When Financial Aid is Late

Many high school graduates from low-income families head to a two-year community college rather than a four-year school, primarily due to economics. However, a recent study shows that students who are fortunate enough to transfer from a community college to a four-year university often excel with the right encouragement and preparation. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation released its findings in a report titled, Partnerships that Promote Success: The Evaluation of the Community College Transfer Initiative."

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation recently hosted a conference in the Washington D.C. area to present their findings and provide the information educators require to help low-income students succeed in their university transfers, according to the foundation website. The conference highlighted the universities involved in the study, along with their community college partners, to show that providing opportunities to high-achieving community college students can be the pathway to greater success for low-income students.

In this video, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation states that in every state in the nation, low-income students are less likely to reach advanced levels of academic achievement. Students with equal talents but unequal opportunities.

Details of the Study

The Foundation's Community College Transfer Initiative conducted the study by first identifying high-achieving, low-income students in community colleges and then working to improve the transfer process into a four-year institution to maximize their odds of success in their academic endeavors.

In this video,

According to the U.S. Department of Labor website, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, also known as OSHA, was established to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for working men and women. The act is designed to provide the necessary training and education to maintain a high level of safety in a wide range of industries.

To work in these industries, new employees must attend OSHA training before beginning their new jobs. Today, there are plenty of options in OSHA training since community colleges nationwide have stepped up to answer the call for skilled laborers who understand the importance of safety on the job.

This video explains what OSHA is.

Determining a Need

OSHA includes specific training guidelines that must be applied to all businesses, from the employer down to all employees. The guidelines include:

• Determining whether there is a need for training
• Identifying training needs, goals, and objectives
• Developing learning activities and conducting training
• Evaluating the effectiveness of the program and creating improvements when necessary

The model set forth by the U.S. Department of Labor makes it much easier for smaller companies to conduct their training without going to the added expense of hiring professional trainers or purchasing expensive materials. However, the value of utilizing a community college program for OSHA training often makes this path the best choice for companies of all sizes.

Community colleges take the guesswork out of the

In the past, students who struggled in high school often didn't even bother with the idea of higher education. After all, if secondary school was difficult, then college would be nearly impossible, right?

However, a push for higher college graduation rates by President Obama, as well as truths discovered about many so-called remedial students, has led educators in community colleges across the country to redefine remedial education. As times are changing, more students are turning to special community college programs that are helping them see success in their education and lives after college.

In this video, two students discuss how they ended up taking a remedial math class.

What is Remedial Education?

According to WiseGeek.com, remedial education is "education designed to bring students who are lagging behind up to the next level of achievement realized by their peers." Students who found themselves in remedial education often felt they didn't have much chance at academic success beyond high school. Those who did qualify for college entrance often dropped out within their first year because they simply didn't have the background knowledge or study skills to succeed in a college setting.

The good news is that these students now have hope for making it through college and earning a degree, thanks to programs that help students develop the skills they need to succeed in higher education.

The Need for College Success

One of the biggest obstacles community colleges face today is the ability to retain students until they graduate or transfer to another institution. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), just one in five public community college students graduate with their certificate or associate’s degree within three years. Students pursuing a two-year degree have a much lower chance of achieving their educational goals than those who begin their academic careers at a four-year university, as the graduation for students at four-year institutions is nearly 60 percent.

However, a college degree is imperative today for individuals who want to gain employment that offers sufficient income to support themselves and their families. Community colleges are a perfect place to get an education because of the convenience and affordability many two-year institutions provide. To help students reach their goals, colleges are getting creative in their methods of student retention.

President Obama has set a high bar for colleges across the country: to have the highest college graduation rates in the world by the year 2020. However, this is a very tall task. According to a report by 24/7 Wall St., from 2000-2011, the college graduation growth rate in the United States was a paltry 1.4 percent – one of the lowest rates of any developed country. While the U.S. has climbed the list of most educated countries – moving up to fifth place from