A 2-Year Start on the Future

Community colleges pride themselves on their open-door policies. For decades, access and enrollment, especially of traditionally underserved students, were their key markers of success. In recent years, lawmakers, accreditors, and the institutions themselves have begun demanding more. It is no longer enough for community colleges to get students in the door. Now they must get more of them out the door with a degree or a ticket to a four-year university. This shift has created a renewed focus on students. Community colleges across the United States are taking a hard look at what happens to students once they enroll. They are experimenting with new teaching methods, better advising, and creative financial-aid programs to help more students succeed. This article interviewed four students who faced a variety of obstacles, including poverty, poor academic preparation and the need to work full time, but managed to stay in college. They cited career counseling, financial aid, and nontraditional academic programs, but each also mentioned at least one professor who had been a mentor.