The First-Year Experience is for and about students as they make the transition from high school to the university. The initiatives and events that make up the First-Year Experience include:Welcome and Orientation, freshman orientation (3 days before classes begin during the fall semester,) freshman convocation, and APSU 1000. The Academic Support Center, located in MUC 114 provides tutoring and supplemental instruction at no cost to the student. Through the Early Alert system, faculty are able to monitor the progress of students and refers those who need assistance to the Dean of Enrollment Management and Academic Support. Academic advisement is a key issue; students who have declared majors are assigned to a faculty advisor in the department that houses the major. Special advisors who are a part of the Career, Counseling and Testing Center advise those students who have not yet chosen a major. Colleges and universities nationwide now recognize the importance of the freshman year and the need to guide first-year students as they develop the habits and practices that lead to success in completing the baccalaureate degree. While performance in high school can be a predictor of success in college, success in high school does not guarantee success at the university level. Through the HOPE scholarships, more students will have financial support for higher education; the activities that make up APSU’s First-Year Experience will enable more students to be successful in achieving their academic goals.