OMB Approval No: 1840-0525

Expiration Date: XX/XX/2017

Student Support Services (SSS) Program

Instructions for Completing the 2013-14 Annual Performance Report (APR) 

Background Information on the Student Support Services APR

The Department of Education (Department) uses the information provided in the performance 

report to assess a grantee’s progress in meeting its approved goals and objectives and to 

determine a grantee’s prior experience points in accordance with the SSS program regulations 

(34 CFR Part 646). The following outline is provided to answer questions you may have about 

the APR submission.

Who

 All grantees funded under the SSS Program must submit an annual performance report as 

a condition of the grant award.

What

 The APR consists of two sections, and all grantees will be required to complete both 

sections. Section I gathers project information and Section II gathers detailed 

information on SSS participants as defined in 34 CFR 646.3.

 The project and individual participant information provided in the report must cover the 

12-month academic year of the grantee institution instead of the 12-month budget/project 

year for the grant. For example, the 2013-14 academic year is roughly August/September 

2013 through August 2014 while the budget/project year for most SSS grants is 

September 1, 2013, through August 31, 2014.

As such, three possible scenarios are described below:

Scenario 1: The grantee institution’s fall term begins in August/September 2014 and the 

new participants for the 2014-2015 academic year were enrolled during the summer of 2014, 

but significant project services began at the beginning of the fall term 2014. These SSS 

participants should not be included on the 2013-14 APR; they should be reported as “new” 

participants on the 2014-15 APR. 

Scenario 2: The SSS student was enrolled at the grantee institution for the first time during 

the 2014summer term and/or participated in a formal summer academic program offered by

the SSS project for new SSS participants. These individuals should be included on the 2013-

14 APR and reported as a “new summer participant” - option 8 or 9 and are part of the 2014-

15 cohort.
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Scenario 3: The SSS student was accepted for enrollment at the grantee institution and 

received significant pre-enrollment services (i.e., academic advising, assistance with class 

selection and registration, orientation workshops, financial aid advising) from the project 

during the summer prior to enrolling at the institution. This may include transfer students. 

These individuals should be included on the 2013-14 APR and reported as “new summer 

participant” - option 8 or 9 these students are part of the subsequent year’s cohort (i.e. 2014-

15).

 For 4-year institutions, a project must retain the participant records for six (6) years from 

the time of first service. For example, a student who was first served by the project in 2008-

09, needs to be kept on the data file through 2013-14. Note that any participant first served 

prior to 2008-09 can be dropped from the data file.

 For 2-year institutions, a project must retain the participant records for four (4) years from 

the time of first service. For example, a student who was first served by the project in 2010-

11, needs to be kept on the data file through 2013-14. Note that any participant first served 

prior to 2010-11 can be dropped from the data file.

o Note: The time periods above are necessary to accurately calculate and report on 

the completion objectives.

When:

The annual performance report (APR) must be submitted within 90 days after the end of 

each 12-month budget period. 

Where:

 The annual performance report (APR) must be submitted via the Web application.

Because the APR requests personal and confidential information on project participants; 

the secured Web site meets the Department of Education’s data security standards for 

sensitive data, including password and site access procedures. Further, to ensure that the 

data is accessible only to authorized individuals and protected from unauthorized uses, a 

grantee must submit the participant level data via the Web application; under no 

circumstances should a grantee transmit the data to the Department or the APR Help 

Desk via e-mail. 

 The link to the actual Web application will be available on November XX, 2014, at the 

following Web address: http://www.ed.gov/programs/triostudsupp/report.html.

 Web application registration and features are provided below.

Why:

 Title IV, Section 402D, of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended; the program 

regulations in 34 CFR Part 646; and 34 CFR Sections 75.590 and 75.720 of the 

Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) requires the 

collection of this information.
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How:

 By constructing a tab delimited (.csv) or Excel (.xls or .xlsx) file that contains all of the 

individual participant information requested in Section II of the APR which is the Record 

Structure for Participants. The file must mirror the order of the field name and the 

content of the database column name. 

o Sections I, Part 1-Project Identification/Characteristics Certification and Warning

Statements

o Section I, Part 2-Project Required Services

o II.A. Project Identifiers (pre-populated)

o II.B. Participant’s Demographic Information, Eligibility and Cohort Status, and 

Project Entry Information

o II.C. Participant’s Status and Academic Status

o II.D. Participant’s Academic Progress/Persistence

o II.E. Participant’s Student Financial Assistance

o II.F. Additional Participant Information

 In constructing your data file, all date fields must be formatted as follows: 2 digits for 

month; 2 digits for day; 4 digits for year. Also, slashes must be used between the month, 

day and year (e.g., 09/01/2012). 

