrollment and degree completion information of students
who, on the basis of the 2000--01 report, should have been enrolled in
the grantee institution but were not reported in 2001--02. This second
approach improved both the enrollment and the degree completion
information for those who remained in the same institution but not for
those who had transferred to other institutions.

Another data issue is conflicting information. For example, 18 percent
of the 1998--99 freshmen had "continuing" participation status, and 5
percent of new participants in the same year had entry dates different
from the reporting year. To assess program impact, this chapter follows
the academic progress of the new participants who were in their freshman
year in postsecondary institutions in 1998--99, 1999--2000, 2000--01,
and 2001--02. To ensure the integrity of the data used, records of the
1999--2000 and 2000--01 cohorts were checked against the records of the
preceding year to confirm that these same students were not reported in
the previous year. Thus, in this chapter, freshman cohort refers to
students who received SSS services for the first time in the reporting
year ("new participants"), were in their first year in postsecondary
education, and had never attained a bachelor's degree before. Because
figures presented in each table are based on individual-level records
with valid responses, the total counts vary among tables, depending on
the variable being discussed.

Program outcomes

Academic standing

SSS grantees report each participant's academic standing at the end of
the reporting year. A participant's standing is rated as "good" or "not
good" according to each institution's independent criteria. Table 4.01
reports the academic standing for the four cohorts of SSS freshmen, by
type of institution, from 1998--99 to 2001--02.

The percentage of students in good academic standing increases as the
participants persist in their collegiate careers, with the magnitude of
the increase in four-year institutions higher than that in two-year
institutions. For example, the percentage of the 1998--99 freshman
cohort in good academic standing in 1999--2000 increased about 2
percentage points among those in two-year institutions and about 4
percentage points for those in four-year institutions. Further, while in
their freshman year,\
77 percent of the 1998--99 cohort in four-year institutions were in good
academic standing. In 2001--02, the percentage of the same cohort in
good academic standing increased to 88 percent.

Grade point average

Grade point average (GPA) is the arithmetic mean of the 4-point scale
given to letter grades (A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0). Table 4.02
presents the average cumulative GPA for each freshman cohort from
1998--99 to 2001--02. Consistent with the data in Table 4.01, the
average GPA increased for all cohorts as they persisted.

However, only part of the improvement shown in Tables 4.01 and 4.02
reflects the positive impact of the SSS Program. Part of the increase in
the percentage of participants in good standing and in the rising GPAs,
of course, could also be attributed to the fact that students with lower
academic standing and lower GPAs drop out as the years go on.

+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Table 4.01.    |         |         |         |         |         |
| Percentage     |         |         |         |         |         |
| distribution   |         |         |         |         |         |
| of the         |         |         |         |         |         |
| academic       |         |         |         |         |         |
| standing of    |         |         |         |         |         |
| four SSS       |         |         |         |         |         |
| freshman       |         |         |         |         |         |
| cohorts, by    |         |         |         |         |         |
| type of        |         |         |         |         |         |
| institution:   |         |         |         |         |         |
| 1998--99 to    |         |         |         |         |         |
| 2001--02       |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Freshman year  | A       | Year 1  | Year 2  | Year 3  | Year 4  |
|                | cademic |         |         |         |         |
|                | s       |         |         |         |         |
|                | tanding |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| **Four-year    |         |         |         |         |         |
| institutions** |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 1998--99       |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Number  | 20,453  | 14,424  | 10,294  | 8,848   |
|                | ^1^     |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Percent | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Good    | 76.5    | 80.3    | 85.8    | 87.8    |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Not     | 23.5    | 19.7    | 14.2    | 12.2    |
|                | good    |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 1999--00       |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Number  | 20,711  | 14,723  | 12,196  | ---     |
|                | ^1^     |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Percent | 100.0   | 100.0   | 100.0   | ---     |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Good    | 78.6    | 81.8    | 84.6    | ---     |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Not     | 21.4    | 18.2    | 15.4    | ---     |
|                | good    |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 2000--01       |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Number  | 21,283  | 16,915  | ---     | ---     |
|                | ^1^     |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Percent | 100.0   | 100.0   | ---     | ---     |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Good    | 78.6    | 79.5    | ---     | ---     |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Not     | 21.4    | 20.5    | ---     | ---     |
|                | good    |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 2001--02       |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Number  | 22,774  | ---     | ---     | ---     |
|                | ^1^     |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Percent | 100.0   | ---     | ---     | ---     |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Good    | 78.5    | ---     | ---     | ---     |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Not     | 21.5    | ---     | ---     | ---     |
|                | good    |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| **Two-year     |         |         |         |         |         |
| institutions** |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 1998--99       |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Number  | 22,818  | 13,614  | †       | †       |
|                | ^1^     |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Percent | 100.0   | 100.0   | †       | †       |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Good    | 81.7    | 83.9    | †       | †       |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Not     | 18.3    | 16.1    | †       | †       |
|                | good    |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 1999--00       |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Number  | 23,274  | 14,050  | †       | †       |
|                | ^1^     |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Percent | 100.0   | 100.0   | †       | †       |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Good    | 82.0    | 84.9    | †       | †       |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Not     | 18.0    | 15.1    | †       | †       |
|                | good    |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 2000--01       |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Number  | 23,326  | 15,687  | ---     | ---     |
|                | ^1^     |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Percent | 100.0   | 100.0   | ---     | ---     |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Good    | 81.8    | 83.1    | ---     | ---     |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Not     | 18.2    | 16.9    | ---     | ---     |
|                | good    |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| 2001--02       |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Number  | 30,738  | ---     | ---     | ---     |
|                | ^1^     |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Percent | 100.0   | ---     | ---     | ---     |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Good    | 82.9    | ---     | ---     | ---     |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|                | Not     | 17.1    | ---     | ---     | ---     |
|                | good    |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| ---Indicates   |         |         |         |         |         |
| number for the |         |         |         |         |         |
| cell is not    |         |         |         |         |         |
| available.     |         |         |         |         |         |
|                |         |         |         |         |         |
| †Indicates     |         |         |         |         |         |
| number for the |         |         |         |         |         |
| cell is not    |         |         |         |         |         |
| applicable.    |         |         |         |         |         |
|                |         |         |         |         |         |
| ^1^The number  |         |         |         |         |         |
| of             |         |         |         |         |         |
| participants   |         |         |         |         |         |
| based on valid |         |         |         |         |         |
| responses      |         |         |         |         |         |
| only; total    |         |         |         |         |         |
| may differ     |         |         |         |         |         |
| from other     |         |         |         |         |         |
| tables due to  |         |         |         |         |         |
| missing data.  |         |         |         |         |         |
|                |         |         |         |         |         |
| SOURCE: Data   |         |         |         |         |         |
| from program   |         |         |         |         |         |
| files of the   |         |         |         |         |         |
| U.S.           |         |         |         |         |         |
| Department of  |         |         |         |         |         |
| Education,     |         |         |         |         |         |
| Federal TRIO   |         |         |         |         |         |
| Programs, SSS  |         |         |         |         |         |
| Annual         |         |         |         |         |         |
| Performance    |         |         |         |         |         |
| Reports.       |         |         |         |         |         |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Table 4.02.        |           |           |           |           |
| Average cumulative |           |           |           |           |
| GPA of four SSS    |           |           |           |           |
| freshman cohorts   |           |           |           |           |
| over years, by     |           |           |           |           |
| type of            |           |           |           |           |
| institution:       |           |           |           |           |
| 1998--99 to        |           |           |           |           |
| 2001--02           |           |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Freshman year      | Year 1    | Year 2    | Year 3    | Year 4    |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
|                    | **        |           |           |           |
|                    | Four-year |           |           |           |
|                    | insti     |           |           |           |
|                    | tutions** |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1998--99           |           |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number ^1^         | 20,156    | 14,446    | 10,299    | 9,119     |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Average GPA        | 2.3       | 2.4       | 2.6       | 2.6       |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1999--00           |           |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number ^1^         | 20,514    | 14,666    | 12,248    | ---       |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Average GPA        | 2.3       | 2.4       | 2.5       | ---       |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2000--01           |           |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number ^1^         | 20,930    | 16,976    | ---       | ---       |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Average GPA        | 2.3       | 2.4       | ---       | ---       |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2001--02           |           |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number ^1^         | 22,600    | ---       | ---       | ---       |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Average GPA        | 2.3       | ---       | ---       | ---       |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
|                    | *         |           |           |           |
|                    | *Two-year |           |           |           |
|                    | insti     |           |           |           |
|                    | tutions** |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1998--99           |           |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number ^1^         | 23,025    | 13,504    | †         | †         |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Average GPA        | 2.4       | 2.6       | †         | †         |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 1999--00           |           |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number ^1^         | 23,197    | 14,038    | †         | †         |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Average GPA        | 2.4       | 2.6       | †         | †         |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2000--01           |           |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number ^1^         | 22,814    | 15,636    | ---       | ---       |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Average GPA        | 2.4       | 2.5       | ---       | ---       |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| 2001--02           |           |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Number ^1^         | 30,355    | ---       | ---       | ---       |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| Average GPA        | 2.4       | ---       | ---       | ---       |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+
| ---Indicates       |           |           |           |           |
| number for the     |           |           |           |           |
| cell is not        |           |           |           |           |
| available.         |           |           |           |           |
|                    |           |           |           |           |
| †Indicates number  |           |           |           |           |
| for the cell is    |           |           |           |           |
| not applicable.    |           |           |           |           |
|                    |           |           |           |           |
| ^1^The number of   |           |           |           |           |
| participants based |           |           |           |           |
| on valid responses |           |           |           |           |
| only; total may    |           |           |           |           |
| differ from other  |           |           |           |           |
| tables due to      |           |           |           |           |
| missing data.      |           |           |           |           |
|                    |           |           |           |           |
| SOURCE: Data from  |           |           |           |           |
| program files of   |           |           |           |           |
| the U.S.           |           |           |           |           |
| Department of      |           |           |           |           |
| Education, Federal |           |           |           |           |
| TRIO Programs, SSS |           |           |           |           |
| Annual Performance |           |           |           |           |
| Reports.           |           |           |           |           |
+--------------------+-----------+-----------+-----------+-----------+

Persistence

Continuous enrollment, or persistence, is the percentage of the cohort
that continues to be enrolled in later years. Because the second- and
later-year enrollment data for the 2001--02 cohort are not available,
Tables 4.03 and 4.04 present the persistence of the three earlier
cohorts in two-year institutions and four-year institutions
respectively. A participant is considered enrolled if he/she either was
reported as enrolled during the year or, when such information was
missing, reported attained degree (and thus must have enrolled) during
the year.

