<p>"Most of California's 2.5 million community college students will neither earn associate's degrees nor transfer to four-year schools, according to a study released this week."</p>
<p>I don't think this is really news. The majority of CC students don't obtain a degree of any kind. Many of them never have an intention to since they're taking a course for the fun of it (ex: I took a golfing class with my then HS-aged D), are taking other courses that don't lead to a degree, are going to a CC mainly because they don't know what else to do after HS (many of them fit in this category), and many are distracted by working and getting into the debt world (cars, apartments, consumer debt, etc.). </p>
<p>On the plus side, the California CCs have a clear pathway to the UC/CalState system for those truly interested in it.</p>
<p>Spend just a short time on the Transfer Forum here on cc, and you will see that the CCC system is preparing a lot of kids very well for the UCs and CSUs. And these kids are appreciative of the pathway and appreciative of the professors at the CCCs who supported them.</p>
<p>I'm sure there is room for improvement but, like the UC and CSU systems, the CCC system is one that could be the envy of many other states.</p>
<p>Community colleges are just that, community colleges. They play many roles and students often do not follow a steady academic path. Many also come for specialized training that does not lead to a degree; many do get certificates. Sometimes only a course or two in math or accounting or writing for business or child development is all that is sought.</p>