 If you do not know the exact date, use the day and use your best estimate for the month.

 All SSS grantees must complete the APR online using the Web application. 

Web Registration:

 Go to https://trio.ed.gov/sss

 Click on " Register Here Each Year,"

 Enter the project's PR award number (found on the Grant Award Notification),

 Enter project director’s e-mail address, 

 Enter project director's first and last names,

 Select and answer two security questions,

 If the project director’s information matches the data that the Department currently has 

on file, a user ID and temporary password will be sent to the e-mail address on file. 

 If the project director’s information does not match the data that the Department currently 

has on file, you will be directed to a "Registration Failed" page. Your program specialist 

and the Help Desk will be sent an e-mail message requesting verification of project 

director. Verification will occur within 24 hours if the program specialist can readily 

confirm a change in project director or e-mail address. Once the Help Desk has received 

verification from the program specialist, you will be notified to continue with 

registration.

 You may enter the user ID and temporary password below the “Register Here Each 

Year” link. 

 You will be guided to select a new password. Password requirements are:

o at least eight characters, and include combinations of the following,

o at least one English uppercase character (A-Z),

o at least one English lowercase character (a-z),

o at least one numeric number (0-9), and

o at least one non-alphanumeric special character (e.g., :, !, @, , $, &, *, %, /, +, -).
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 If you forget your password, a "Forgot Password" link is available on the log-in page. 

The link will route you to a screen that will allow you to retrieve your password by 

answering the two security questions you provided at initial registration. Once you 

answer the two security questions, your password will be sent to the email on file.

 After three failed attempts to access the Web site, you will be locked out and must call

the Help Desk at 703-846-8248 to obtain access.

Web Features:

 A Web form for completing Sections I and II, online. 

 Access to the grantee’s previous year’s APR data. A grantee may choose to download from the 

secured Web site its prior year’s APR data as a comma-separated value (CSV) or as an Excel 

(XLS) spreadsheet.

 Functionality to upload a file with the individual participant records (Section II) to the Web 

application using a CSV or XLS file format. 

 Functionality to view/delete/add participant data online.

 Online data field validations and error checks. In order for a grantee to be able to submit the 

APR, all sections of the APR must pass the first level of data field validations. Following the 

initial submission of the participant data, additional data quality checks will be run. If any errors 

or data inconsistencies are found, the grantee will be informed of needed corrections and the due 

date for resubmitting the Section II data.

 A print button to make a hard copy of the information entered online for Section I. 

 Functionality to upload a scanned signed copy of Section I using the online Web application.

 Functionality to download an electronic file with the individual participant records (Section II).

 A submit button to send the entire report to the Department.

 An e-mail confirmation that the report has been submitted (a valid e-mail address must be 

provided in Section I, Part 1).

Contact the Help Desk or your program specialist if you:

 have technical problems accessing the Web site or using the Web application,

 do not receive an e-mail confirmation,

 need to revise your performance report data after it has been submitted but prior to the 

deadline date, (December XX, 2014), and or

 have questions regarding the performance report requirements.

Contact Information:

 APR Help Desk at (703) 846-8248 or via e-mail at: generaltrio@cbmiweb.com. 

 Program Specialist—Use the State listing provided at: 

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/triostudsupp/staff.html
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Student Support Services (SSS) Program

Specific Instructions for Completing the Performance Report

For 2013-14

SECTION I, Part 1—Project Identification, Characteristics, Certification and Warning 

Statements

A. Project Identification 

1. Pre-populated 

2. Pre-populated 

3. Pre-populated 

4. Pre-populated 

5. Pre-populated

6. Pre-populated

7. Enter the project address

B. Project Director and Data Entry Contact Information 

8a. Pre-populated

8b. Pre-populated

8c. Pre-populated

8d. Pre-populated

9a. Enter the data entry contact first and last name

9b. Enter the data entry contact telephone number 

9c. Enter the data entry contact email address 

C. Project Characteristics

10a. Select whether or not the project has a “Summer Bridge Program?”

10b. If Yes in 10a, then enter number of summer bridge participants

10c. Select whether or not the project “Used Federal grant funds to provide Grant Aid?”

