Choosing a School

A new program sponsored by the State Bar of California’s Council on Access and Fairness is creating new partnerships between 24 California community colleges and six law schools that will create a new pathway to law school for thousands of community college students. The Community College Pathway to Law School Initiative is a “pipeline program” that will offer community college students various resources to help them achieve their dream of practicing law. From tutoring and mentoring services to financial aid counseling and early exposure to law-related courses, the program will increase access to law school by making the transitions from a two-year institution to a four-year institution to law school occur much more smoothly.

Seeking to Improve Diversity

At the heart of the program is a desire to increase diversity in California’s law schools, which traditionally have been overwhelmingly white. For example, about 70 percent of the University of California at Davis’ Law School identifies as white. Furthermore, throughout the first decade of the 2000s, although the number of available seats in law schools throughout the country increased, the percentage of black and Mexican-American students filling those seats declined. However, not all law schools in California lack diversity. The law school at the University of California at Irvine, which opened in 2009, boasts a 45 percent minority enrollment.

While UC Irvine has successfully attracted minority students, the percentage of minority applicants denied admission to law schools across the nation still far exceeds

A recent study shows that one out of every ten community college students loses nearly all of their credits upon transferring to a four-year institution. In fact, just 58 percent of students who being their studies at a two-year institution report having more than 90 percent of their credits transferring to a baccalaureate program at a four-year college or university. As a result, a large number of students who dream of obtaining an undergraduate degree never get one because the credits they worked so hard to obtain do not count at their new school.

An Uphill Battle

Students who begin their post-secondary education at a community college are already less likely to graduate with a bachelor’s degree than their peers who begin study at a four-year institution. This is not to say that community colleges are somehow failing their students, rather, it is most likely life events that curtail a student’s educational aspirations. Family issues, financial difficulties, or changes in job or childcare availability are just a few common issues that force community college students to put their studies on hold. Unfortunately, the already narrow likelihood that a student will get a bachelor’s degree is further diminished when they take a break from school to attend to life’s pressing issues.

This video offers some suggestions on how to transfer from a community college to a four-year institution.

Even when students are

As City College of San Francisco fights to remain open after the current school year, others are beginning to question the validity of an accrediting agency threatening the very existence of vital California community colleges. Scrutiny and even lawsuits leave the accrediting agency vulnerable while other California schools struggle to realize their accreditation may be the next on the line. How will this growing problem eventually be resolved?

More California Schools Heading to the Chopping Block?

The chancellor of the California Community College System, Bryce Harris, recently stated in the San Francisco Business Times that the possible de-accreditation of City College of San Francisco might be just the tip of the iceberg. Harris told the Business Times that as many as 20 California schools could face accreditation challenges in the future. While Harris did not name specific school names in his warning, he admitted that City College's problems could plague many other schools in the state.

In July, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) announced it would pull City College’s accreditation at the end of the current academic year 2014. The commission cited several reasons for the decision, including a confusing governance structure and lack of financial accountability. Other factors that led to the action by the commission included support services, facilities, and teaching standards that were not compliant with the commission’s requirements in these areas.

As one solution to the problem, Harris has asked the state government for more

The rankings are out from Washington Monthly, giving prospective students and their parents a snapshot of some of the top-performing community colleges in the country for 2013. This publication is one of the few that includes community colleges in their overall rankings of postsecondary institutions. In addition, the publication uses slightly different criteria for ranking schools, which may make this list noteworthy to those trying to gain a complete picture of a community college before shelling out that first tuition payment.

Unique Metrics Set New Rankings Apart

According to the Christian Science Monitor, one of the factors that sets the Washington Monthly rankings apart from the rest is the somewhat unique metrics used to rate colleges. Instead of focusing merely on admission difficulty and reputation, this ranking system uses criteria like commitment to research and service, and social mobility. The publication also includes a “best bang for your buck” category for four-year schools that ranks them according to the price paid for a degree vs. what graduates can expect to get back in return.

The fact that Washington Monthly provides a ranking of community colleges also sets this annual list apart from the rest. Although two out of every five college students opt for community college after high school, few ranking systems provide this type of information for these schools. However, as community colleges continue to increase in popularity among high school graduates and working adults alike, the need for this type of information

The rankings are in for this year’s analysis of the top degree-producing community colleges by Community College Week. In addition to listing the top 100 schools, researchers also discovered that the overall number of associate degrees earned made a jump this year to the top one million for the first time in history. Some schools that contributed significantly to this total are now celebrating their accomplishments with recognition in the rankings.

How States Fared

The latest analysis also looked at the number of associate degrees by state. That total number was weighed against the total population in the state to get a more accurate idea of the percentage of state residents earning degrees or certifications from community colleges. While states with larger populations also tended to issue more associate degrees, some states turned out more community college graduates as a percentage of their total population than others.

California had the most associate degrees during the 2011-2012 academic year, with 114,612 degrees awarded. California also boasts one of the country's largest overall populations and the largest community college system in the U.S. However, the second biggest degree-producing state was Florida, even though that state ranked fourth in overall population.

Other states that ranked in the top 10 in terms of degree productions included:

• New York (69,654)
• Texas (69,654)
• Arizona (62,990)
• Illinois (41,618)
• Ohio (35,871)
• Michigan (33,322)
• Pennsylvania (29,794)
• Washington (28,977)

The smallest number of associate degrees was earned in Vermont, where just 1,196 two-year degrees were