The vast majority of high school students plan to attend college--and believe that a bachelor's degree all but guarantees them a high-paying job. What many of them don't know is that those who are not well prepared are not likely to graduate. They also don't realize that plenty of career-focused certificates and associate's degrees lead to…

This article discusses the interim findings of a three-year ongoing research study that investigates the professional roles and personal experiences of teaching assistants who are also doing a Foundation Degree. We explore the perceptions of teaching assistants to question the official rhetoric and almost mandatory optimism surrounding Foundation…

Community college degree completion has become an issue of growing concern in higher education as a matter of institutional accountability and student necessity. Yet, nationally, data suggest that as degree attainment increases in importance, fewer students are actually completing community college degrees, even though they are attending community…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to investigate what motivates associate degree (AND) and diploma prepared registered nurses (RN) to pursue a baccalaureate degree (BSN) through an RN-to-BSN program. Studies have shown that the educational level of nurses has direct impact on the safety and quality of care provided to patients.…

The conceptual foundation for remedial education is straightforward: students are tested to determine whether they meet a given level of academic proficiency for college-level classes. For those who do not meet this level, deficiencies in skills are addressed through some form of supplementary instruction, most often remedial courses. The study…

As the world economy continues to evolve, businesses and industries must adopt new practices and processes in order to survive. Quality and cost control, work teams and participatory management, and an infusion of technology are transforming the way people work and do business. Employees are now expected to read, write, and communicate…

This article describes the new Occupational & Life Skills (OLS) program at Bellevue Community College in Bellevue, Washington. The OLS-Venture program, as it is now called, grew out of a series of continuing education classes in personal finance, cooking, and related life skills for people with autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other…

This chapter examines the job outlook for occupations where the most important path to entry is through programs typically found at the community college: an associate degree or postsecondary training but less than a degree. The discussion draws on labor market projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the federal agency charged…

California's community colleges are key to resolving the shortage of educated workers that is threatening the competitive position of the state's economy. Tremendous potential for addressing this challenge resides in the system's career technical education (CTE) mission which, with appropriate structures and support, could help many more students…

The implementation of constructivist teaching strategies has vast professional benefits in nursing education through the promotion of critical thinking skills, as students must demonstrate success on the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses and ultimately perform competently within the nursing profession. While literature…

Since President Obama took office, he has repeatedly called for the United States to significantly improve its postsecondary education performance. One goal in particular has gained wide attention: the President's declaration that in an ever more competitive global marketplace, the United States must once again lead the world in college…

As the world economy continues to evolve, businesses and industries must adopt new practices and processes in order to survive. Quality and cost control, work teams and participatory management, and an infusion of technology are transforming the way people work and do business. Employees are now expected to read, write, and communicate…

This paper examines the effect of tuition subsidy in the form of in-state tuition to undocumented students on the education of noncitizen Mexican young adults. The policy is found to be associated with a 2.5 percentage point increase in college enrollment (base mean = 8%), a 3.7 percentage point increase in the proportion of students with at least…

The purpose of this research was to identify the factors that students attending a Midwestern community college perceived contributed to their academic success or failure in an Associate Degree nursing program. A review of student academic records revealed that many students with weak academic records were successful while students with strong…

Admission policies and practices in higher education, including those in nursing programs, are diverse; yet administrators have traditionally relied upon preadmission academic achievement for selection of qualified students. Higher education administrators have the responsibility to serve the institution and all of its constituents, ensuring that…