In the nearly two years that the author spent on community-college campuses in California, New York, Illinois, and Colorado, he met hundreds of dedicated but often frustrated teachers and administrators. In this article, the author describes what he experienced in the community colleges, identifies the shortcomings of community colleges, and shares the stories of students and their dreams, where some of those dreams flourish while others withered and died. Based on what he saw over the two years he spent on community colleges, the author offers five recommendations for community colleges: (1) create a public-relations campaign; (2) give placement tests in the 11th and the 10th grade; (3) make remediation Job One, as Kay McClenney, who runs the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, said; (4) make transfer Job Two, ensuring that students have the help and encouragement they need to navigate the tricky terrain between two- and four-year colleges; and (5) make a concerted effort to connect with students.