Table 4.03 shows that, at two-year institutions, two-thirds or more of
each cohort remained enrolled at any institution in the second year,
with a majority still enrolled in the same institution. Between 11 and
15 percent of the 1998--99 and 1999--2000 cohorts respectively were
enrolled at other institutions in the second year.

+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Table      |             |             |             |             |
| 4.03.      |             |             |             |             |
| Percentage |             |             |             |             |
| of SSS     |             |             |             |             |
| freshmen   |             |             |             |             |
| enrolled   |             |             |             |             |
| at the     |             |             |             |             |
| original   |             |             |             |             |
| two-year   |             |             |             |             |
| i          |             |             |             |             |
| nstitution |             |             |             |             |
| and at     |             |             |             |             |
| other      |             |             |             |             |
| in         |             |             |             |             |
| stitutions |             |             |             |             |
| in the     |             |             |             |             |
| second and |             |             |             |             |
| third      |             |             |             |             |
| years:     |             |             |             |             |
| 1998--99   |             |             |             |             |
| to         |             |             |             |             |
| 2000--01   |             |             |             |             |
+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Freshman   | Total       | Percent     | Percent     | Percent     |
| year       |             | enrolled\   | enrolled\   | enrolled\   |
|            |             | at original | at other    | at *any*    |
|            |             | institution | institution | institution |
|            |             |             |             | ^2^         |
+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
|            | **Second    |             |             |             |
|            | year**      |             |             |             |
+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1998--99   | 23,964      | 55.7        | 10.8        | 66.5        |
+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1999--00   | 24,393      | 55.8        | 14.6        | 70.4        |
+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 2000--01   | 23,923      | 63.3        | 8.2^1^      | 71.5        |
+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
|            | **Third     |             |             |             |
|            | year**      |             |             |             |
+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1998--99   | 23,964      | 32.1        | 15.5        | 47.6        |
+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1999--00   | 24,393      | 36.5        | 5.6 ^1^     | 42.1        |
+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 2000--01   | 23,923      | ---         | ---         | ---         |
+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| --         |             |             |             |             |
| -Indicates |             |             |             |             |
| number for |             |             |             |             |
| the cell   |             |             |             |             |
| is not     |             |             |             |             |
| available. |             |             |             |             |
|            |             |             |             |             |
| ^1^Unde    |             |             |             |             |
| restimated |             |             |             |             |
| because    |             |             |             |             |
| financial  |             |             |             |             |
| aid data   |             |             |             |             |
| for        |             |             |             |             |
| 2001--02   |             |             |             |             |
| were not   |             |             |             |             |
| available  |             |             |             |             |
| at time of |             |             |             |             |
| s          |             |             |             |             |
| ubmission. |             |             |             |             |
|            |             |             |             |             |
| ^2^The     |             |             |             |             |
| last       |             |             |             |             |
| column is  |             |             |             |             |
| the sum of |             |             |             |             |
| the        |             |             |             |             |
| preceding  |             |             |             |             |
| two        |             |             |             |             |
| columns.   |             |             |             |             |
|            |             |             |             |             |
| SOURCE:    |             |             |             |             |
| Data from  |             |             |             |             |
| program    |             |             |             |             |
| files of   |             |             |             |             |
| the U.S.   |             |             |             |             |
| Department |             |             |             |             |
| of         |             |             |             |             |
| Education, |             |             |             |             |
| Federal    |             |             |             |             |
| TRIO       |             |             |             |             |
| Programs,  |             |             |             |             |
| SSS Annual |             |             |             |             |
| P          |             |             |             |             |
| erformance |             |             |             |             |
| Reports.   |             |             |             |             |
+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+

+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Table     |             |             |             |             |
| 4.04.     |             |             |             |             |
| P         |             |             |             |             |
| ercentage |             |             |             |             |
| of SSS    |             |             |             |             |
| freshmen  |             |             |             |             |
| who       |             |             |             |             |
| remained  |             |             |             |             |
| enrolled  |             |             |             |             |
| at the    |             |             |             |             |
| original  |             |             |             |             |
| four-year |             |             |             |             |
| in        |             |             |             |             |
| stitution |             |             |             |             |
| or any    |             |             |             |             |
| other     |             |             |             |             |
| post      |             |             |             |             |
| secondary |             |             |             |             |
| in        |             |             |             |             |
| stitution |             |             |             |             |
| in the    |             |             |             |             |
| second,   |             |             |             |             |
| third and |             |             |             |             |
| fourth    |             |             |             |             |
| years:    |             |             |             |             |
| 1998--99  |             |             |             |             |
| to        |             |             |             |             |
| 2000--01  |             |             |             |             |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Freshman  | Total       | Percent     | Percent     | Percent     |
| year      |             | enrolled\   | enrolled\   | enrolled\   |
|           |             | at original | at other    | at *any*    |
|           |             | institution | institution | ins         |
|           |             |             |             | titution^2^ |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
|           | **Second    |             |             |             |
|           | year**      |             |             |             |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1998--99  | 21,068      | 66.8        | 10.0        | 76.8        |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1999--00  | 21,344      | 67.1        | 14.1        | 81.2        |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 2000--01  | 21,977      | 72.6        | 2.5 ^1^     | 75.1        |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
|           | **Third     |             |             |             |
|           | year**      |             |             |             |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1998--99  | 21,068      | 49.2        | 14.3        | 63.5        |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1999--00  | 21,344      | 54.8        | 2.4 ^1^     | 57.2        |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 2000--01  | 21,977      | ---         | ---         | ---         |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
|           | **Fourth    |             |             |             |
|           | year**      |             |             |             |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1998--99  | 21,068      | 42.3        | 1.3 ^1^     | 43.6        |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1999--00  | 21,344      | ---         | ---         | ---         |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 2000--01  | 21,977      | ---         | ---         | ---         |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| ---       |             |             |             |             |
| Indicates |             |             |             |             |
| number    |             |             |             |             |
| for the   |             |             |             |             |
| cell is   |             |             |             |             |
| not       |             |             |             |             |
| a         |             |             |             |             |
| vailable. |             |             |             |             |
|           |             |             |             |             |
| ^1^Under  |             |             |             |             |
| estimated |             |             |             |             |
| because   |             |             |             |             |
| financial |             |             |             |             |
| aid data  |             |             |             |             |
| for       |             |             |             |             |
| 2001--02  |             |             |             |             |
| were not  |             |             |             |             |
| available |             |             |             |             |
| at time   |             |             |             |             |
| of        |             |             |             |             |
| su        |             |             |             |             |
| bmission. |             |             |             |             |
|           |             |             |             |             |
| ^2^The    |             |             |             |             |
| last      |             |             |             |             |
| column is |             |             |             |             |
| the sum   |             |             |             |             |
| of the    |             |             |             |             |
| preceding |             |             |             |             |
| two       |             |             |             |             |
| columns.  |             |             |             |             |
|           |             |             |             |             |
| SOURCE:   |             |             |             |             |
| Data from |             |             |             |             |
| program   |             |             |             |             |
| files of  |             |             |             |             |
| the U.S.  |             |             |             |             |
| D         |             |             |             |             |
| epartment |             |             |             |             |
| of        |             |             |             |             |
| E         |             |             |             |             |
| ducation, |             |             |             |             |
| Federal   |             |             |             |             |
| TRIO      |             |             |             |             |
| Programs, |             |             |             |             |
| SSS       |             |             |             |             |
| Annual    |             |             |             |             |
| Pe        |             |             |             |             |
| rformance |             |             |             |             |
| Reports.  |             |             |             |             |
+-----------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+

As some of the participants at two-year institutions graduated at the
end of the second year, the proportion of each cohort enrolled in their
third year decreases. For example, about 9 percent of the participants
in the two-year institutions completed either a certificate or an
associate degree at the end of the second year (Table 4.05). These
participants are not likely to enroll for a third year, partially
accounting for the drop in enrollment from 67 percent in the second year
to 48 percent in the third year (Table 4.03).

Because the records were not adjusted with the 2001--02 financial aid
data, only 8 percent of the 2000--01 cohort were reported to be enrolled
at any other institution in their second year. Similarly, the 1999--2000
cohort also exhibits a low third-year enrollment rate. Comparing these
enrollment rates with the adjusted rates in earlier years shows that
adjusting enrollment status with financial aid data increases enrollment
figures by 5 to 10 percentage points.

Table 4.04 shows the continued enrollment of freshman cohorts in
four-year institutions. Again, because second- and third-year enrollment
information for the 2001--02 freshman cohort was not available, only
information on the three earlier cohorts is presented.

As Table 4.04 shows, at least three-fourths of each cohort remained
enrolled in the second year, a higher retention rate than that reported
for the two-year institutions in the same time period. Furthermore, more
of the freshmen at four-year institutions remained enrolled in their
original institution; for example, 67 percent of the 1998--99 freshman
cohort was enrolled in the same institution in 1999--2000 (listed as
"second year" in Table 4.04), compared with about 56 percent of the same
year cohort in two-year institutions (Table 4.03).

Similar to the two-year institution participants, the enrollment rate of
participants in four-year institutions declined over time. About 64
percent of the 1998--99 freshman cohort remained enrolled in the third
reporting year, and about 44 percent were still enrolled in the fourth
reporting year. Because only a small percentage of the participants in a
four-year institution would be expected to complete their program in two
or three years (Table 4.06), the decline in persistence rates cannot be
attributed to graduation. The decline in enrollment could be attributed
to changes in the proportion of freshman cohort who remained actively
receiving program services designed to support their education
persistence. In the third year, only about one-third of freshmen in
four-year institutions were still receiving program services.

Credentials and degrees earned

Two-year institutions offer both associate degrees and certificates. In
both cases, the number of participants receiving these credentials in a
particular cohort grows over time. Thus, the cumulative total indicates
the number of participants in a particular cohort who have received such
credentials at the time the data are collected.

At the end of the second year---the conventional length of study at
two-year institutions---about 5 to 7 percent of the SSS participants had
completed their associate degree and another 3 to 4 percent had
completed a certificate (see Table 4.05). The total cumulative
completion rate increased each year, to approximately 10 to 13 percent
in the third year. Table 4.05 also shows that about 3 percent more of
the 2000--01 freshman cohort completed their associate degrees at the
end of their second year than the 1999--2000 freshman cohort. Because
the present data show only two cohorts, we cannot determine whether the
increase is an aberration or the beginning of a trend.

