This publication presents three working papers on the inadequacies and difficulties of successful transition from high school to college. These papers are derived from The Bridge Project, a six-state study of K-16 issues. These three papers do not attempt to cover all aspects of K-16 and transition issues. Consequently, the policy implications at the end are based solely on these studies. While the media has focused a disproportionate amount of its attention on the highly selective UC system, these studies provide fresh perspectives on the issues of college preparation, transition, and success for the vast majority of California students who attend the broad-access institutions--the California State University system (CSU) and community colleges. The papers presented in this publication are: (1) What do California Students and Parents Know about College? (Anthony Lising Antonio and Samuel H. Bersola); (2) Linkages and Disjunctures: California's K-12 and Community College Systems (Andrea Conklin Bueschel); and (3) Using a K-12 Assessment for College Placement (Michael Kirst). (Individual papers contain tables, figures, footnotes and references.)