Beyond Access: How the First Semester Matters for Community College Students' Aspirations and Persistence. Policy Brief 07-2.

By 2020, the percentage of jobs in California that will require at least some college will be greater than the proportion of the workforce with such training. Community colleges enroll the vast majority of the state’s post-secondary students, so many of these workers must come from the ranks of community college students. The success of community colleges in assisting young people making the transition to adulthood and careers to realize their educational goals is therefore crucial to California’s future wellbeing.