<table style="width:100%;">
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 11%" />
<col style="width: 11%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 11%" />
<col style="width: 11%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 11%" />
<col style="width: 11%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="10">Table 4.05. Percentage of SSS freshmen at two-year
institutions who received certificates or associate degrees at the end
of the first, second and third years: 1998–99 to 2000–01</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="8">Percent earning certificate or associate degrees:</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">End of year 1</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">End of year 2</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">End of year 3</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Freshman year</td>
<td>Total</td>
<td>Certificate</td>
<td>Associate</td>
<td></td>
<td>Certificate</td>
<td>Associate</td>
<td></td>
<td>Certificate</td>
<td>Associate</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>1998–99</td>
<td>23,964</td>
<td>2.0</td>
<td>1.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>3.8</td>
<td>5.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>5.1</td>
<td>9.6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>1999–00</td>
<td>24,399</td>
<td>2.3</td>
<td>1.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>3.9</td>
<td>4.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td>12.5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>2000–01</td>
<td>23,923</td>
<td>2.0</td>
<td>1.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>2.9</td>
<td>7.1</td>
<td></td>
<td>—</td>
<td>—</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="10"><p>—Indicates number for the cell is not available.</p>
<p>NOTE: Attainment of certification or associate degree rates is
cumulative.</p>
<p>SOURCE: Data from program files of the U.S. Department of Education,
Federal TRIO Programs, SSS Annual Performance Reports.</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Because it generally takes four years or longer to complete the
bachelor's degree in four-year institutions, only the 1998--99 cohort
has sufficient data for a meaningful measure of degree completion. As
Table 4.06 shows, the completion rate for SSS participants was
approximately 14 percent at the end of the fourth year in college.
Because students from disadvantaged backgrounds generally take longer to
complete their program, many SSS participants may take longer than four
years to complete their bachelor's degree. Future reports using
additional years of data will provide a fuller picture on the degree
completion rates of the 1998-99 cohort.

+--------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Table 4.06.  |             |             |             |             |
| Percentage   |             |             |             |             |
| of SSS       |             |             |             |             |
| freshmen at  |             |             |             |             |
| four-year    |             |             |             |             |
| institutions |             |             |             |             |
| who received |             |             |             |             |
| bachelor's   |             |             |             |             |
| degrees at   |             |             |             |             |
| the end of   |             |             |             |             |
| the second,  |             |             |             |             |
| third and    |             |             |             |             |
| fourth       |             |             |             |             |
| years:       |             |             |             |             |
| 1998--99 to  |             |             |             |             |
| 2000--01     |             |             |             |             |
+--------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
|              |             | Percent     |             |             |
|              |             | earning a   |             |             |
|              |             | bachelor's  |             |             |
|              |             | degree:     |             |             |
+--------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| Freshman     | Total       | End of year | End of year | End of year |
| year         |             | 2           | 3           | 4           |
+--------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1998--99     | 21,068      | 1.4         | 2.6         | 13.7        |
+--------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 1999--00     | 21,344      | 0.6         | 1.7         | ---         |
+--------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| 2000--01     | 21,977      | 1.2         | ---         | ---         |
+--------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
| ---Indicates |             |             |             |             |
| number for   |             |             |             |             |
| the cell is  |             |             |             |             |
| not          |             |             |             |             |
| available.   |             |             |             |             |
|              |             |             |             |             |
| NOTE:        |             |             |             |             |
| Attainment   |             |             |             |             |
| of degree    |             |             |             |             |
| rate is      |             |             |             |             |
| cumulative.  |             |             |             |             |
|              |             |             |             |             |
| SOURCE: Data |             |             |             |             |
| from program |             |             |             |             |
| files of the |             |             |             |             |
| U.S.         |             |             |             |             |
| Department   |             |             |             |             |
| of           |             |             |             |             |
| Education,   |             |             |             |             |
| Federal TRIO |             |             |             |             |
| Programs,    |             |             |             |             |
| SSS Annual   |             |             |             |             |
| Performance  |             |             |             |             |
| Reports.     |             |             |             |             |
+--------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+

The impact of the SSS Program

There is consistent evidence that students from low-income families have
lower persistence rates in college than those from higher socioeconomic
backgrounds. In fact, students' family income was found to correlate
positively with their enrollment, persistence, and graduation.[^12]^,^
[^13]^,^ [^14] The goal of the SSS Program is to help students overcome
these challenges. To better understand the program outcomes, this report
examines whether SSS participants performed similarly to or differently
from students who did not receive SSS services.

The data used to provide this context come from a longitudinal study
conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, the *Beginning
Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study* (BPS). BPS tracked a U.S.
representative sample of more than 12,000 first-time entrants in
postsecondary education in 1995--96 and collected data on their academic
performance every other year (with the respondents providing information
on both years when responding) until 2000--01. Because the BPS sample
was designed to provide national estimates of students and did not
oversample students from disadvantaged populations, a group extracted
from the BPS sample that matches the distribution of SSS participants
was too small to provide stable estimates.[^15] Instead, the report
presents the following comparisons.

• SSS participants are compared with BPS students who were rated as
either mildly or severely disadvantaged in their socioeconomic status
and who satisfied at least one of the five eligibility criteria for
participation in the SSS Program (i.e., low-income, low-income and
first-generation, first-generation, disabled, or disabled and
low-income). This composite group of BPS freshmen, with a distribution
of SSS eligibility characteristics different from that of SSS
participants, will be referred to as the "1995--96 BPS freshmen from
disadvantaged backgrounds" in this chapter.

• SSS participants are also compared with BPS students by eligibility
status separately, where possible. Sufficient numbers of BPS students
categorized as "low-income and first-generation" and "first-generation
only" were reported to allow comparisons. Because of the relatively
small number of cases when considered separately, a composite group was
made that combined "low-income only," "disabled only," and "low-income
with disabilities." This composite group will be referred to as the
"combined group" in this chapter.

Because all the SSS cohorts are from later years than the 1995--96 BPS
sample, only the earliest SSS cohort, 1998--99, was used to minimize the
time lag in the comparisons.

A comparison of enrollment

Among students attending two-year institutions, a higher proportion of
SSS participants remained enrolled than the BPS students from
disadvantaged backgrounds (see Table 4.07). About sixty-seven percent of
SSS participants remained enrolled in their second year, compared to 51
percent for the BPS sample, a difference of more than 15 percentage
points. This pattern of higher persistence among SSS participants
continues to the third year (48 percent vs. 33 percent).

+-----------------------------+------------+------------+------------+
| Table 4.07. Comparison of   |            |            |            |
| enrollment rates in the     |            |            |            |
| second and third years in   |            |            |            |
| two-year institutions       |            |            |            |
| between the 1998--99 SSS    |            |            |            |
| freshmen and the 1995--96   |            |            |            |
| BPS freshmen from           |            |            |            |
| disadvantaged backgrounds   |            |            |            |
+-----------------------------+------------+------------+------------+
|                             | Number     | Percent\   | Percent\   |
|                             | enrolled\  | still      | still      |
|                             | at         | enrolled\  | enrolled\  |
|                             | beginning\ | during     | during     |
|                             | of first   | year 2     | year 3     |
|                             | year       |            |            |
+-----------------------------+------------+------------+------------+
| 1998--99 SSS freshmen       | 23,964     | 66.5\*\*   | 47.6\*\*   |
+-----------------------------+------------+------------+------------+
| 1995--96 BPS freshmen from  | 942,000    | 51.3       | 32.8       |
| disadvantaged backgrounds   |            |            |            |
| (estimated population)      |            |            |            |
+-----------------------------+------------+------------+------------+
| \*\*Indicates the           |            |            |            |
| difference between the SSS  |            |            |            |
| participants and the BPS    |            |            |            |
| sample is significant at    |            |            |            |
| the p \< .01 level.         |            |            |            |
|                             |            |            |            |
| SOURCE: Data for SSS from   |            |            |            |
| the program files of the    |            |            |            |
| U.S. Department of          |            |            |            |
| Education, Federal TRIO     |            |            |            |
| Program, SSS Annual         |            |            |            |
| Performance Reports; data   |            |            |            |
| for the BPS from program    |            |            |            |
| files of the U.S.           |            |            |            |
| Department of Education,    |            |            |            |
| National Center for         |            |            |            |
| Education Statistics.       |            |            |            |
+-----------------------------+------------+------------+------------+

When compared separately by eligibility criteria, for students enrolled
at two-year institutions, the impact of the SSS Program is more evident
in the second year as a much higher proportion of SSS participants who
were "first-generation only" and "combined group" remained enrolled in
the second year than did students with similar backgrounds in the BPS
sample (Table 4.08). The gap became narrower in the third year for these
two groups of students, although the difference was still substantial.
The persistence rate of the "low-income and first-generation" group does
not differ between the BPS students and the SSS participants (50 percent
and 49 percent respectively in the third year).

Table 4.09 shows that the enrollment rate in the second year for
students in four-year institutions was higher for the SSS participants
than that of the BPS students, but the lead was less than that in
two-year institutions, and it disappeared in the third year.

One explanation for the diminished lead may be attributed to the decline
in the proportion of students participating in program activities
previously discussed---only about one-third of the 1998--99 freshmen
still actively participated in SSS Program activities in 2000--01.
Further investigation also reveals that the distribution of the
"at-risk" population differs between the SSS participants and the BPS
students (Table B-1 in Appendix B). This difference may also explain in
part the smaller lead in enrollment rate SSS participants had over the
BPS sample at four-year institutions.

In the BPS data collection instrument, a "risk index" ranging from 0 to
7 is developed from summing over seven risk factors.[^16] The higher the
score, the higher the risk is for not completing postsecondary
education. Although only 20 percent of the BPS sample used in the
comparison for the two-year institution participants was classified as
having zero risk, about 65 percent of the BPS sample

in the comparison of the four-year institutions was classified as zero
risk. The high percent of low-risk students attending four-year
institutions in the BPS sample could account for their higher percent of
continued enrollments in the third year when compared with the SSS
participants.[^17] The same pattern persists when analyzed by
eligibility criteria separately, but the results are not shown.