10d. Select whether or not the school is required to provide matching funds for Grant Aid.

10e. If yes in 10d, enter the dollar amount matched for the reporting period. 

10f. Select whether or not institutional or other non-federal funds were received. 

10g. If yes in 10f, enter the dollar amount for the reporting period. Institutional and other non-federal 

funds are monetary contributions (e.g., cash). Please do not include in-kind support such as goods 

(e.g., supplies, equipment, etc.).

D. Certification 

Signatures for the both the project director and the certifying official are required in this section. 

You must upload a scanned signed copy of Section I using the online Web application. If you 

are not able to upload Section I, you may fax a signed copy of the report form to 703-832-1360. 

With the exception of Section I, Part 1 of the report, please do not send a paper copy of the 

performance report.
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SECTION I, Part 2—Project Services

Enter the number of participants who received the required services. A participant may be 

counted only one time in each category. For example, if the number of participants served is 

140, none of services should have a number exceeding 140.

Definitions That Apply

Academic Need with reference to a student means a student whom the grantee determines needs 

one or more of the services stated under 646.4 to succeed in a postsecondary educational program.

Continuing participant is an individual who was served by the SSS project in a prior reporting period and 

also received services in the 2013-14 reporting period. This includes a reentry participant (receiving

project services) who left the grantee institution in a previous reporting period, then reentered the 

institution and was served by the project in 2013-14.

Current participant is defined as a participant who was served by the project during the 

reporting period. (field 22, options 1, 2, 8 and 9)

Dual degree program is a program of study that awards an individual both the bachelor’s and a graduate 

degree upon successful completion of the program of study.

Equivalent of bachelor’s degree is to be used only for SSS participants enrolled in dual degree program 

that have completed four years of undergraduate study and are working towards a graduate degree.

Ethnicity/Race

 Hispanic or Latino - A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or 

other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. 

 American Indian or Alaska Native - American Indian/Alaskan Native refers to a person 

having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central 

America), and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment. 

 Asian - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, 

and the Indian subcontinent. This area includes, for example, China, India, Japan, Korea, and 

the Philippine Islands. 

 Black or African American - A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of 

Africa. 

 White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the 

Middle East. 

 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – A person having origins in any of the original 

peoples of Hawaii or other Pacific islands such as Samoa and Guam. 
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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 as defined by ADA Amendments Act of 2008 means a person who has a:

(a) physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such an 

individual, and

(b) record of such an impairment, or 

(c) being regarded as having such an “impairment.”

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

participated 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. 

New participant is an individual who was served by the SSS project for the first time in this reporting 

period (PY 2013-14) and meets the definition of participant in 34 CFR 646.7(c) of the SSS program 

regulations.

New participant--summer session only is an individual served by the SSS project for the first time during 

the summer session preceding the participant’s first academic year at the grantee institution (i.e., served 

during summer 2014 prior to the 2014-15 academic year). This student is thus part of the next year’s 

cohort (i.e., field 21, option “15”). This definition does not include a student enrolled at the grantee 

institution prior to the summer session but who received services from the SSS project for the first time 

during the summer 2014. This individual would meet the definition of “new participant” (field 22, option 

“1,” and would be in the 2013-14 cohort (field 21, option “14”).

Hint: A participant who is a “new participant—summer session only” (option “8” or “9”) in the 2013-

14 APR should be coded as a “new participant” (option “1”) on the 2014-15 APR. 

Number of participants receiving service that was provided by project is defined as those participants 

that were offered services by the project and subsequently received services from the project. This figure 

does not include participants that were offered services by the project but declined them (e.g., due to lack 

of need, participant refused the service, etc.).

Number of participants referred to another service provider is defined as those participants that were 

offered services by the project but were subsequently referred to another service provider. Note that the 

Department is not asking projects to report on whether participants actually received services from the 

service provider or for projects to follow-up with these participants to ensure services were rendered. The 

Department is only requesting that the grantee report on the number of participants that were referred to 

another service provider.
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Participant means an individual who –

 Is determined to be eligible to participate in the project under 34 CFR 646.3; and

 Received project services the grantee has determined to be sufficient to increase the individual’s 

chances for success in a postsecondary educational program. 

