The purpose of the Student Support Services Program (SSS) is to support low-income, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities by increasing their retention and graduation rates.
What is Student Support Services Program
SSS is a TRiO program federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education that is at Northeast Texas Community College. Its purpose is to provide services to eligible students to help them succeed at Northeast Texas Community College and assist them in transferring to four-year institutions. The Student Support Services program is committed to making college a rewarding and successful experience for each student participant.
Benefits of Participation
- Increased retention and graduation rates
- Increased transfer rates from 2-year to 4-year institutions
- Tutoring support with low student/tutor ratio
- Assistance with FAFSA, scholarship and loan applications
- Academic advisor to help with degree planning
- Increased employability skills and job search preparation
- Smooth transfer to a 4-year university
- Improved financial literacy
Services Provided
As an active participant of SSS, there are numerous support services available to you at no cost.
- Tutoring
- Academic Advising
- Financial Aid Assistance
- Priority Registration Support
- Workshops and Events
- FREE Printing
- Career and Transfer Planning
- Cultural and Educational Trips
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to receive services from the TRIO SSS Program you must:
- Be enrolled at Northeast Texas Community College
- Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States
- Meet at least ONE of the following:
- Be low-income (based on federal TRIO income guidelines)
Federal TRIO Current Year Low Income Levels
- Be first-generation college student (neither parent has earned a bachelor's degree)
According to the U.S. Department of Education, a first-generation college student is:
An individual whose parents did not complete a bachelor’s degree.
More specifically, this means:
If both parents (or the custodial parent, in the case of a single-parent home) did not earn a four-year bachelor’s degree, the student qualifies as first-generation.
If a student lived with only one parent, and that parent did not complete a bachelor’s degree, the student is considered first-generation.
If a parent earned an associate degree, attended college but didn’t finish, or completed a degree outside the U.S. that is not equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree, the student still counts as first-generation.
- Have a documented disability
- Be low-income (based on federal TRIO income guidelines)
The SSS program at Northeast Texas Community College is 100% funded with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education to serve 140 participants per year for 5 years of the 2025-2030 grant cycle.