+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
| Table 4.08.           |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| Comparison of         |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| enrollment rates in   |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| the second and third  |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| years in two-year     |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| institutions between  |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| the 1998--99 SSS      |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| freshmen and the      |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| 1995--96 BPS freshmen |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| from various          |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| backgrounds           |           |         |   |   |         |         |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
|                       | 1998--99  |         |   |   | 1       |         |
|                       | SSS       |         |   |   | 995--96 |         |
|                       | freshmen  |         |   |   | BPS     |         |
|                       |           |         |   |   | f       |         |
|                       |           |         |   |   | reshmen |         |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
|                       | N         | P       |   |   | Es      | P       |
|                       |           | ercent\ |   |   | timated | ercent\ |
|                       |           | e       |   |   | pop     | e       |
|                       |           | nrolled |   |   | ulation | nrolled |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
| Second year           |           |         |   |   |         |         |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
| Low-income and        | 14,485    | 66.6    |   |   | 175,000 | 58.3    |
| first-generation      |           |         |   |   |         |         |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
| First-generation only | 4,961     | 6       |   |   | 656,000 | 46.8    |
|                       |           | 3.8\*\* |   |   |         |         |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
| Combined group\       | 4,428     | 6       |   |   | 111,000 | 50.2    |
| (low-income only,     |           | 9.0\*\* |   |   |         |         |
| disabled only\        |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| and disabled and      |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| low-income)           |           |         |   |   |         |         |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
| Third year            |           |         |   |   |         |         |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
| Low-income and        | 14,485    | 48.9    |   |   | 175,000 | 50.1    |
| first-generation      |           |         |   |   |         |         |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
| First-generation only | 4,961     | 4       |   |   | 656,000 | 31.1    |
|                       |           | 3.5\*\* |   |   |         |         |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
| Combined group\       | 4,428     | 4       |   |   | 111,000 | 32.0    |
| (low-income only,     |           | 8.3\*\* |   |   |         |         |
| disabled only,\       |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| and disabled and      |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| low-income)           |           |         |   |   |         |         |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+
| \*\*Indicates the     |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| difference between    |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| the SSS participants  |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| and the BPS sample is |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| significant at the p  |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| \< .01 level.         |           |         |   |   |         |         |
|                       |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| Sample sizes for the  |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| BPS students who were |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| low-income and        |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| disabled in two-year  |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| institutions are too  |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| small to provide      |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| stable estimates and  |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| are combined.         |           |         |   |   |         |         |
|                       |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| SOURCE: Data for SSS  |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| from the program      |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| files of the U.S.     |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| Department of         |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| Education, Federal    |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| TRIO Program, SSS     |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| Annual Performance    |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| Reports; data for the |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| BPS from program      |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| files of the U.S.     |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| Department of         |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| Education, National   |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| Center for Education  |           |         |   |   |         |         |
| Statistics.           |           |         |   |   |         |         |
+-----------------------+-----------+---------+---+---+---------+---------+

+--------------------------+--------------+-------------+---+------------+
| Table 4.09. Comparison   |              |             |   |            |
| of enrollment rates in   |              |             |   |            |
| the second and third     |              |             |   |            |
| years in four-year       |              |             |   |            |
| institutions between the |              |             |   |            |
| 1998--99 SSS freshmen    |              |             |   |            |
| and the 1995--96 BPS     |              |             |   |            |
| freshmen from            |              |             |   |            |
| disadvantaged            |              |             |   |            |
| backgrounds              |              |             |   |            |
+--------------------------+--------------+-------------+---+------------+
|                          | Total        | Percent     |   | Percent    |
|                          |              | enrolled\   |   | enrolled\  |
|                          |              | in          |   | in         |
|                          |              | 1999--2000  |   | 2000--01   |
+--------------------------+--------------+-------------+---+------------+
| 1998--99 SSS freshmen    | 21,068       | 78.8\*\*    |   | 63.5       |
+--------------------------+--------------+-------------+---+------------+
| 1995--96 BPS freshmen    | 507,000      | 68.4        |   | 61.7       |
| from disadvantaged       |              |             |   |            |
| backgrounds (estimated   |              |             |   |            |
| population)              |              |             |   |            |
+--------------------------+--------------+-------------+---+------------+
| \*\*Indicates the        |              |             |   |            |
| difference between the   |              |             |   |            |
| SSS participants and the |              |             |   |            |
| BPS sample is            |              |             |   |            |
| significant at the p \<  |              |             |   |            |
| .01 level.               |              |             |   |            |
|                          |              |             |   |            |
| SOURCE: Data for SSS     |              |             |   |            |
| from the program files   |              |             |   |            |
| of the U.S. Department   |              |             |   |            |
| of Education, Federal    |              |             |   |            |
| TRIO Program, SSS Annual |              |             |   |            |
| Performance Reports;     |              |             |   |            |
| data for the BPS from    |              |             |   |            |
| program files of the     |              |             |   |            |
| U.S. Department of       |              |             |   |            |
| Education, National      |              |             |   |            |
| Center for Education     |              |             |   |            |
| Statistics.              |              |             |   |            |
+--------------------------+--------------+-------------+---+------------+

Comparisons of enrollment thus far have been based on the entire cohort
regardless of freshman year enrollment status. Students who registered
full-time in their freshman year could be in a more favorable position
to continue their education than those who registered less than
full-time. To attain a more precise measure of the program impact,
freshman year enrollment status should be controlled. Tables 4.10 and
4.11 summarize the enrollment rates of the two cohorts who registered
full-time in their freshman year in two-year and in four-year
institutions.

The tables show that, similar to findings discussed previously, the
proportion of students who registered full-time in their freshman year
and remained enrolled in their second year was higher among the SSS
participants than their BPS counterparts by 19 percentage points for
two-year institution students and by almost 11 percentage points for
four-year institution students. The gap once again became smaller in the
third year for the four-year institution students (Table 4.11).

+-----------------------+---------------+-------------+---+------------+---+
| Table 4.10.           |               |             |   |            |   |
| Comparison of         |               |             |   |            |   |
| enrollment rates      |               |             |   |            |   |
| during the second and |               |             |   |            |   |
| third years in        |               |             |   |            |   |
| two-year institutions |               |             |   |            |   |
| between the 1998--99  |               |             |   |            |   |
| full-time SSS         |               |             |   |            |   |
| freshmen and the      |               |             |   |            |   |
| 1995--96 BPS          |               |             |   |            |   |
| full-time freshmen    |               |             |   |            |   |
| from disadvantaged    |               |             |   |            |   |
| backgrounds           |               |             |   |            |   |
+-----------------------+---------------+-------------+---+------------+---+
|                       | Number        | Percent\    |   | Percent\   |   |
|                       | enrolled\     | still       |   | still      |   |
|                       | at beginning\ | enrolled\   |   | enrolled\  |   |
|                       | of first year | during year |   | during     |   |
|                       |               | 2           |   | year 3     |   |
+-----------------------+---------------+-------------+---+------------+---+
| 1998--99 SSS freshmen | 12,274        | 74.4\*\*    |   | 46.7\*\*   |   |
| (full-time only)      |               |             |   |            |   |
+-----------------------+---------------+-------------+---+------------+---+
| 1995--96 BPS freshmen | 418,000       | 55.3        |   | 35.5       |   |
| from disadvantaged    |               |             |   |            |   |
| backgrounds\          |               |             |   |            |   |
| (full-time only,      |               |             |   |            |   |
| estimated population) |               |             |   |            |   |
+-----------------------+---------------+-------------+---+------------+---+
| \*\*Indicates the     |               |             |   |            |   |
| difference between    |               |             |   |            |   |
| the SSS participants  |               |             |   |            |   |
| and the BPS sample is |               |             |   |            |   |
| significant at the p  |               |             |   |            |   |
| \< .01 level.         |               |             |   |            |   |
|                       |               |             |   |            |   |
| SOURCE: Data for SSS  |               |             |   |            |   |
| from the program      |               |             |   |            |   |
| files of the U.S.     |               |             |   |            |   |
| Department of         |               |             |   |            |   |
| Education, Federal    |               |             |   |            |   |
| TRIO Program, SSS     |               |             |   |            |   |
| Annual Performance    |               |             |   |            |   |
| Reports; data for the |               |             |   |            |   |
| BPS from program      |               |             |   |            |   |
| files of the U.S.     |               |             |   |            |   |
| Department of         |               |             |   |            |   |
| Education, National   |               |             |   |            |   |
| Center for Education  |               |             |   |            |   |
| Statistics.           |               |             |   |            |   |
+-----------------------+---------------+-------------+---+------------+---+

+----------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+
| Table 4.11.          |                 |            |   |             |
| Comparison of        |                 |            |   |             |
| enrollment rates     |                 |            |   |             |
| during the second    |                 |            |   |             |
| and third years in   |                 |            |   |             |
| four-year            |                 |            |   |             |
| institutions between |                 |            |   |             |
| the 1998--99         |                 |            |   |             |
| full-time SSS        |                 |            |   |             |
| freshmen and the     |                 |            |   |             |
| 1995--96 BPS         |                 |            |   |             |
| full-time freshmen   |                 |            |   |             |
| from disadvantaged   |                 |            |   |             |
| backgrounds          |                 |            |   |             |
+----------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+
| Four-year            | Number          | Percent\   |   | Percent\    |
| institutions         | enrolled\       | still      |   | still       |
|                      | at beginning\   | enrolled\  |   | enrolled\   |
|                      | of first year   | during     |   | during year |
|                      |                 | year 2     |   | 3           |
+----------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+
| 1998--99 SSS         | 16,423          | 82.5\*\*   |   | 67.0        |
| freshmen (full-time  |                 |            |   |             |
| only)                |                 |            |   |             |
+----------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+
| 1995--96 BPS         | 427,000         | 71.9       |   | 66.1        |
| freshmen from        |                 |            |   |             |
| disadvantaged        |                 |            |   |             |
| backgrounds\         |                 |            |   |             |
| (full-time only,     |                 |            |   |             |
| estimated            |                 |            |   |             |
| population)          |                 |            |   |             |
+----------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+
| \*\*Indicates the    |                 |            |   |             |
| difference between   |                 |            |   |             |
| the SSS participants |                 |            |   |             |
| and the BPS sample   |                 |            |   |             |
| is significant at    |                 |            |   |             |
| the p \< .01 level.  |                 |            |   |             |
|                      |                 |            |   |             |
| SOURCE: Data for SSS |                 |            |   |             |
| from the program     |                 |            |   |             |
| files of the U.S.    |                 |            |   |             |
| Department of        |                 |            |   |             |
| Education, Federal   |                 |            |   |             |
| TRIO Program, SSS    |                 |            |   |             |
| Annual Performance   |                 |            |   |             |
| Reports; data for    |                 |            |   |             |
| the BPS from program |                 |            |   |             |
| files of the U.S.    |                 |            |   |             |
| Department of        |                 |            |   |             |
| Education, National  |                 |            |   |             |
| Center for Education |                 |            |   |             |
| Statistics.          |                 |            |   |             |
+----------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+

A comparison of degrees earned

Table 4.12 shows that among students enrolled in two-year institutions,
a small percent of the SSS participants obtained their associate degrees
at the end of their first year, which is shorter than normally expected.
One possible explanation is that some SSS participants may have
previously attended these institutions and accumulated some college
credits, and have now returned to finish their programs.

At the end of the second year, the associate degree completion rate of
the SSS cohort was higher than that of the BPS sample, but the
difference was not significant.

