When students apply to a four-year college or university directly from high school, they know they want to earn at least a bachelor's degree. Not all students who enroll in community colleges have the same clarity about their future. This lack of clarity about their educational goals is one of many hurdles that community colleges face in helping…

About 60 percent of polled U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 plan to attend a four-year college, with another 12 percent indicating they plan to attend a two-year college, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. Others plan to work full time, join the military or attend a technical/vocational school, but 13 percent said they weren't sure what…

In dual enrollment programs, high school students can take college courses and earn both high school and college credit--but in the past, dual enrollment had been used mostly by high-achieving students. In 2016, the California Legislature passed a law that expanded access to students who had been underserved in higher education. The resulting…

This book disrupts the false dichotomy of college versus career by showing how young people and the programs created to serve them integrate the worlds of college and career readiness as students work to learn against the odds and strive toward lives that matter to them. Work-based learning at each stage of the K-college experience is crucial to…

"Completion" has become the rallying cry at community colleges. As the 21st century unfolds, the earlier emphasis on guaranteeing greater access to a postsecondary education has evolved into a sharp focus on student success. Whether that means earning a workforcerelated certificate or an associate degree transferable to a four-year…

In order to increase the competitiveness of the workforce at low cost, the Hong Kong government brought in the idea of community colleges and the associate degree while keeping the same annual set quota of first-year, first-degree places at publicly-funded universities. At first glance, in doing so, the government could avoid expanding the sector…

Whether traditional or nontraditional students, more people are reaching community colleges through workforce and economic development partnerships--and often changing their lives in the process. But it's not just the individuals who stand to benefit, the nation's economy is also reaping its share of the reward. In this article Heather Boerner…

Washington's community and technical colleges have an open door policy that gives everyone a fair shot at enrolling in college and improving their lives if they have the drive and determination. They accept students at any age and stage in their lives and at any educational level. They take students from where they are, to where they want to be.…

Consistently and unmistakably, data show a persistent gap separating Latinos and Black males from other student groups on measures of academic progress and college completion. These gaps exist across higher education. They are undeniable and unacceptable. Men of color have high aspirations when they begin higher education. Why are these…

Sixty-three percent of AISD's Class of 2013 graduates enrolled in a postsecondary institution the year after high school, and 74% of Class of 2012 graduates persisted in college for a second year. A supplemental report (published separately) provides technical documentation. [For the technical documentation report, see ED626499.]

Federal financial aid serves as a crucial tool to support both access and success for students in higher education. This is especially true at community colleges. Whether they are seeking job training, a certificate, or an associate degree, our students rely on consistent and meaningful sources of support to advance their educational aspirations.…

Going to college and obtaining a college degree is an American dream. In 2006-2008, 27% of adults age 25 years or older had attained at least a bachelor's degree. This statistic would undoubtedly be higher if more potential college students had access to funds needed to cover college expenses. Lack of funds, steady overlapping college and general…

In this article, Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College's longtime president Dolores Fernandez reflects on her journey through academia and helping other Hispanics reach the top. In 1998, Dr. Dolores Fernandez was exactly where she wanted to be as a tenured, full-time professor at Hunter College, the largest in the City University of New York…

The American higher education system considers itself a primary avenue to opportunity. As providers of broad access to postsecondary education, community colleges are arguably the most vital organ in that pulsing system. But there is a growing acknowledgment that access alone is no longer enough. "Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges…

This article describes how people with bachelor's and even advanced degrees are using two-year colleges as a form of graduate school. It defies the stereotype of community college as a place of last resort, and counters the norm of the first-time college students earning an associate degree and then transferring to a four-year institution. For the…