Close to half of all community college students leave before obtaining their stated goals. In order to determine what student characteristics increase community college student retention, with a heightened interest on the predictive nature of taking a student success course, a post-facto quasi-experimental study was conducted to determine whether or not participation in a study skills course affects retention at a Southeast community college. Results indicate that successful completion of a study skills course increases fall-to-fall retention for students who enroll in the institution with an ACT COMPASS[R] (American College Test, 2006) score over those who do not participate in a study skills course. Results also show that while ethnicity/race and socioeconomic status were not significant, factors of retention, gender, age, and ACT COMPASS [R] Reading score significantly predict student retention. Recommendations for researchers and community college administrators and counselors are discussed.