Dive Brief:
- As community colleges across the country set their sights on increasing certificate and degree completion, new strategies are showing signs of success.
- University Business reports that a pathways program in Arizona’s Maricopa Community College District, designed to smooth transfers to ASU, has become a model for other community colleges across the state.
- St. Petersburg College in Florida gets students thinking about careers early, color-coding whether they’re undecided for counselors to target support throughout the school year.
Dive Insight:
Community colleges have historically focused on access, offering prospective students in their communities an open admissions process and a place for lifelong learning. Now, these schools are increasingly expected to get more students through to graduation, rather than just getting them through the door in the first place. On the other hand, four-year colleges, especially those with selective admissions, have never been as diverse as community colleges, leaving that sector to strategize ways to first open access and then support students on their path to success.