Personal Advising & Referral
The SSS Program provides a very good network for students to receive personal advising. If warranted, SSS will guide students to counseling services on and off campus.

Financial Aid Advising & Referral
The SSS Program works closely with the University of Mary Financial Aid Office and Student Accounts Office. Our assistance helps eligible students better understand the financial aid application process and billing process.

Preregistration Assistance
Each semester, students participating in SSS can receive preregistration assistance from SSS advisors. Our advisors also help students understand the requirements of their particular major and academic division.

Career Advising & Referral
The SSS Program provides basic career guidance and works in concert with the University of Mary's Career Services Office.

College Level Courses
The SSS Program offers a four-credit English literature course called Crime Literature. Crime Literature satisfies degree requirements in the Humanities area. SSS also offers a four-credit Social Behavioral Science course called Civil Rights in America. Civil Rights in America satisfies degree requirements in the Social Behavioral Science area. The only prerequisite for these courses is ENG103 (Writing Process).

Computerized Courses
The SSS Program offers Learning Plus and Plato Web Learning. Both of these computerized programs provide assessment and instruction in reading, writing and mathematics. Both programs also help education majors prepare for a required exam called the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST). SSS offers these computerized courses on a credit or noncredit basis.

Graduate School Enrollment Information
The SSS Program provides all active and inactive participants application information for graduate school. The SSS Program also provides computerized GRE and GMAT practice testing and instruction.

Free Peer Tutorial Services
The SSS Program employs between 30 and 40 student tutors to help students in several courses. We also try to recruit tutors for our participants if one is not currently available for a particular subject.

Free Professional Tutorial Services
The SSS Program has two professional tutors on staff to assist students primarily in the math and science areas. Only students eligible for SSS have the option of working with these tutors.

Benefits

Tuition Overload Waivers On All SSS Courses
If any SSS course causes a credit overload (over 18 credits), the overload charge is waived, meaning the overload credit hours pertaining to the SSS course are free.

Free Textbooks Are Provided For All SSS Courses
SSS participants enrolled in any SSS course(s) receive free textbooks for that course.

Available Computers
The SSS Program has a small lab of computers and a color laser printer available for SSS participants. Participants can also review computer software programs that improve algebra skills and reading skills.

Supplemental Financial Grant Aid For First- & Second-Year Students
In order to qualify for the supplemental grant aid, you must be a first- or second-year student. You must also be an active participant in Student Support Services, your financial aid award must include a Pell Grant, and you must have unmet need. If you expect to be a Pell Grant recipient and expect to have student loans and unmet need, you may qualify for this grant. (Special Note: The availability of grant aid is dependent on annual appropriations from the federal government. These funds are limited and are awarded only to eligible students actively participating in SSS. The awards range between $400 and $600.)

Summer Sneak Preview Courses
The Student Support Services Program has received approval to offer incoming preregistered eligible freshmen opportunities to complete sample exercises, tests and quizzes during the summer months prior to their actual enrollment in certain math and science courses. Our summer sneak preview courses will focus on college algebra, general biology and fundamentals of chemistry. SSS professional tutors will provide all the necessary materials via e-mail and regular mail and will be available to answer questions. The sneak preview will cover the first few chapters of each course. (Special Note: By completing one or more of the sneak preview courses prior to classes beginning in the fall semester, participants who are Pell Grant recipients may immediately qualify for the supplemental grant aid program depending on fall semester grade results.)