Connecting College Students to Alternative Sources of Support: The Single Stop Community College Initiative and Postsecondary Outcomes

Single Stop's Community College Initiative assists college students with applications for public benefit programs and other wraparound services at no cost, including screenings and applications for public benefit programs; tax services, financial counseling, and legal services; and case management with referrals to a wide variety of resources and support programs. Through on-campus offices Single Stop is available to all students at an institution.

An evaluation of Single Stop found that:

• Single Stop use was associated with an increase in college persistence of at least 3 percentage points.
• Single Stop users attempted more credits than comparable students who did not use Single Stop.
• Use of Single Stop's tax assistance services was associated with particularly positive outcomes in terms of persistence and credits earned.

Findings were particularly positive for Single Stop users who were adult learners (age 25 and older), independent students, and nonwhite students.​