The study examines the educational and counseling experiences of low-income, first-generation Latino/a community college students. The overarching research question of the study asks: what are the educational and counseling experiences of low-income, first-generation Latino/a community college students? Additionally, four sub-questions are explored through the perspectives of student participants and community college counselor participants. First, the study examines the academic aspirations and achievements of these students. Second, it explores the value they place on a community college education. Third, it explores the influence community college counselors exert over student-stated academic aspirations and achievements. Fourth, it explores the conditions students and counselors identify as attributing to the academic success and failure of low-income, first-generation, Latino/a community college students. A mixed-methods explanatory sequential approach was utilized to execute, inform, and guide the study. One hundred and five student participants completed a researcher-developed survey and 22 students were interviewed. Twenty-seven counselors completed a researcher-developed survey and 20 were interviewed. Fifteen salient themes with 35 descriptors emerged. Policy and practitioner recommendations are suggested. The study responds to the literature documenting chronic and persistent educational underachievement found within low-income, first-generation, Latino/a community college student populations. The research is of particular interest because over the past 100 years the community college system has played a central role in educating members of historically marginalized student populations, and it is commonly perceived that the community college system is an open-access, unfettered portal of entry to post secondary opportunities. The general belief is that anyone is able to obtain a college education; therefore, failure at the community college on the behalf of a student is often interpreted as a personal student failing rather than the result of an inequitable educational structure (Rhoades, 2012). The study informs and contributes to the understanding of what lies at the crossroads of aspiration and achievement for low-income, first-generation, Latino/a community college students. The study findings have implications for future developments of policies and student-counselor strategies that can mitigate the educational marginalization of the growing low-income, first-generation, Latino/a community college student population. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]