When analyzed separately by eligibility status as presented in Table
4.13, the SSS Program seems to benefit most students who are
first-generation attending college. Seven percent of SSS
first-generation freshmen attained associate degrees at the end of the
second year compared with 4 percent of the BPS sample.

+---------------+------------+---+-----------+---+---+-----------+-----------+
| Table 4.12.   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Comparison of |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| percentage of |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| credentials   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| earned in     |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| two-year      |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| institutions  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| at the end of |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| the first and |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| second years  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| between the   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| 1998--99 SSS  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| freshmen and  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| the 1995--96  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| BPS freshmen  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| from          |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| disadvantaged |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| backgrounds   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
+---------------+------------+---+-----------+---+---+-----------+-----------+
|               | 1998--99   |   |           |   |   | 1995--96  |           |
|               | freshmen   |   |           |   |   | BPS       |           |
|               | (23,964)   |   |           |   |   | freshmen\ |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   | from      |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   | disa      |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   | dvantaged |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   | bac       |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   | kgrounds\ |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   | (         |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   | estimated |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   | po        |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   | pulation: |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   | 942,000)  |           |
+---------------+------------+---+-----------+---+---+-----------+-----------+
|               | Percent    |   | Percent   |   |   | Percent   | Percent   |
|               | earning\   |   | earning\  |   |   | earning\  | earning\  |
|               | a          |   | an        |   |   | a         | an        |
|               | c          |   | associate |   |   | ce        | associate |
|               | ertificate |   | degree    |   |   | rtificate | degree    |
+---------------+------------+---+-----------+---+---+-----------+-----------+
| End of first  | 2.0\*      |   | 1.5\*\*   |   |   | 3.3       | 0.0       |
| year          |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
+---------------+------------+---+-----------+---+---+-----------+-----------+
| End of second | 3.8        |   | 5.3       |   |   | 6.1       | 3.6       |
| year          |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
+---------------+------------+---+-----------+---+---+-----------+-----------+
| \*Indicates   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| the           |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| difference    |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| between the   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| SSS           |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| participants  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| and the BPS   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| sample is     |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| significant   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| at the p \<   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| .05 level.    |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| \*\*Indicates |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| the           |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| difference is |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| significant   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| at the p \<   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| .01 level.    |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| NOTE: The     |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| percentages   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| are           |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| cumulative.   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
|               |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| SOURCE: Data  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| for SSS from  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| the program   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| files of the  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| U.S.          |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Department of |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Education,    |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Federal TRIO  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Program, SSS  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Annual        |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Performance   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Reports; data |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| for the BPS   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| from program  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| files of the  |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| U.S.          |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Department of |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Education,    |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| National      |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Center for    |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Education     |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
| Statistics.   |            |   |           |   |   |           |           |
+---------------+------------+---+-----------+---+---+-----------+-----------+

+-------------------+---------+-----------+---+---+----------+-----------+
| Table 4.13.       |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| Comparison of     |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| percentage of     |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| associate degrees |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| earned in         |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| two-year          |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| institutions at   |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| the end of the    |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| second year       |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| between the       |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| 1998--99 SSS      |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| freshmen and the  |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| 1995--96 BPS      |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| freshmen from     |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| different         |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| disadvantaged     |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| backgrounds       |         |           |   |   |          |           |
+-------------------+---------+-----------+---+---+----------+-----------+
|                   | 1       |           |   |   | 1995--96 |           |
|                   | 998--99 |           |   |   | freshmen |           |
|                   | SSS     |           |   |   | from\    |           |
|                   | f       |           |   |   | d        |           |
|                   | reshmen |           |   |   | ifferent |           |
|                   |         |           |   |   | disad    |           |
|                   |         |           |   |   | vantaged |           |
|                   |         |           |   |   | bac      |           |
|                   |         |           |   |   | kgrounds |           |
+-------------------+---------+-----------+---+---+----------+-----------+
|                   | N       | Percent   |   |   | E        | Percent   |
|                   |         | earning   |   |   | stimated | earning   |
|                   |         | an        |   |   | po       | an        |
|                   |         | associate |   |   | pulation | associate |
|                   |         | degree    |   |   |          | degree    |
+-------------------+---------+-----------+---+---+----------+-----------+
| End of second     |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| year              |         |           |   |   |          |           |
+-------------------+---------+-----------+---+---+----------+-----------+
| Low-income and    | 14,485  | 4.7       |   |   | 175,000  | 3.9       |
| first-generation  |         |           |   |   |          |           |
+-------------------+---------+-----------+---+---+----------+-----------+
| First-generation  | 4,961   | 7.1\*\*   |   |   | 656,000  | 3.7       |
| only              |         |           |   |   |          |           |
+-------------------+---------+-----------+---+---+----------+-----------+
| Combined of       | 1,427   | 3.4       |   |   | 111,000  | 3.4       |
| low-income only,  |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| disabled only,    |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| and disabled\     |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| and low-income    |         |           |   |   |          |           |
+-------------------+---------+-----------+---+---+----------+-----------+
| \*\*Indicates the |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| difference        |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| between the SSS   |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| participants and  |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| the BPS sample is |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| significant at    |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| the p \< .01      |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| level.            |         |           |   |   |          |           |
|                   |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| NOTE: Sample      |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| sizes for the BPS |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| students who were |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| low-income and/or |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| disabled in       |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| two-year          |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| institutions are  |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| too small to      |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| provide stable    |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| estimates and are |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| combined.         |         |           |   |   |          |           |
|                   |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| SOURCE: Data for  |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| SSS from the      |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| program files of  |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| the U.S.          |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| Department of     |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| Education,        |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| Federal TRIO      |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| Program, SSS      |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| Annual            |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| Performance       |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| Reports; data for |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| the BPS from      |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| program files of  |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| the U.S.          |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| Department of     |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| Education,        |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| National Center   |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| for Education     |         |           |   |   |          |           |
| Statistics.       |         |           |   |   |          |           |
+-------------------+---------+-----------+---+---+----------+-----------+

Analysis on enrollment already showed that the lead that SSS
participants had over the BPS sample narrowed in the third year. The
decline continued on to graduation. As Table 4.14 shows, 17 percent of
the 1995--96 BPS freshmen from disadvantaged backgrounds obtained
bachelor's degrees at the end of the fourth year, whereas 14 percent of
the 1998--99 SSS freshmen did so. Again, this pattern may be partially
explained by the continued decline in the proportion of students
actively participating in program activities and by the differences in
the distribution of the at-risk population between the two freshman
cohorts of four-year and two-year institutions. As shown in Table B-1,
BPS students in four-year institutions were less likely than their
counterparts in two-year institutions to have many of the risk factors
that make degree attainment less likely. For the same reason as
explained previously, SSS cohorts in two-year institutions had higher
graduation rates than the BPS cohort, but this does not hold for the
cohorts in four-year institutions.

+-------------------+------------------------+---+---+--------------------+
| Table 4.14.       |                        |   |   |                    |
| Comparison of     |                        |   |   |                    |
| percentage of     |                        |   |   |                    |
| bachelor's        |                        |   |   |                    |
| degrees earned in |                        |   |   |                    |
| four-year         |                        |   |   |                    |
| institutions at   |                        |   |   |                    |
| the end of the    |                        |   |   |                    |
| fourth year       |                        |   |   |                    |
| between the       |                        |   |   |                    |
| 1998--99 SSS      |                        |   |   |                    |
| freshmen and the  |                        |   |   |                    |
| 1995--96 BPS      |                        |   |   |                    |
| freshmen from     |                        |   |   |                    |
| disadvantaged     |                        |   |   |                    |
| backgrounds       |                        |   |   |                    |
+-------------------+------------------------+---+---+--------------------+
|                   | 1998--99 SSS freshmen  |   |   | 1995--96 BPS       |
|                   | (21,068)               |   |   | freshmen\          |
|                   |                        |   |   | from disadvantaged |
|                   |                        |   |   | backgrounds\       |
|                   |                        |   |   | (Estimated         |
|                   |                        |   |   | population:        |
|                   |                        |   |   | 507,000)           |
+-------------------+------------------------+---+---+--------------------+
|                   | Percent earned         |   |   | Percent earned     |
|                   | bachelor's degree      |   |   | bachelor's degree  |
+-------------------+------------------------+---+---+--------------------+
| End of fourth     | 13.7\*                 |   |   | 17.4               |
| year              |                        |   |   |                    |
+-------------------+------------------------+---+---+--------------------+
| \*Indicates the   |                        |   |   |                    |
| difference        |                        |   |   |                    |
| between the SSS   |                        |   |   |                    |
| participants and  |                        |   |   |                    |
| the BPS sample is |                        |   |   |                    |
| significant at    |                        |   |   |                    |
| the p \< .05      |                        |   |   |                    |
| level.            |                        |   |   |                    |
|                   |                        |   |   |                    |
| SOURCE: Data for  |                        |   |   |                    |
| SSS from the      |                        |   |   |                    |
| program files of  |                        |   |   |                    |
| the U.S.          |                        |   |   |                    |
| Department of     |                        |   |   |                    |
| Education,        |                        |   |   |                    |
| Federal TRIO      |                        |   |   |                    |
| Program, SSS      |                        |   |   |                    |
| Annual            |                        |   |   |                    |
| Performance       |                        |   |   |                    |
| Reports; data for |                        |   |   |                    |
| the BPS from      |                        |   |   |                    |
| program files of  |                        |   |   |                    |
| the U.S.          |                        |   |   |                    |
| Department of     |                        |   |   |                    |
| Education,        |                        |   |   |                    |
| National Center   |                        |   |   |                    |
| for Education     |                        |   |   |                    |
| Statistics.       |                        |   |   |                    |
+-------------------+------------------------+---+---+--------------------+

CHAPTER 5

Future Plans

The analysis in this report suggests that students in two-year
institutions benefited more from the SSS Program than their counterparts
in four-year institutions. For example, more SSS participants in
two-year institutions enrolled during the second year, and more
"first-generation only" students graduated in the second year than BPS
students. The result is less clear among participants in four-year
institutions---the enrollment in their third year and the graduation
rates of the SSS participants were not better than those of students
from disadvantaged backgrounds in general. As explained in chapter 4,
the smaller success rate among four-year institutions could be a result
of differences in the proportion of students actually receiving services
and the distributions of the at-risk populations. This phenomenon will
continue to be tracked in future reports. Furthermore, BPS is planning
to follow a new freshman cohort in the near future which will offer
opportunities for drawing conclusions from comparisons made between the
BPS and the SSS participants of the same time period.

