The Foreign Service Journal, December 2009

D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 9 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 73 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT Smaller class sizes in a community college are a clear benefit. But stu- dents need to be prepared to get involved in class by having regular attendance, doing all assignments and class readings, and participating in class discussions. Vocational, occupa- tional and technical classes tend to be very “hands-on,” and those students seeking A.A. or A.S. degrees for even- tual transfer need to demonstrate strong academic performance. Community colleges are commit- ted to open enrollment, which gives every student a fair chance. But not every student is equally prepared to take on the challenges of college-level courses. One way that community col- leges and students help improve out- comes is by paying close attention to placement tests to determine the level at which a student should be placed. “Developmental courses” can offer remedial help to bring the student up to standard in certain areas to avoid being academically overwhelmed. Many question the quality of pro- grams and instruction at the nation’s community colleges. The answer is, quite simply: “It depends.” Both the expectations of students and the sup- port provided to them vary widely in colleges and universities, says Kevin Carey, a research and policy manager at Education Sector, a Washington- based think-tank. In Carey’s view, the key to increased student success is for professors to ask for more from them. In an article for the Chronicle of Higher Education , he asserts: “No one rises to low expectations.” Community colleges work very hard to engage students in a variety of ways.