It is a program designed to help Kaskaskia College students make the most of their college years by offering the counseling and academic support that may be needed to successfully complete a college degree.  Student Support Services is a grant developed in 1965 under Title IV of the Higher Education and Cooperation Act and is administered by the US Department of Education. There are over 700 SSS programs serving college students nationwide.  Kaskaskia College was awarded a TRIO grant for the SSS program for the first time in 1997.  A recent study conducted by the US Department of Education, which traced 5800 TRIO SSS students in their first year of college, found that the TRIO students were more than twice as likely to complete their first year of college as the comparison group.  KC's SSS program is called Student Success.

Federal eligibility guidelines include:

• First generation college student (neither parent has completed a bachelor's degree) 
• Student who meets federal income guidelines
• Learning/Physically disabled students 
• U.S. Citizen or holder of a residential visa

Anyone who is enrolled at Kaskaskia College, or soon will be, may apply for admittance into the Student Success Program. Simply stop by the SSP office in the Success Center and fill out an application. The SSP staff will review the application and notify you within two weeks if you are eligible.

• We can provide assistance with choosing classes that fulfill your program requirements as well as transfer to a 4-year institution. Our staff will also help you fill out your schedule each semester.  
• SSP staff works closely with the KC Career Center to provide guidance in selecting a career.  We believe that selecting a career is an essential step to your success in college.  It gives you a target to aim for with your class selection and with future goals.  
• By finding out your best means of learning new things, we can help you to better study and learn the subject matter you need to be successful in your classes.  
• Attending the SSP workshops will enhance your potential for success in your classes.  Sometimes students get through high school without learning how to study or get the information they need from the lecture or reading the textbook. SSP workshops can help by offering information about areas that supplement what you learn in class, including:
• Time Management   
• Critical Thinking   
• Computer Literacy   
• Resume Writing       
• Test Anxiety   
• Study Habits   
• Math Anxiety
• Due to the remote location of Kaskaskia College, SSP offers opportunities to learn about customs, traditions, ethnicity, and artistic form that you may not have had the chance to experience. During the academic year we offer trips to art museums, the theater, historical places, ethnic festivals, as well as a variety of on campus events which can help you to broaden your view of the world.