By John Fink, Tatiana Velasco, and Davis Jenkins Last week, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) released—for the first time ever—public transfer community college student outcomes data for colleges and universities across the country. ED’s analysis examined federal financial aid recipients who started higher education at a community college

In celebration of first-generation students, Hoori Kalamkarian and Melissa Herman share findings from a recent CCRC-led study on first-generation college students’ support networks and how those relationships shape their college journeys.

What do students consider important for creating a sense of welcome and belonging at college? Susan Bickerstaff, Selena Cho, Elisabeth A. Barnett, and Andrea Lopez Salazar spoke with students and found that relatively simple actions by faculty and staff can make a big difference.

As dual enrollment participation has expanded, so too have the types of programs and courses offered. Lauren Schudde and Wonsun Ryu discuss how differences in course set up have the potential to shape students’ dual enrollment experiences and overall course performance, as well as their subsequent college enrollment decisions.

Students are told that enrolling in a community college is an affordable onramp to a bachelor’s degree. But in reality, only a small percentage of students transfer and graduate. To fix the problem, experts first have to know what’s causing it. Alex Anacki and Jessica Steiger address the current lack of available transfer data.