It used to be true that community college campuses were populated by students straight out of high school who studied for two yeras and then moved on to a four-year college. However, a new study, "Community College Survey of Student Engagement," finds that now nearly one out of six students at community colleges already have a bachelor's degree. These older students tend to take classes in technology, foreign classes, and related fields.

In addition, more than half of today's community college students are enrolled less than full time and many are trying out several colleges or enrolled in two community colleges simultaneously. A majority of students currently in community colleges take years to earn an associate degree. As Jerry Sue Thornton, presidents of Cleveland's Cuyahoga Community college says: "We've stopped using 'two-year institution' as a name because it takes many students four years or more to earn a degree."

Some other interesting statistics presented in the study:

• more than half the students work more than 20 hours per week
• one third spend at least 11 hours a week as a caregiver
• nearly half are the first in their families to attend college
• more than three quarters never participate in extracurricular activities
• only half want to transfer to a four-year college or university
• of particular importance to the area of financial aid: nearly half predict that financial constraints will cause them to drop out.

Tip:  If you're one those students at a community college who is worried about finances, be sure to check out the financial aid programs identified in Reference Service Press's line of award-winning financial aid directories for undergraduates, particularly Kaplan Scholarships.