The August 21, 2008 online edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education highlights findings from the US Department of Education's newly released report that examines community college student characteristics and persistence. The article contains feedback from community college experts on the report's implications.

According to reporter Peter Schmidt,

Melinda Mechur Karp, a senior research associate at the Community College Research Center at Columbia University, said she has seen data suggesting that community colleges raise students' aspirations. "It is not off base to speculate that students get to college and realize either that they are college material or college is relevant," she said.

--Subscribers of The Chronicle of Higher Education can read this article in its entirety at http://chronicle.com/daily/2008/08/4306n.htm?utm_source=at&utm_medium=en (subscription may be required).