Act 101 Program

King's College (PA)

The Act 101 program is a Pennsylvania state program that works in conjunction with institutions to help students achieve personal, social, and academic goals. First-year students in King's College program, which was established in 1975, receive one-on-one personal counseling that provides tools to build self-esteem, confidence, and social integration.

Students in the Act 101 program are matched with peer mentors for the first semester and engage in a variety of academic and personal support activities. Participants must be Pennsylvania residents whose family incomes and expected contribution to college fall under federal thresholds.

Participants include minorities, low-income students, first-generation students, returning adults, students from rural areas, and students with disabilities. Funding comes from the institution and state funds.

Bottom Line:  The fall-to-spring retention rate of Act 101 freshman for the 2008-09 year was 96.6 percent, compared to the institutional rate of 91.1 percent.