HINT: A project should use the SSS Program’s regulatory definition of a project participant in 

34 CFR 646.7(c) to determine which project participants should be included on the data file.

Prior-year participant enrolled at grantee institution is an individual served by the SSS project in a prior 

reporting period that was enrolled at the grantee institution during the current reporting period but did not 

receive project services on a continual basis during the reporting period. This definition includes a prioryear participant who received a certificate/diploma from a program that is less than two years and is 

pursuing an associate’s degree at the grantee institution. 

Prior-year participant not enrolled at the grantee institution is an individual who was not enrolled at the 

grantee institution during the 2013-14 academic year. This includes a reentry participant (not receiving 

project services) who left the grantee institution in a previous reporting period, then reentered the 

institution and was not served by the project in 2013-14. 

SSS grant aid is financial grant aid that a SSS project may award to current year participants in the project 

who are in their first two years of postsecondary education and who are receiving Federal Pell Grants. 

Grant aid may be awarded to students who have completed their first two years of postsecondary 

education and are receiving Federal Pell Grants, if the institution demonstrates that these students are at 

high-risk of dropping out and the financial needs of all its eligible first and second-year students have been 

met. For this reporting period, individual grant aid awards should not be less than the minimum Pell 

Grant award of $582 nor exceed the maximum Pell grant award of $5,645.

Student Cohort Year for the purpose of determining a project’s Prior Experience (PE) points means the 

year in which the participant was first served. NOTE: An individual student is a member of the same 

cohort for reporting purposes even if that student leaves the program and reenters at a later time. A

student remains in the same cohort for each successive year.

Summer Bridge Program is a program that provides participants with service and activities, including 

college courses, which aids in the transition from secondary to postsecondary education. HINT: This 

service is typically provided to SSS participants who have graduated from high school and intend to enroll 

in postsecondary education in the fall term.
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SECTION II: PARTICIPANT RECORD STRUCTURE

Before you begin, please familiarize yourself with the participant data fields and the “Definitions 

That Apply.” The SSS participant record structure contains thirty-eight (38) data fields. 

The first two fields are project identifiers. The remaining 36 fields are student data fields and 

may or may not require or allow updates as noted with an “X” below.

Field 

Field Name You 

cannot 

update

You 

should 

not have 

to update

You 

may

update

1 Pr/Award Number X

2 Batch Year X

3 Social Security Number X

4 Student’s Last Name X

5 Student’s First Name X

6 Student’s Middle Initial X

7 Student’s Date of Birth X

8 Gender X

9 Ethnicity—Hispanic X

10 Race—American Indian/Alaskan Native X

11 Race—Asian X

12 Race—Black or African American X

13 Race—White X

14 Race—Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander X

15 Eligibility X

16 Academic Need X

17 First Enrollment Date X

18 Date of First Project Service X

19 College grade level (entry into project) X

20 Enrollment Status (in academic year first served) X

21 Student’s Cohort Year X

22 Participant Status (during academic year being reported) X

23 Enrollment Status

(at the end of the academic year being reported) X

24 Academic Standing X

25 Cumulative GPA X

26 College Grade Level (at the beginning of the academic 

year) X

27 College Grade Level (at the end of the academic year) X

28 Date of Last Project Service X

29 Reason for Withdrawal or Not Returning X

30 Transfers X
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Field 

Field Name You 

cannot 

update

You 

should 

not have 

to update

You 

may

update

31 Undergraduate Degree/Certificate completed at grantee 

Institution X

32 Date of Undergraduate Degree/Certificate X

33 Field of Study Degree/Certificate Earned X

34 Persistence Status (at the beginning of the 2014-15 

academic year) X

35 Amount of Financial Aid Received X

36 Amount of SSS Grant Aid Awarded X

37 Participant Name Change X

38 Student Case Number X

You cannot update means once the information has been provided you cannot change the 

response in subsequent reporting years.

You should not have to update means that once you provide a response, you should not need to 

update the field unless the response was incorrect or the response in a previous reporting period 

was “Unknown” but you now have new information.

You may update means that you may have to update the information if the status of the 

participant has changed. For example, if in a previous reporting period you indicated the 

participant was “1=Full-time (at least 24 credit hours or 36 clock hours in an academic year

(i.e., field 23, option 1) but in this reporting period the participant is no longer enrolled, you 

would need to update the response from “1=Full-time (at least 24 credit hours or 36 clock hours 

in an academic year to “9=Not applicable (prior year participants no longer enrolled).
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Instructions for Participant Data File

II.A. Project Identifiers

Field 1—PR/Award Number (Pre-populated) 

Field 2—Batch Year (Pre-populated)

II.B. Participant’s Personal Data, Demographic Information, Eligibility and Cohort Status, and

 Project Entry Information 

Field 3—Enter the student’s Social Security Number (SSN). If a project does not know a 

student’s SSN, leave it blank or enter zeros, “000000000.” Once you provide the SSN, you 

cannot change nor update it in subsequent reporting years.

