Why Community College

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,

At most community colleges, freshmen are usually the last in line to register for classes. Unfortunately, this means many new students don't get the courses they need to pursue the degree programs of their choice. The result is numerous frustrated, cash-strapped students – some of whom drop out of school because they can't afford the time or money to wait around until necessary courses become available.

The good news is that some community colleges hope to change this scenario by restructuring the priority registration hierarchy. Thus, freshmen may get an earlier start on completing their degree programs.

Rio Hondo College

Rio Hondo, located in Whittier, California, is bucking the trend on how freshmen register for their first semester. Instead of making students wait in the last spot, new students receive priority registration to help them enroll in the classes they need for their chosen degree programs. According to a report in the Whittier Daily News, high school students from El Monte Union High School District who enroll at Rio Hondo will receive priority registration during their first semester.

This video describes priority registration at California community colleges.

Henry Gee, vice president of student services at Rio Hondo College, told Whittier Daily News that the program will help new college students prepare for the career they are striving for. Gee said, "Slots in the classes are so tight right

Learning disabilities like dyslexia or ADHD plague a student throughout their academic career. Many who struggle with disabilities in secondary schools don't even consider college a possibility.

The good news is that many community colleges are making it easier for students with learning disabilities to pursue higher education by offering transition and support programs that promote success. Be inspired by the ways community colleges are helping LD students, as well as tips for finding and planning for college, no matter what your learning disabilities might be.

Project Access

Students with learning disabilities often find the transition between high school and college difficult. High school environments that are typically nurturing and supportive for LD students do not always provide preparation to help students take their educational needs into their own hands when heading off to college.

This video illustrates how the Project Access Summer Institute operates.

Thankfully, the Project Access Summer Institute is designed for just that purpose: to show students with learning disabilities how to move from a high school environment to one that requires them to take a greater role in meeting their own educational needs.

Project Access offers a month-long program that teaches college-bound students how to advocate for themselves to get the much-needed time, tutoring, and additional services they need.

According to a recent report on USA Today, programs like Project Access have increased tenfold in recent years as more

How to Earn Your Associate's Degree in Less than Two Years

The associate's degree has become a popular way to begin or advance a career today, as it can be earned in less time than it takes to obtain a bachelor's degree.

• Students can cut time even more through various strategies that get them out of community college and into the workforce in less than two years.
• Consider these tips to help you get the training and education you need to advance your career in much less time than a traditional degree program.

CAnva generated this picture of a community college student.

Choosing a Community College

The first step in shortening your stay at a community college is to choose a school that offers an accelerated degree program.

• According to a recent report in USA Today, some community colleges are getting rather creative in their programming structure to help students earn complete associate's degrees in less time.
• Some colleges have even been able to cut their program time in half, allowing students to get their associate’s degrees and move into the workforce in a single year.

Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College will begin offering a fall-trimester format to students interested in graduating early.

• Course schedules will switch from 16 weeks to 14 weeks, allowing students to complete the trimester in a shorter period of time.
• To compensate for lost time during the term,

Many say that you are never too old to head back to school. But what about being too young? According to a recent report in USA Today, youngsters trying to accelerate their academic careers may find themselves against a roadblock when it is time to explore the world of higher education. At least, that is what a young Florida girl found out when she tried to enroll in a community college near her home.

The Case of Anastasia Megan

Anastasia Megan was 13-years-old when she applied to a local community college near her Florida home. The home-schooled student had completed all of the requirements necessary for high school graduation and was ready to advance in her academic career. She looked to Lake-Sumter Community College for the next step, but the college denied her application because administrators feared Megan was too young to sit with other college students in classes.

As a result of the college's decision, Megan and her family filed a formal complaint against Lake-Sumter, and the case is now being reviewed by the Office for Civil Rights. The premise of the complaint is that denial of college admittance based on age is a violation of the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, which "prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance." Under federal law, mediation must first be attempted before the Office of Civil Rights will get involved. The Department of Education verified that mediation was