The response rate for participant-level data increased from 96 percent
in 1998--99 to 98 percent in 2001--02 (Table A-1). The percentage of
missing records for degree completed decreased from 47 percent in
1998--99 to 16 percent in 2000--01 (Table A-4). Still, full
understanding of the SSS Program's impact on the participants requires
data that even an error-free APR cannot provide: enrollment and degrees
attained by participants outside of the grantee institution. Adjusting
the persistence rate and graduation rate by financial aid data will be
continued in future reports.

Appendix A

Response Rates and Data Issues

Table A-1 presents the percentage of SSS projects submitting performance
reports and participant records from 1998--99 to 2001--02, by sector.
When compared with the other sectors, private two-year grantees showed
the lowest response rate in submitting the APRs during the 1999--2000
and 2000--01 program years. This may be attributed to the small number
of private two-year grantees included in the population; one
non-responding grantee accounts for a larger percentage than in other
sectors. In the 2001--02 program year, all private two-year grantees
submitted a complete APR. Overall, the APR response rate of
participant-level data has improved from 1998--99 to 2001--02 (from 96
percent to 98 percent).

<table>
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="12">Table A-1. Percentage of SSS projects submitting
aggregate performance reports (“Agg.”) and individual participant
records (“Ind.”), by sector: 1998–99 to 2001–02</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">1998–99</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">1999–00</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">2000–01</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">2001–02</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Sector</td>
<td>Percent Agg.</td>
<td>Percent Ind.</td>
<td></td>
<td>Percent Agg.</td>
<td>Percent Ind.</td>
<td></td>
<td>Percent Agg.</td>
<td>Percent Ind.</td>
<td></td>
<td>Percent Agg.</td>
<td>Percent Ind.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>All sectors</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>96.2</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.0</td>
<td>97.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>97.7</td>
<td>96.9</td>
<td></td>
<td>99.1</td>
<td>98.4</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Public four-year</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>95.9</td>
<td></td>
<td>97.3</td>
<td>96.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>96.6</td>
<td>95.9</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.8</td>
<td>98.5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Private four-year</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>93.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.5</td>
<td>96.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>97.8</td>
<td>97.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.6</td>
<td>97.2</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Public two-year</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>97.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.6</td>
<td>98.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.9</td>
<td>97.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>99.3</td>
<td>98.7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Private two-year</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>94.1</td>
<td>94.1</td>
<td></td>
<td>94.1</td>
<td>94.1</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="12"><p>—Indicates number for the cell is not available.</p>
<p>SOURCE: Data from program files of the U.S. Department of Education,
Federal TRIO Programs, SSS Annual Performance Reports.</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Table A-2 reports the APR response rate by federal region. In general,
the response rates of both grantee-level and student-level data
increased over the four years, but the rates varied by region. The
largest increase in the response rate of aggregate-level data was 6
percent in region II (94 percent in 1998--99 to 100 percent in
2001--02). (Table A-3 shows the states and territories associated with
each region.)

Because most aggregate data were generated from individual-level data,
the quality of the aggregate data depends on the quality of the
individual-level data. Table A-4 reports the percentage of missing cases
and out-of-range values for selected individual-level data elements. As
shown in Table A-4, the percentage of missing or out-of-range values
declined for some items (i.e., date of birth, participant status and the
degree completed) in recent program years. For other items, such as
gender, project entry date, college grade level at entry into project,
and end-of-year enrollment status, the percentage of missing or
out-of-range values increased slightly.

<table style="width:100%;">
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 22%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 2%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="12">Table A-2. Percentage of SSS projects submitting
aggregate performance reports (“Agg.”) and individual participant
records (“Ind.”), by region: 1998–99 to 2001–02</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">1998–99</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">1999–00</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">2000–01</td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="2">2001–02</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Region</td>
<td>Percent Agg.</td>
<td>Percent Ind.</td>
<td></td>
<td>Percent Agg.</td>
<td>Percent Ind.</td>
<td></td>
<td>Percent Agg.</td>
<td>Percent Ind.</td>
<td></td>
<td>Percent Agg.</td>
<td>Percent Ind.</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Region I</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>97.6</td>
<td>97.6</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Region II</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>93.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.7</td>
<td>98.7</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.7</td>
<td>98.7</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Region III</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>95.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.5</td>
<td>98.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>95.5</td>
<td>95.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.6</td>
<td>98.6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Region IV</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>96.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.8</td>
<td>98.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>99.4</td>
<td>99.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.9</td>
<td>98.4</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Region V</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>98.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>98.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.5</td>
<td>98.5</td>
<td></td>
<td>99.3</td>
<td>98.6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Region VI</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>93.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>95.9</td>
<td>93.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>94.8</td>
<td>92.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>99.2</td>
<td>97.7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Region VII</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>98.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>98.3</td>
<td>98.3</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Region VIII</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>98.1</td>
<td></td>
<td>96.2</td>
<td>94.2</td>
<td></td>
<td>96.2</td>
<td>94.2</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Region IX</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>92.1</td>
<td></td>
<td>93.4</td>
<td>93.4</td>
<td></td>
<td>96.1</td>
<td>92.1</td>
<td></td>
<td>95.9</td>
<td>93.8</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Region X</td>
<td>—</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>96.8</td>
<td></td>
<td>100.0</td>
<td>100.0</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="12"><p>—Indicates number for the cell is not available.</p>
<p>SOURCE: Data from program files of the U.S. Department Of Education,
Federal TRIO Programs, SSS Annual Performance Reports.</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

  ------------- ------------------------------------------------------------
  Table A-3.    
  States and    
  territories   
  in each       
  region        

  Region        Associated states and territories

  Region I      Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont

  Region II     New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands

  Region III    Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia,
                and Washington, DC

  Region IV     Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North
                Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee

  Region V      Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin

  Region VI     Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas

  Region VII    Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska

  Region VIII   Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and
                Wyoming

  Region IX     Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Guam, The Commonwealth
                of Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa

  Region X      Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington

  SOURCE: Data  
  from program  
  files of the  
  U.S.          
  Department of 
  Education,    
  Federal TRIO  
  Programs.     
  ------------- ------------------------------------------------------------

The percentage of missing or out-of-range values for degree completed
decreased significantly over the reporting period (Table A-4). Overall,
the percentage decreased more than 30 percentage points, from 47 percent
in 1998--99 to 16 percent in 2001--02, indicating remarkable improvement
in the quality of APR reporting.

+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table A-4. Percentage   |          |          |          |          |
| of student records with |          |          |          |          |
| missing or out-of-range |          |          |          |          |
| values, all sectors:    |          |          |          |          |
| 1998--99 to 2001--02    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Selected data element   | 1        | 1        | 2        | 2        |
|                         | 998--99\ | 999--00\ | 000--01\ | 001--02\ |
|                         | N =      | N =      | N =      | N =      |
|                         | 236,383  | 236,383  | 254,093  | 297,348  |
|                         | ^1^      | ^1^      | ^1^      | ^1^      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Gender                  | 0.1      | 0.2      | 0.1      | 0.7      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Ethnicity               | 2.0      | 1.4      | 1.4      | 1.9      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Date of birth           | 4.4      | 3.0      | 2.6      | 2.3      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| First school enrollment | 8.4      | 8.8      | 8.2      | 8.9      |
| date                    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Project entry date      | 12.4     | 12.6     | 12.9     | 14.6     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Eligibility status      | 1.2      | 1.0      | 1.2      | 1.8      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Participant status      | 0.9      | 2.1      | 0.8      | 0.6      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| College grade level at  | 2.4      | 1.9      | 1.3      | 2.7      |
| entry into project      |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| College grade           | 4.0      | 3.3      | 3.2      | 8.0      |
| level---current         |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Enrollment status---end | 8.6      | 7.3      | 6.1      | 9.9      |
| of year                 |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Degree completed        | 47.4     | 35.7     | 30.2     | 16.3     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^Total number of      |          |          |          |          |
| records found in APR.   |          |          |          |          |
|                         |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from       |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the    |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department of      |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal TRIO |          |          |          |          |
| Programs, SSS Annual    |          |          |          |          |
| Performance Reports.    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

The percentage of missing or out-of-range values on some items was
different for different sectors. As Tables A-5 and A-6 show, the
percentages of invalid first school enrollment date, project entry date,
and end-of-year enrollment status decreased in four-year institutions
but increased in two-year institutions. For example, the percentage of
missing or out-of-range project entry dates for two-year grantees in
2001--02 (15 percent) was more than the percentage recorded in the
1998--99 program year (10 percent).[^18] During the same period, the
percentage of missing or out-of-range project entry dates for the
four-year sector decreased from 17 percent in 1998--99 to 10 percent in
2001--02. Starting in the 2001--02 reporting year, the APR began to
include records for prior participants no longer enrolled. The greater
mobility of students at two-year vs. four-year institutions limits
accurate updating of information for some prior participants no longer
enrolled.

Two-year grantees reduced the percentage of missing or out-of-range
values in student ethnicity from 2 percent in the 1998--99 program year
to 1 percent in the 2001--02 program year. During the same program
years, missing or out-of-range values for ethnicity in four-year grantee
institutions increased from 1 percent to 2 percent.