Field 4—Enter the Student’s Last Name. Once you provide the student’s last name, you 

cannot change nor update it in subsequent reporting years.

Field 5—Enter the Student’s First Name. Once you provide the student’s first name, you 

cannot change nor update it in subsequent reporting years.

Field 6—Enter the Student’s Middle Initial. 

Field 7—Enter the Student’s Date of Birth. Once you provide the student’s date of birth, you 

cannot change nor update it in subsequent reporting years.

Field 8—Select the Student’s Gender. This field may be updated. 

Field 9—Select whether or not the participant is identified/self-identifies as Hispanic/Latino. 

Field 10—Select whether or not the participant is identified/self-identifies as American 

Indian/Alaskan Native.

Field 11—Select whether or not the participant is identified/self-identifies as Asian.

Field 12—Select whether or not the participant is identified/self-identifies as Black or African 

American.

Field 13—Select whether or not the participant is identified/self-identifies as White.

Field 14—Select whether or not the participant is identified/self-identifies as Native Hawaiian or 

Pacific Islander.

Field 15—Select the participant’s eligibility status. (For additional information, please refer to 

“Definitions That Apply”)

Field 16—Select the participant’s academic need at entry into the project.

Field 17—Enter the participant’s date of first enrollment at the grantee institution. The enrollment 

date is the date when the participant has completed the registration requirements, paid their tuition 

and fees and attends first day of classes at the grantee institution. Since a student accepted for 

enrollment at the grantee institution may receive services from the SSS project, the school enrollment 

date may be after the project entry date and/or the date of first project service.

Field 18—Enter the participant’s date of first project service. 
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Field 19—Select the participant’s college grade level at the time of project entry. In determining the 

student’s postsecondary grade level, use the criteria of the grantee institution regarding grade level 

classifications and academic standing. Most postsecondary institutions use credits earned and grade 

point average to determine the college grade level. For students who have earned college credits 

during high school or through placement testing but have not previously been enrolled in college, use 

option “1 = 1

st year, never attended.” However, in determining these students college grade level at 

the end of the reporting year (field 27), count the earned credits in determining the end of the 

reporting year grade level.

HINT: For fields 19, 26 and 27, to ensure uniformity in reporting, two-year institutions should use 

first-year (freshman) and second-year (sophomores) to designate the college grade levels of their 

participants 

Field 20—Select the participant’s enrollment status in academic year first served. Once you 

report the enrollment status, do not change it in subsequent reporting years.

HINT: The purpose of this field is to calculate the performance measures for SSS projects (i.e., the 

GPRA persistence and graduation rates) for cohorts of full-time, freshman participants who enrolled 

at the grantee institution in a particular year. Therefore, please enter the enrollment status of the 

participant in the academic year the participant was first served. 

Field 21—Select the participant’s cohort year that coincides with the academic year the participant 

was first served by the SSS project.

Note: A “new” participant served only during the 2014 summer session and not previously enrolled 

in postsecondary education would be in the 2014-15 cohort year (option “16”). Option “16” should 

only be used for an individual served by the project for the first time in the 2014 summer session 

preceding the participant’s first academic year (i.e., 2014-15) at the grantee institution. Therefore, if 

option 8 or 9 was selected in field 22—Participant Status, then you must select option 16 in field 21.

A student enrolled at the grantee institution prior to the summer 2014 but who received services from 

the SSS project for the first time during the summer 2014 would be in the 2013-14 cohort year 

(option “15”).

All other new participants served for the first time in the 2013-14 reporting period would be in the 

2013-14 cohort year (option “15”).

Important: Grantees are not allowed to increase cohorts that have already been verified or 

have been established based on information provided in their 2012-13 APR reporting period. 

 If you served a student whose participant status in the 2013-14 reporting period is 

“Continuing” and you did not include this student in your 2012-13 APR data file, you must 

select option 17.

 If you have prior-year participants (field 22, options 3 and 4) who were not in your 2012-13 

APR data file, you either must delete the record or select option 17. 

