Community college students are different from their four-year college counterparts in many ways. In fact, the entire nature of expectation among students is different in psychological, social, economic, and academic terms. Despite an array of reports about community college students, few attempts have been made to generate baseline data about who these students are and how they perform in college. The current study was designed to examine both the characteristics of community college students and to identify the challenges they face to academic success. As an extension, this study also was designed to examine the response strategies these students use. Findings from this type of research can be valuable to faculty members, student-affairs professionals, and other academic leaders and policy makers who seek to optimize the experience of students enrolled in community colleges.