The United States must work harder and faster to educate enough college graduates to satisfy future workforce needs. Community colleges, which serve 46 percent of the nation's undergraduates, play a vital role in this effort. The following reports offer research and information to help promote success for community college students.

Federal aid missing for community college students
For high school graduates from low- and moderate-income families, financial barriers often cut short their college dreams. Apply to Succeed: Ensuring Community College Students Benefit from Need-Based Financial Aid from the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance reports that many community college students handicap their postsecondary opportunities because they do not apply for need-based financial aid despite their eligibility.

Understanding the transfer dilemma
A working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests students who seek a four-year college degree may be more likely to earn that degree if they begin at a four-year institution versus a community college. Do Community Colleges Provide a Viable Pathway to a Baccalaureate Degree? is available online for a nominal fee.

A profile of students who earn zero credits
The latest issue of Data Notes examines the characteristics of students in Achieving the Dream colleges who enroll in school but fail to earn any credits during their first term. These students are likely to be: male, black, between 20 and 24 years of age, part-time students or in need of developmental education. The results of the study may help other colleges identify student populations that are more at risk of leaving school.

Baby boomers: Take two
Some community colleges are training baby boomers to prepare for meaningful work in the second half of their lives. Pathways to Encore Careers: How 10 Community Colleges are Preparing Boomers for Work in Education, Health Care and Social Services from Civic Ventures and MetLife Foundation profiles programs that help adults ages 44 to 70 transition to careers with a social impact.

High-impact schools: Why they work    
High-Impact Educational Practices: What Are They, Who Has Access To Them, and Why They Matter describes how 10 colleges are using student engagement activities to improve academic performance and degree attainment. The study, available for a fee from the Association of American Colleges and Universities, examines why these programs are especially beneficial to students from underserved or at-risk backgrounds.

Study: More Native Americans enter college
For some students, race or ethnicity sets the stage for an uneven playing field for postsecondary opportunities. College attainment rates for American Indian and Alaskan Natives are higher than ever, but major gaps still persist. Read the latest Status and Trends in the Education of American Indians and Alaska Natives from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Projections of Education Statistics to 2017
» The number of bachelor's degrees awarded each year will increase by 16 percent from 2005-2006 to 2017-2018.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics , Postsecondary Institutions in the United States: Fall 2007 and Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 2006-07, and 12-Month Enrollment 2006-07

Billions spent on re-teaching basics
» The cost of remediation in public colleges exceeds $2.5 billion every year, and some of the most motivated students require remediation-nearly four out of five remedial students had a high school grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

Source: Diploma to Nowhere from Strong American Schools