In this study researchers tested the hypothesis that community college attendance lowers students' precollege plans to obtain a bachelor of arts degree. In the presence of controls for precollege plans, other background factors, and college academic and nonacademic experiences, community college students initially planning to obtain a bachelor of arts degree were between 20% and 31% more likely than similar four-year college students to lower their plans below a bachelor of arts degree by the end of the second year of college.