+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table A-5. Percentage   |          |          |          |          |
| of student records with |          |          |          |          |
| missing or out-of-range |          |          |          |          |
| values, four-year       |          |          |          |          |
| sector: 1998--99 to     |          |          |          |          |
| 2001--02                |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Selected data element   | 1        | 1        | 2        | 2        |
|                         | 998--99\ | 999--00\ | 001--02\ | 001--02\ |
|                         | N =      | N =      | N =      | N =      |
|                         | 144,051  | 159,829  | 157,342  | 178,759  |
|                         | ^1^      | ^1^      | ^1^      | ^1^      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Gender                  | 0.1      | 0.3      | 0.5      | 0.5      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Ethnicity               | 1.4      | 1.8      | 1.7      | 2.4      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Date of birth           | 3.7      | 2.5      | 4.1      | 2.1      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| First school enrollment | 11.0     | 6.4      | 9.2      | 6.5      |
| date                    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Project entry date      | 17.1     | 9.3      | 12.8     | 10.2     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Eligibility status      | 1.4      | 1.0      | 1.0      | 2.2      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Participant status      | 1.3      | 2.4      | 1.2      | 0.8      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| College grade-level at  | 1.8      | 2.0      | 1.4      | 2.7      |
| entry into project      |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| College                 | 2.0      | 4.0      | 2.9      | 8.0      |
| grade-level---current   |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Enrollment status---end | 10.5     | 7.3      | 4.6      | 10.3     |
| of year                 |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Degree completed        | 47.2     | 36.3     | 24.6     | 17.2     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^Total number of      |          |          |          |          |
| records found in APR.   |          |          |          |          |
|                         |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from       |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the    |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department Of      |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal TRIO |          |          |          |          |
| Programs, SSS Annual    |          |          |          |          |
| Performance Reports.    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Table A-6. Percentage   |          |          |          |          |
| of student records with |          |          |          |          |
| missing or out-of-range |          |          |          |          |
| values, two-year        |          |          |          |          |
| sector: 1998--99 to     |          |          |          |          |
| 2001--02                |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Selected data element   | 1        | 1        | 2        | 2        |
|                         | 998--99\ | 999--00\ | 000--01\ | 001--02\ |
|                         | N =      | N =      | N =      | N =      |
|                         | 92,332   | 76,554   | 96,751   | 118,589  |
|                         | ^1^      | ^1^      | ^1^      | ^1^      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Gender                  | 0.1      | 0.2      | 0.0      | 1.0      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Ethnicity               | 2.4      | 0.7      | 0.0      | 1.1      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Date of birth           | 4.8      | 3.7      | 3.1      | 2.7      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| First school enrollment | 6.8      | 12.8     | 6.2      | 12.5     |
| date                    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Project entry date      | 9.5      | 18.1     | 16.1     | 14.7     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Eligibility status      | 1.0      | 0.9      | 0.3      | 1.3      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Participant status      | 0.6      | 1.7      | 0.6      | 0.3      |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| College grade-level at  | 2.8      | 1.9      | 0.3      | 2.7      |
| entry into project      |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| College                 | 5.3      | 2.0      | 0.6      | 8.1      |
| grade-level---current   |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Enrollment status---end | 7.4      | 7.3      | 3.1      | 9.3      |
| of year                 |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| Degree completed        | 48.0     | 34.7     | 24.8     | 14.9     |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
| ^1^Total number of      |          |          |          |          |
| records found in APR.   |          |          |          |          |
|                         |          |          |          |          |
| SOURCE: Data from       |          |          |          |          |
| program files of the    |          |          |          |          |
| U.S. Department Of      |          |          |          |          |
| Education, Federal TRIO |          |          |          |          |
| Programs, SSS Annual    |          |          |          |          |
| Performance Reports.    |          |          |          |          |
+-------------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

The trends in the numbers of awards, the numbers of participants, the
amount of funding, and the average per-person award suggest an
improvement in the scope and quality of service provided by the program
in recent years. The quality of the APR has improved, although efforts
to decrease missing and invalid numbers must be ongoing.

Appendix B

Risk Factors of 1995--96 BPS Freshmen\
from Disadvantaged Backgrounds

The BPS risk index is a score that ranges between 0 to 7 derived from
seven characteristics known to adversely affect persistence and
attainment: delayed enrollment, no high school diploma (including GED
recipients), part-time enrollment, financial independence, having
dependents other than spouse, single parent status, and working
full-time while enrolled (35 hours or more). Table B-1 shows that the
1995--96 BPS freshmen in two-year institutions had higher percentages of
at least one risk factor than did those in four-year institutions.

  ------------------- -------------- --------- ----- -------------- ---------
  Table B-1.                                                        
  Percentage                                                        
  distribution of                                                   
  risk factors of                                                   
  1995--96 BPS                                                      
  freshmen, by type                                                 
  of institution                                                    

                      Four-year                      Two-year       
                      institutions                   institutions   

                      Estimated      Percent         Estimated      Percent
                      population                     population     

  No risk factor      331,000        65.3            192,000        20.4

  At least one risk   159,000        31.4            701,000        74.4
  factor                                                            

  Missing             17,000         3.3             49,000         5.2

  Total               507,000        100.0           942,000        100.0

  SOURCE: U.S.                                                      
  Department of                                                     
  Education, National                                               
  Center for                                                        
  Education                                                         
  Statistics.                                                       
  ------------------- -------------- --------- ----- -------------- ---------

Table B-2 reports the comparison of enrollment rates as reported in
Table 4.09 in chapter 4, using BPS students who had at least one risk
factor. The pattern of higher persistence among SSS participants
continues to the end of the third year even though the difference
narrows. Table B-3 reports the completion rate of bachelor's degree at
the end of fourth year. The completion rate of the SSS 1998--99 cohort
is higher than that of the BPS sample. However, since the distribution
of the at-risk population of the SSS 1998--99 freshmen was not known,
comparisons with those at risk only may not be appropriate. The data are
presented here for reference only.

+--------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+---+
| Table B-2.         |                 |            |   |             |   |
| Comparison of      |                 |            |   |             |   |
| enrollment rates   |                 |            |   |             |   |
| during the second  |                 |            |   |             |   |
| and third year in  |                 |            |   |             |   |
| four-year          |                 |            |   |             |   |
| institutions       |                 |            |   |             |   |
| between the        |                 |            |   |             |   |
| 1998--99 SSS       |                 |            |   |             |   |
| freshmen and the   |                 |            |   |             |   |
| 1995-96 BPS        |                 |            |   |             |   |
| freshmen from      |                 |            |   |             |   |
| disadvantaged      |                 |            |   |             |   |
| backgrounds with   |                 |            |   |             |   |
| at least one risk  |                 |            |   |             |   |
| factor             |                 |            |   |             |   |
+--------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+---+
|                    | Total           | Percent    |   | Percent     |   |
|                    |                 | enrolled   |   | enrolled    |   |
|                    |                 | during     |   | during year |   |
|                    |                 | year 2     |   | 3           |   |
+--------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+---+
| 1998--99 SSS       | 21,068          | 78.8\*\*   |   | 63.5\*\*    |   |
| freshmen           |                 |            |   |             |   |
+--------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+---+
| 1995--96 BPS       | 159,000         | 54.1       |   | 49.8        |   |
| freshmen from      |                 |            |   |             |   |
| disadvantaged      |                 |            |   |             |   |
| backgrounds        |                 |            |   |             |   |
| (estimated         |                 |            |   |             |   |
| population)        |                 |            |   |             |   |
+--------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+---+
| \*\*Indicates the  |                 |            |   |             |   |
| difference between |                 |            |   |             |   |
| the SSS            |                 |            |   |             |   |
| participants and   |                 |            |   |             |   |
| the BPS sample is  |                 |            |   |             |   |
| significant at the |                 |            |   |             |   |
| p \< .01 level.    |                 |            |   |             |   |
|                    |                 |            |   |             |   |
| SOURCE: Data for   |                 |            |   |             |   |
| SSS from the       |                 |            |   |             |   |
| program files of   |                 |            |   |             |   |
| the U.S.           |                 |            |   |             |   |
| Department of      |                 |            |   |             |   |
| Education, Federal |                 |            |   |             |   |
| TRIO Program, SSS  |                 |            |   |             |   |
| Annual Performance |                 |            |   |             |   |
| Reports; data for  |                 |            |   |             |   |
| the BPS from       |                 |            |   |             |   |
| program files of   |                 |            |   |             |   |
| the U.S.           |                 |            |   |             |   |
| Department of      |                 |            |   |             |   |
| Education,         |                 |            |   |             |   |
| National Center    |                 |            |   |             |   |
| for Education      |                 |            |   |             |   |
| Statistics.        |                 |            |   |             |   |
+--------------------+-----------------+------------+---+-------------+---+

+----------------------+----------------------+---+---+-------------------+
| Table B-3.           |                      |   |   |                   |
| Comparison of        |                      |   |   |                   |
| percentage of        |                      |   |   |                   |
| bachelor's degrees   |                      |   |   |                   |
| earned at the end of |                      |   |   |                   |
| the fourth year in   |                      |   |   |                   |
| four-year            |                      |   |   |                   |
| institutions between |                      |   |   |                   |
| the 1998--99 SSS     |                      |   |   |                   |
| freshmen and the     |                      |   |   |                   |
| 1995-96 BPS freshmen |                      |   |   |                   |
| from disadvantaged   |                      |   |   |                   |
| backgrounds with at  |                      |   |   |                   |
| least one risk       |                      |   |   |                   |
| factor               |                      |   |   |                   |
+----------------------+----------------------+---+---+-------------------+
|                      | 1998--99 SSS         |   |   | 1995--96          |
|                      | freshmen\            |   |   | freshmen\         |
|                      | (21,068)             |   |   | (estimated        |
|                      |                      |   |   | population        |
|                      |                      |   |   | 159,000)          |
+----------------------+----------------------+---+---+-------------------+
|                      | Percent              |   |   | Percent           |
+----------------------+----------------------+---+---+-------------------+
| At the end of the    | 13.7\*\*             |   |   | 8.9               |
| fourth year          |                      |   |   |                   |
+----------------------+----------------------+---+---+-------------------+
| \*\*Indicates the    |                      |   |   |                   |
| difference between   |                      |   |   |                   |
| the SSS participants |                      |   |   |                   |
| and the BPS sample   |                      |   |   |                   |
| is significant at    |                      |   |   |                   |
| the p \< .01 level.  |                      |   |   |                   |
|                      |                      |   |   |                   |
| SOURCE: Data for SSS |                      |   |   |                   |
| from the program     |                      |   |   |                   |
| files of the U.S.    |                      |   |   |                   |
| Department of        |                      |   |   |                   |
| Education, Federal   |                      |   |   |                   |
| TRIO Program, SSS    |                      |   |   |                   |
| Annual Performance   |                      |   |   |                   |
| Reports; data for    |                      |   |   |                   |
| the BPS from program |                      |   |   |                   |
| files of the U.S.    |                      |   |   |                   |
| Department of        |                      |   |   |                   |
| Education, National  |                      |   |   |                   |
| Center for Education |                      |   |   |                   |
| Statistics.          |                      |   |   |                   |
+----------------------+----------------------+---+---+-------------------+

Appendix C

Glossary

This glossary contains a listing of terms used in the report. Some of
them are specific to the TRIO program and do not necessarily apply to
other Department of Education programs or grants.

**Academic instruction** falls into two categories: (1) remedial or
developmental courses supported with project funds and which allow the
students to receive institutional credit for successfully completing the
courses; and (2) formal instruction provided for academic support, paid
for with project funds, but which does not qualify for institutional
credit.

**Academic support** is defined as follows:

• **Peer tutoring** means individual or small group tutoring provided by
other students.

• **Professional tutoring** means individual or small group tutoring
provided by a graduate student or a professional staff person.

• **Supplemental instruction** means organized tutoring sessions for
specific courses that are tied directly to the instruction in the
courses.

• **Assisted labs** means academic support or tutoring provided through
a learning center or other formal means.

• **Computer assisted instruction** means academic support or tutoring
provided via computers instead of peer or professional tutors.

• **Study skills classes/workshops** means activities designed to help
students gain the skills needed to succeed in the academic programs of
the institution.

