In March 2008, The City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Matthew Goldstein formally launched an initiative to create the university's seventh community college. The development of the concept for this new college is informed in part by the knowledge and practices acquired through working with high school and GED students. Specifically, this article describes how important elements of the concept for The New Community College at CUNY emerged from lessons learned through nearly ten years of developing a systemwide approach to dual enrollment in the university's College Now program. Through steadfast efforts to understand the range of student needs throughout the college transition process and the first year of college, the experience and expertise of College Now administrators, faculty, and staff contributed in substantial ways to the development of the concept for the new college.