Under NO circumstances should you be selecting a cohort (options 1, 7 – 16) if either of the above 

conditions apply. Keep in mind that the cohort is based on first served; therefore, once served for the 

first time the student’s cohort cannot change in future reporting periods.
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II.C. PARTICIPANT’S STATUS AND ACADEMIC STATUS

Field 22—Select the participant’s status. 

Field 23—Select the participant’s enrollment status at end of the academic year.

This field provides information on a participant’s annual progress toward graduation and can also be 

used to identify groups of full-time and less than full-time students. A grantee should report the 

enrollment status equivalent for the academic year based on credits or clock hours enrolled in for the 

full academic year (fall through summer terms). For example, a student would be classified as a fulltime student if he/she enrolled in 24 semester credits during the academic year being reported even if 

the student did not earn 12 credits each semester. 

To determine a participant’s enrollment status, use the sum of the credit or clock hours a student was 

enrolled in at the end of each academic term during the reporting year (i.e., sum of credits or clock 

hours enrolled in at the end of the fall, spring, and summer terms). Do not count the credit or clock 

hours the student officially dropped during any of the terms in the calculation of enrollment status. 

Please note that the enrollment status is based on the number of hours a student ENROLLED in, not 

the number of hours the student earned. If a student received an “Incomplete” or failed the course, 

those hours should be included in the number of hours a student enrolled. Courses that are audited 

are not counted towards the number of hours enrolled. 

Three examples follow:

Scenario 1: A student is enrolled for 9 credit hours (three-quarter time) for 3 semesters enrolling for 

a total of 27 credit hours for the academic year. Since full-time status is 24 credits for the academic 

year, the student would be reported as a full-time student (option 1).

Scenario 2: A student is enrolled for 9 credit hours in the fall semester and 15 credits in the spring 

semester enrolling for a total of 24 credits. Since full-time status is 24 credits for the academic year, 

the student would be reported as a full-time student (option 1).

Scenario 3: A student is enrolled for 9 credits in both the fall and spring semesters enrolling for a 

total of 18 credits. Since 18 credits equal three-quarters of the full-time equivalent, the student would 

be reported as a three-quarter time students for the reporting year (option 2).

If you do not know the enrollment status of a student, use “0-Unknown/No response.” If the 

individual is a prior-year participant no longer enrolled select option 9. Select option 10 only for 

students whose participant status in field 22 was option 9. 

Field 24—Select the participant’s academic standing.

Field 25—Enter the participant’s Cumulative GPA.
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II.D. ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND PERSISTENCE

Field 26—Select the participant’s college grade level at the beginning of the academic year.

Field 27—Select the participant’s current college grade level at the end of the academic year.

Field 28—Enter date of the participant’s last project service.

Field 29—Select the reason the participant withdrew or did not return.

Field 30—Select the participant’s transfer status.

HINT: Use option 8 if the participant is still enrolled at the grantee institution, completed certificate 

program, or graduated with an associate’s (but did not transfer) or graduated with a bachelor’s degree. 

Use option 9 if the participant withdrew, did not return, was called for military service, or is 

deceased.

Field 31—Select the participant’s degree status at grantee institution during the 2013-14 academic 

year. 

HINT: Generally, once you report the degree status, do not change it in subsequent reporting periods 

as doing so may impact your Prior Experience (PE) points for the completion objective. For 

additional guidance, refer to the instructions provided in the Record Structure.

Field 32—Enter the date the participant attained the degree or certificate.

For current and prior-year participants who obtained a certificate or degree during the reporting 

period, provide the date the certificate or degree was awarded. If you do not know the exact date, 

use 15 for the day and use your best estimate for the month.

Field 33—Select the Field of Study the participant earned the degree or certificate.

For a detailed list of the field of study refer to Appendix A at the end of the instructions booklet.

Field 34—Select participant’s persistence status at the beginning of the 2014-15 academic year.

Field 34 provides the data needed to determine, on an annual basis, the extent to which the grantee has 

met its approved persistence objective (i.e., for prior experience points) for the academic year as well 

as to determine the performance measures (e.g., GPRA) for cohorts of full-time, freshman participants

who enrolled at the grantee institution in a particular year. Since the persistence objective measures 

the persistence of SSS participants from one academic year to the next at the grantee institution, it is 

necessary to know whether participants served in the current reporting year (i.e. 2013-14) enrolled at 

the grantee institution by the fall of the next academic year (i.e., Fall 2014). Please note that you 

must update field 34 every year.

