Student Success & Support Program (SSSP)

The Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) is a state mandated program that provides critical support services to students on the front-end of their educational experience to increase student success. 

There are five components of SSSP that help ensure educational success:

1. Admission – completing an admission application which will provide the college with information on the student’s educational plan and career goals.
2. Orientation – attending an Orientation to College session. Students are provided important information on how to succeed in college by acquainting them with the College’s facilities, rules, policies and procedures; its educational programs, course expectations, and other academic information.
3. Assessment – participating in an Assessment session, which measures current skill levels in reading, writing, and mathematics. Scores are one of several factors used for advising students in selecting appropriate courses. English As a Second Language (ESL) assessments are available to students for whom English is not their native language.
4. Counseling and Advisement – meeting with a counselor to identify educational and career goals, develop educational plan and select appropriate courses.
5. Follow-up – participating in follow-up support services.  Special efforts will be made to assist:
   • “undecided” students identify an educational and career goal;
   • students who are enrolled in precollegiate basic skills courses; and
   • students who have been placed on progress and/or academic probation.

If you are a student with a physical, psychological, acquired brain impairment, visual, communication, or learning disability who may require special assistance to participate in our registration, assessment, or other parts of our Orientation/Assessment/Advising process, please contact the Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S)  office at the college.

Selection of any of the following educational objectives will provide students the opportunity to participate in the Student Success and Support Program:

• Obtain a bachelor’s degree (with or without an associate degree)
• Obtain a two year associate’s/vocational degree (without transfer)
• Earn a vocational certificate (without transfer)
• Improve basic skills in English,Reading, and Mathematics
• Undecided goal

(Any student who does not have an associate degree or higher and enrolls in 12 or more semester units will also be considered a participant, regardless of the educational objective selected.)

Although all students are strongly encouraged and welcomed to participate in the Student Support and Success Program, certain students may meet criteria for exemption from these services.

1. Student has earned an Associate or higher degree from an accredited institution; OR
2. Student is enrolling in fewer than 12 units and has declared one of the following educational objectives:

• Discover/formulate career interests, plans, goals;
• Prepare for a new career (acquire job skills),
• Advance in current job/career (update job skills);
• Maintain certificate or license (e.g. nursing, real estate);
• Acquire educational enrichment (intellectual, cultural);
• Complete credits for high school diploma.

Note – All students may participate in any of the SSSP components, even though they qualify for exemption. 

Students meeting at least one of the following conditions may be exempt from the assessment component:

1. Student has successfully completed (grade C or higher) college-level English and mathematics courses (transcript or grade report required); or
2. Student has, within the last three (3) years, taken an assessment test that can be used by Peralta staff to determine suitable placement in English and mathematics; or
3. Students who have received services for a learning disability in the last three years at any California Community College may be exempt from the assessment component.