Getting into college is easy; the hard part is getting out! The research has identified several factors that contribute significantly to student success in higher education: • High expectations – Students who believe they will succeed in college are more likely to do well than those who don’t. Parents, teachers and peers can encourage that belief. • Academically prepared; algebra and calculus – The probabilities of earning a college degree go up by 40% if students take Algebra II and Trigonometry in high school—and do well. This increases to 93% with pre-calculus and calculus.