II.E. STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Field 35- Enter the amount of financial aid received as determined by the financial aid office. Do not 

include the amount of the expected family contribution or the amount of SSS Grant Aid.

Field 36 – Enter the amount of SSS grant aid awarded for the 2013-14 project year.
15

II.F. ADDITIONAL PARTICIPANT INFORMATION

Field 37 – Enter the participant’s full name, if the participant changed their name (i.e. first and last 

name).

This a new field and is optional. If the participant changed their name and you need this information 

to assist you in further tracking the participant, please enter the participant’s full name (i.e., first and 

last name). If the participant’s name is the same as provided in fields 4 and 5, you may leave this 

field blank. The information in this field can be changed in subsequent reporting periods.

Field Number 38 – Student’s Case Number

This new field “Student Case Number” is a TRIO generated number and is one of several “match 

keys” that assists in tracking participants across reporting periods. TRIO will assign a student case 

number to each participant record. Grantees may download the EXCEL file with this information 

from the APR web application for use in matching and tracking their participants.
1

APPENDIX	A

List of Major Fields of Study

Humanities

Area/ethnic/cultural/gender studies Liberal arts, sciences and humanities

Arts--visual and performing Philosophy and religious studies

English language and literature/letters Visual and performing arts

Foreign languages/literature/linguistics Theology and religious vocations

History

Social/Behavioral Sciences

Anthropology Political Science & Government

Criminology Public Policy

Criminal Justice & Corrections Psychology

Economics Social Sciences/General/Other

Geography Sociology

International Relations & Affairs Urban Affairs Studies

Linguistics

Life Sciences

Agriculture & Related Sciences Multi-interdisciplinary Studies

Biological & Biomedical Sciences (e.g., 

Anatomy, Microbiology, Zoology, Ecology, 

etc.)

Natural Resources & Conservation

Environmental Science Natural Sciences

Food Science Parks, Recreation, & Fitness Studies

Forest/Resource & Management Plant Sciences

Forest Science & Biology Soil Sciences

Forest Science & Technology Wild Life/Range Management

Physical Sciences

Astronomy

Atmospheric Science & Meteorology

Chemistry

Geological & Earth Sciences

Ocean/Marine Sciences

Physics

Mathematics

Algebra Logic

Applied Mathematics Statistics

Geometry/Geometric Analysis Topology/Foundations

Computer/Information Sciences

Computer Science

Information Science & Systems

Engineering
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Aerospace, Aeronautical & Astronautical Environmental/Health

Agricultural Engineering Industrial/Manufacturing

Bioengineering/Biomedical Mechanical 

Chemical Metallurgical

Civil Mining & Mineral

Computer Nuclear

Electrical, Electronics, & Communications Ocean

Engineering Management & Administration Petroleum & Natural Gas

Engineering Physics Polymer & Plastics

Engineering Science Systems Engineering

Teacher Education (Teacher Prep)

Adult & Continuing Tech Ed

Elementary & Secondary Education

Pre-elementary & Early Childhood

Special Education

Education--Research & Administration

Counseling/Guidance Educational Statistics/Research Methods

Curriculum & Instruction Higher Education/Evaluation & Research

Educational Administration/Supervision Special Education Research

Educational Assessment/Testing/Measurement

Educational Instruction/Media Design

Business Management

Accounting International Business/Trade/Commerce

Banking/Financial Support Services Marketing, Management, & Research

Business Administration & Management Management Information Systems/Business 

Statistics

Managerial Economics

Finance

Human Resources

Health Professions and Related Sciences

Environmental Health Epidemiology

Environmental Toxicology Health Systems/Services Administration

Medical/Pharmaceutical Kinesiology/Exercise Science

Nursing Public Health

Speech-Language, Pathology & Audiology Rehabilitative/Therapeutic Sciences

Veterinary Sciences Medical Technology

Vocational/Technical

Science technologies/technicians Precision production

Security and protective services Transportation and materials moving

Construction trades
3

Mechanic and repair technologies

Communication/Journalism/Technologies

Communication Theory Mass Communication/Media Studies

Film, Radio, TV & Digital Communication General Communication

Other Technical/Professional

Architecture and related services Library science

Personal and culinary services Military technologies

Family and consumer/human sciences Public administration and social service

Legal professions and studies