This monograph focuses on the first year of college and the need for structured first-year programs that help at-risk students make a successful transition to college. It provides a detailed discussion of the elements of a structured first-year program, including: (1) participation in the admissions process for at-risk students; (2) pre-freshman-year academic and social preparation; (3) intrusive advisement throughout the freshman year; (4) provision of academic services that buttress courses in which students are enrolled; (5) group services with extended service hours to build cohesion among participants; and (6) conscientious efforts to convey a message of success to students. Additionally, examples of structured first-year programs at five institutions of higher education the University of New Orleans; Marquette University (Wisconsin); Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho); University of Maryland at College Park, and University of South Carolina are profiled. (Contains 12 references.) (CH)