Mandatory placement may actually provide the key to opening the door to true academic, vocational, or community success despite the criticisms by some that it excludes students and restricts their freedoms.Perhaps nowhere in community colleges do more ironies exist about an ethical course of action than in the issue of mandatory placement of underprepared students. The overarching dilemma rests at the heart of what community colleges pride themselves on most-the egalitarian position of open access and the effort to provide all students with the highest quality of education. The ethical dilemma that community colleges confront concerns what is in the best interest of students-not an easy issue when considering the diverse skills of community college students. A host of ethical issues relate to the underprepared student.

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