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TRIO logo in black and red. Text reads TRIO Achievement Program; Knox College.

TRIO Achievement Program

Helping you navigate college with confidence.

Apply for TRIO

The TRIO Achievement Program is a TRIO Student Support Services project funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education that supports the retention to graduation of students from modest income backgrounds and those whose parents do not have a four-year college degree. Students with documented disabilities also are eligible to apply for the TRIO Achievement Program.

TRIO assists with all aspects of the student experience -- personal, financial, academic, cultural, and more. The five goals of the program are retention, graduation, good academic standing, graduate/professional school enrollment, and a positive campus climate for TRIO students.

TRIO Services

  • Personalized academic planning
  • Professional writing assistance
  • FAFSA assistance
  • Community-building activities
  • Academic skill development (time management, test-taking, and more)
  • Peer mentoring program
  • Skill-building and informational workshops (college budgeting, study abroad, and more)
  • Career readiness activities & information
  • Cultural enrichment events
  • Resume development
  • Financial literacy information
  • TRIO Emerging Leaders program
  • Early-arrival TRIO Bridge Program for new participants
  • TRIO 100 course for new first-year students enrolled in First-Year Preceptorial (FP)
  • Structured first-year experience for new TRIO participants

Students who are selected for participation in the TRIO Achievement Program meet with their TRIO advisor to develop goals and identify the program services necessary for achieving their goals and succeeding at Knox. Students are required to complete a minimum of three contacts per term (two appointments with their TRIO advisor and at least one event); however, most TRIO participants far exceed this minimum. 

Getting Results 

TRIO has been helping students achieve their highest academic potential at Knox College since 1974. Compared to first-generation, income-eligible students who do not participate, recent data demonstrate that TRIO Achievement Program participants:

  • Earn higher grades their first term at Knox;
  • Earn higher grades their first year at Knox;
  • Are more likely to successfully complete First-Year Preceptorial;
  • Are more likely to successfully complete 100-level STEM courses in their first year;
  • Are more likely to end the year in good academic standing;
  • Are more likely to return to Knox each year;
  • Are more likely to graduate; and
  • Are more likely to enroll in graduate or professional school.

Am I Eligible?

The percentage of students in each entering class who are eligible for the TRIO Achievement Program has grown steadily in recent years with nearly 50% meeting at least one of the federal criteria. To be eligible to apply, you must meet the following requirements:

  1. You are citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States.
  2. You do not already have a baccalaureate (bachelor's) degree.
  3. And at least one of the following is true:
    • Neither of your parents (or guardians) has a baccalaureate (bachelor's) degree.
    • Your family's taxable income (after deductions) meets federal income eligibility guidelines based on household size.
    • You have a documented permanent physical or learning disability that impacts your educational experience.

Students who are interested in participating must complete both the online TRIO application and the Eligibility Verification Form. Please note that a majority of the students selected for participation will meet more than one of the criteria listed in requirement #3 above. Please visit the Apply for TRIO page for more information on the application process, as well as links to the online TRIO application and TRIO Eligibility Verification Form.

Academic support is available to all Knox students through the Center for Teaching & Learning. Students needing academic accommodations at Knox College should contact the Office of Disability Support Services.

What is “TRIO”?

TRIO is NOT an acronym. It was the name given to the original three programs established by the federal government under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to ensure equal educational opportunity for all Americans, regardless of race, ethnic background, or economic circumstances. The "trio" of programs consisted of Talent Search, Upward Bound, and Student Support Services. Although TRIO has expanded to include Educational Opportunity Centers, Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Programs, Upward Bound Math & Science, and Veterans Upward Bound, the name TRIO has remained.

Knox College has had a Student Support Services program (TRIO Achievement Program) since 1974 and Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program since 1992.


TRIO logo

"TRIO just helps me feel like I am not the only first-generation low-income student who is trying to graduate. I am not the only one experiencing hardships and family problems. If TRIO didn't exist, I think I probably would have transferred or dropped out."

"The TRIO Achievement Program is very helpful to students academically and socially. If there was anything I needed, from supplies to time management help, TRIO offered it."

"I love this program. It has contributed a lot to my successful year."