The public two-year college in its exemplary (comprehensive) form is an open admissions institution characterized by diverse curricular offerings, with a heavy emphasis on guidance and counseling, as well as an emphasis on compensatory and continuing education. The major focus of this study was to examine, by a survey of community colleges, the nature and extent to which compensatory practices and programs exist in two-year colleges for the minority group academically disadvantaged. Subject to normal research limitations, conclusions may be considered as representative of all two-year colleges in this country. Almost all have personal, academic, vocational-occupational, and job placement counseling. Only 40% have the curricular offerings and admissions policies expected of public community colleges. Although almost all public two-year colleges state that they have an open admissions policy, almost 45% require more than a high school diploma or some minimum age standard. It appears that public two-year colleges need additional emphasis on recruitment teams to go into the ghettos. Since only 17% have courses in ethnic studies, more is needed in this area. One-fifth of the private two-year colleges have special programs for the academically disadvantaged, and 2/3 have developed special courses for them. Approximately 40% of the public two-year colleges have special programs for the disadvantaged, a dramatic increase over the past decade but still inadequate in view of the purpose of the community college. (Author/KM)