Student Support Services
Services
The Student Support Services Program provides a vast number of services catered to the needs of each individual student ranging from personal counseling to financial aid assistance. Our services serve as a safe and smooth transition from high school to college. Students in our program can have the confidence that our staff will assist them or direct them in the right path to success!
Registration
Students in SSS are registered in summer courses prior to their arrival on campus and are encouraged to enroll full time each semester to ensure timely graduation.
Summer Program
The primary goal of the seven-week residential summer program is to ensure that students acquire the necessary college survival skills which are crucial to academic and personal success.
The program has a required, seven-week experience which includes an extensive orientation, a nine hour summer course curriculum, and a series of college success workshops and helpful college success skills.
Students are enrolled in courses that provide credit towards graduation. Continuing Student Support Services participants serve as peer coaches who live in the residential halls and help new students become acclimated to USF and to college life in general.
Financial Aid Assistance
USF's Financial Aid office provides a designated financial analyst to assist Student Support Services participants who apply and qualify for financial aid according to federal guidelines.
Tutoring
USF's Academic Success Center professionals and peer tutors provide free tutoring in mathematics, sciences, economics, foreign languages, and other subject areas.
Counseling
The Student Support Services counselors assist program participants in identifying and overcoming situations that occur during their adjustment to university life. Counseling focuses primarily on issues that are most important to the student at any given time.
- Personal Counseling: Personal issues, such as those relating to families, relationships, stress, indecision and anxiety are dealt with in a sensitive way so that students can resolve them effectively. Referrals are made to a professional counselor as appropriate.
- Academic Counseling: Counselors work with students on academic issues, including time management, test anxiety, and any concern that has to do with USF studies.
- Career Counseling: Job search concerns, feelings of indecision and questions about students' career choice are important and our staff is equipped to assist or make appropriate referrals to USF Career Services.
College Success Workshops
SSS participants are exposed to a variety of topics and speakers to provide essential information related to being a successful college student.
Summer workshop topics include:
- Student leadership panel
- Student rights and responsibilities
- Healthy relationships
- Financial aid
- Budgeting
- Conflict resolution
- Financial literacy
- Academic and campus resources
Fall workshop topics include:
- College advising
- Dating violence and prevention
- Getting involved, diversity
- Resume writing
- Credit and loan debt
Spring workshop topics include:
- Study habits
- Cultural expo
- College advising
- Graduate school preparation
- Internships and interviewing tips