• **Orientation classes/workshops** means sessions or classes that help
students adjust to the institution, and may include help in registering
for courses and familiarizing them with the academic requirements of the
institution.

**Annual Performance Report (APR)** is the program report submitted by
grantees to TRIO annually. The SSS APRs include information describing
the participants, activities and outcomes for the funded programs.

The **Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS)**,
sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for
Education Statistics, is a longitudinal study that follows students who
begin their postsecondary education for the first time. BPS students are
a subsample of the students selected for the *National Postsecondary
Student Aid Study* (NPSAS). These students are asked to provide
information about their experiences during, and transitions through,
postsecondary education and into the labor force, as well as on family
formation.

In the first BPS, about 10,600 students were identified in NPSAS:90 as
being first-time beginning postsecondary students during academic year
1989--90. These students were followed in 1992 (BPS:90/92) and in 1994
(BPS:90/94). A second cohort of 12,085 first-time beginning students was
identified in NPSAS:96, with follow-ups in 1998 (BPS:96/98) and in 2001
(BPS:96/2001). The next cohort was identified in NPSAS:04. See
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/bps/. Comparisons presented in chapter 4 of
this report are based on students from BPS:96/2001.

**BPS freshmen from disadvantaged backgrounds** were selected and
grouped by applying the SSS eligibility criteria to the following BPS
variables:

• Socioeconomic diversity index---DISADVAN

• Analysis weight BPS 96/98---B98AWT

• First institution level 1995--96---ITNPLV

• First institution percent of full-time months 1995--96---FTPCT1

• Parents income---PARINC95

• Parent family size---PBFMSZY1

• Parents highest education---PBEDHI3

• Student have any disabilities---DSANY

Rates of enrollment and degree completed were estimated with the
following BPS variables:

• Cumulative persistence outcome in 1996--97 to 1997--98---PROUTYX2 and
PROUTYX3

• Outcome of enrollment in 1996--97 to 1997--98---PROUTY2 and PROUTY3

**Counseling and mentoring** are defined as follows:

• **Personal counseling** means crisis intervention and assistance with
personal problems and decisions.

• **Academic advising** means assisting students in making educational
plans, selecting appropriate courses, meeting academic requirements, and
planning for graduation and further education.

• **Financial aid counseling** means assisting students individually or
in small groups in completing financial aid applications or in working
with the institution's financial aid office to develop aid packages that
will meet the students' financial needs for attendance at the
institution.

• **Career counseling and employment assistance** mean helping students
learn about career opportunities through written and computerized
information, assessing their career interests and capabilities, and
making occupational plans.

• **Transfer counseling** means assisting students interested in
four-year programs in meeting the academic requirements of those
programs, choosing four-year institutions, and applying for admission
and financial aid at those institutions.

> • **Graduate school counseling** means assisting students in choosing
> graduate or professional programs and applying for admission and
> financial aid for those programs.

• **Professional mentoring** means professionals, other than project
staff, working with project students to expose them to career and other
opportunities available to them.

• **Peer counseling/mentoring** means a variety of support, personal or
academic, provided by other students designed to help project
participants adjust to the institution.

**Cultural and enrichment activities** are defined as follows:

• **Cultural activities** means any project-sponsored activities, such
as field trips, special lectures, and symposia, that have as their
purpose the improvement of the project participants' academic progress
and personal development.

• **Campus visitations** means project-sponsored trips to other
postsecondary institutions for the purpose of acquainting students with
institutions that the project participants may wish to attend to further
their education (i.e., two-year/four-year transfers or graduate and
professional schools).

• **Information workshops** include a variety of short workshops or
seminars (usually a half day or less) on topics that may range from
stress management and test taking to drug and alcohol abuse.

**First-generation college student** means an individual neither of
whose natural or adoptive parents received a baccalaureate degree; or a
student who, prior to the age of 18, regularly resided with and received
support from only one natural or adoptive parent and whose supporting
parent did not receive a baccalaureate degree.

**Individual with disabilities** means a person who has a diagnosed
physical or mental impairment that substantially limits that person's
ability to participate in the educational experiences and opportunities
offered by the grantee institution.

**Low-income individual** means an individual whose family taxable
income did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level amount in the
calendar year preceding the year in which the individual initially
participates in the project. The poverty level amount is determined
using criteria established by the Bureau of the Census of the U.S.
Department of Commerce.

**Objectives** refer to the approved project objectives on persistence,
good academic standing, graduation, transfer, and administrative
requirements.

**Participant status** indicates involvement in the SSS Program for each
student in the reporting year. We describe two types of participant
status---the status as reported by grantees in the APRs and status as
verified by the data. Participant status as reported by grantees could
be one of the following:

• A *new participant* is an individual who participated in the SSS
Program for the first time in the reporting period.

• A *continuing participant* is an individual who participated in the
project in both the current reporting period and in a previous reporting
period.

> • A *prior-year participant* is a former project participant who did
> not participate in the project during the current reporting period.

• A *prior-year participant no longer enrolled* is a former project
participant who did not participate in the project during the current
reporting period and is no longer enrolled at the original grantee
institution.

• *Active participants* include those students whom grantees classify as
"new" and "continuing."

We verified participant status to resolve inconsistencies in this
variable as reported by grantees. Participant status was verified using
prior-year data as described below, and all students reported in each
year were reclassified into one of the following participant groups for
that year: new participant, continuing participant, and prior
participant. We used the following criteria to verify the participation
status of active participants:

• New participants include those students whom grantees classify as
"new" participants and who (a) are not reported in previous years or (b)
have a project entry date in the academic year in which they are
reported as "new."

• Continuing participants include students classified as "continuing"
who (a) are also currently enrolled as an undergraduate and (b) have a
project entry date falling prior to the year in which they are reported
as "continuing."

**Proposed number of students served** is the approved number of
students SSS projects are expected to serve with the funds provided.

Appendix D

Bibliography

U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics
(2002). *Persistence and Attainment of Beginning Students With Pell
Grants* (NCES 2002-169). By C.C. Wei and L. Horn. Washington, DC:
Author.

U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics
(2003). *Community College Students: Goals, Academic Preparation, and
Outcomes*, (NCES 2003-164). By G. Hoachlander, A.C. Sikora, and L. Horn.
Washington, DC: Author.

U.S. Department of Education. Office of Postsecondary Education (2001).
*A Profile of the Student Support Services Program: 1996--97*. By M.W.
Cahalan and A. Overton. Washington, DC: Author.

U.S. Department of Education. Office of Postsecondary Education (2004).
*A Profile of the Student Support Services Program: 1997--98 and
1998--99, with Selected Data from 1999--2000*. By N. Carey, M.W.
Cahalan, K. Cunningham, and J. Agufa. Washington, DC: Author.

[^1]: The Federal TRIO Programs have grown from three to eight since
    they were first authorized in the 1960s and now include Upward Bound
    (1964), Talent Search (1965), Student Support Services (1968),
    Educational Opportunity Centers (1972), Training Program for Federal
    TRIO Programs (1976), Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement
    (1986), Upward Bound Math-Science (1990), and TRIO Dissemination
    Partnership (1998).

[^2]: Among the data quality concerns with the 1996--97 and 1997--98
    data are (1) missing data from 20 percent of grantees in 1996--97
    and 14 percent in 1997--98 and (2) student Social Security numbers
    not collected in 1996--97 and 1997--98, resulting in lower match
    rates with subsequent data files and with the Title IV financial aid
    records.

[^3]: Chaney, B., Muraskin, L.D., Cahalan, M.W., and Goodwin, D. (1998).
    Helping the Progress of Disadvantaged Students in Higher Education:
    The Federal Student Support Services Program. *Educational
    Evaluation and Policy Analysis*, 20(3), 197--215.

[^4]: Title IV financial aid data for 2001--02 were not available at the
    time of the analysis.

[^5]: Figures in this chapter are aggregated from Section III of the APR
    that reports grant-level data, not individual level data as in the
    next chapter.

[^6]: The sample size was determined by the desired power of the
    analysis (set at 90 percent in this case) for detecting the minimum
    difference desired (set at 10 percent in this case).

[^7]: Refer to Appendix C for a description on the verification of
    participant status.

[^8]: In 2001, for example, the poverty threshold for a family of four
    was \$17,650. Thus the 150 percent income limit was \$26,475.

[^9]: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education
    Statistics. *Digest of Education Statistics*, 2002, NCES 2003--060,
    by Thomas D. Snyder. Production Manager, Charlene M. Hoffman.
    Washington, DC: 2003.

[^10]: In 2001--02, six new potential reasons were added: "student did
    not apply," "student applied too late," "student defaulted on
    federal student loans," "student withdrew," "student failed to
    provide requested information," and "not applicable." To make the
    new reasons in 2001--02 comparable with those in earlier reporting
    years, these six reasons were grouped into "other reasons or no
    response."

[^11]: Title IV financial aid data report degrees completed at the time
    of aid application, which is usually before May of each year.
    Degrees earned after filing for financial aid are not captured in
    these data. In addition, degrees other than bachelor's degrees are
    not recorded.

[^12]: Heller, D.E. (2001). Trends in the Affordability of Public
    Colleges. The Contradiction of Increasing Prices and Increasing
    Enrollment. In D.E. Heller (Ed.), *The States and Public Higher
    Education Policy: Affordability, Access, and Accountability* (pp.
    11--38). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

[^13]: Manski, C., and Wise, D. (1983). *College Choice in America*.
    Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

[^14]: McDonough, P.M. (1997). *Choosing Colleges: How Social Class and
    Schools Structure Opportunity*. New York:\
    SUNY Press.

[^15]: More information of BPS data is available from Web site:
    http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/bps. The first two reports listed in
    Appendix D used BPS data.

[^16]: Please refer to Appendix B for a description of the BPS risk
    factors.

[^17]: Enrollment and degree completion rates for the BPS four-year
    institution students who had risk scores greater than zero were much
    lower than those of the SSS participants. Please see Appendix B,
    Table B-2 for more details. Because the distribution of the risk
    scores among the SSS participants is unknown, a direct comparison of
    the program outcomes between SSS participants with the BPS sample
    who had risk scores greater than zero is not valid, even though it
    is reasonable to hypothesize that the results would favor the SSS
    Program.

[^18]: The APR does not define a valid cutpoint for project entry date.
    In this report, project entry dates started longer than 22 years ago
    are arbitrarily considered invalid. It is possible that a
    participant's project entry date was reported 22 years ago, as
    he/she started SSS Program at 18 years old and reentered after 40
    years old, but this case is rare and more likely subject to
    reporting error. For this reason, a project entry date reported as
    more than 22 years ago was considered as out-of-range or invalid.