ABSTRACT
As a counselor and instructor, I have worked in the San Francisco Bay Area at the high school and community college levels for over ten years; in my work at both levels, I have had the opportunity to witness, firsthand, the struggles that many of my students continue to face. The transition from high school to community college can be challenging for many students. Many high school students arrive at community college without clear direction, major/transfer plans, or knowledge and familiarity with the community college/transfer process. The result is that many of them drop out and fail to attain a certificate, Associate’s Degree, or transfer to a four-year university. My observations of my current and former students in addition to the research I have conducted regarding transfer and graduation rates at California community colleges clearly illustrate this troubling trend.
