Goldrick-Rab, Sara. 2006. <em>Promoting Academic Momentum at Community Colleges: Challenges and Opportunities.</em> CCRC Working Paper No. 5. Accessed July 26, 2007, from http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/DefaultFiles/SendFileToPublic.asp?ft=pdf&FilePath=c:\Websites\ccrc_tc_columbia_edu_documents\332_492.pdf&fid=332_492&aid=47&RID=492&pf=Publication.asp?UID=492.<br />
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Goldrick-Rab's literature review focuses on how the actions of higher education institutions and characteristics of the community college student population result in a high percentage of enrolled students dropping out before earning a degree. The second part of the literature review identifies opportunities for improving students' lack of progress and degree persistence. The author identifies college affordability as a significant reason why low-income and minority students do not attend college or drop out once enrolled. Disadvantaged students and their parents are more likely to overestimate the cost of college, which discourages them from applying to and attending college. The author also cites evidence that once students enroll, those who receive financial aid are more likely to make consistent progress in college. Lastly, Goldrick-Rab highlights the Opening Doors Program as a model in which scholarships offered to low-income students improve academic success and persistence, suggesting that similar financial aid strategies can increase persistence among community college students.