As I graduated from high school, I realized that community college seemed to be my only pathway into post secondary education. What I recalled about my matriculation experience in 1974 was that I showed up on a given date to the gymnasium where new college applicants moved along an assembly line of tables manned by admissions staff, then counselors who helped you choose a program and then directed you to a set of tables where you could sit and talk with the faculty that taught in that particular program. The faculty reviewed your education plan with you and enrolled you in your first semester of courses around your work schedule.  You left the gym with your class schedule in hand and after a trip to the bookstore you were ready to go.

         Now jump forward to the summer of 1988. After a 14-year absence, I had an opportunity to return to my community college as an adjunct professor of Administration of Justice. The application process had changed. As a result of new legislation, college applicants had to participate in a English and math assessment and based on those scores, they might be placed in developmental courses to help them reach, what my colleagues referred to as "academic readiness". In this matriculation model, students left the advising session with an education plan, enrolled in courses for the following semester. In 1988, it was difficult to track the effectiveness of this matriculation model because computer systems were just becoming part of the records keeping systems in community college, however modern computer records management systems have made it easier to track student applicant enrollment.

         I had learned about a recent study by the Community College League of California [CCLC], 2010) that analyzed data from students in the 20-24 age range (the age group that dominates college campuses statewide), and reported that California's Asian population leads the participation rate in post-secondary education at a rate of 296 per 1000 (29.6%), while California's Latino population trails behind at a rate of 159 per 1000 (15.9%).The CCLC's (2010) data suggest that reaching California's share of post-secondary completers will be problematic, particularly for the Latino population.  I began to wonder how California's completer goal could be met if the fastest-growing portion of California's population, Latinos, appears to be the least likely to attend college?