Over the years, a number of interventions aimed at increasing student engagement and performance have been implemented in higher education. Some of these, labeled high-impact practices (HIPs), when done well, have led to documented evidence of student success. Two approaches that have been identified as HIPs--first-year seminars and learning communities--are often brought together into what is referred to here as first-year seminar/learning community (FYS/LC) programs. In this book, authors from both two- and four-year colleges and universities across the country explore the rationale for offering these combined programs, make suggestions for successfully implementing and supporting them, and provide snapshots of a variety of existing FYS/LC structures. Following a foreword (Tracy L. Skipper), and an introduction (Janine Graziano and Lauren Chism Schmidt), this book is divided into two parts. Part I: "Rationale for and Implementation of Combined Programs," contains the following chapters: (1) The Case for Connecting First-Year Seminars and Learning Communities (Ashley Finley and George D. Kuh); (2) National Practices for Combining First-Year Seminars and Learning Communities (Jean M. Henscheid, Tracy L. Skipper, and Dallin G. Young); (3) Administering Combined First-Year Seminar and Learning Community Programs (Nia Haydel and Liya Escalera); (4) Teaching in Combined Programs (Lisa Dresdner and Ruthanna Spiers); and (5) What Should We Be Assessing and Why? (Michele J. Hansen and Maureen A. Pettitt ). Part II: "Contexts for Implementation: Models From Two- and Four-Year Institutions" presents the following case studies: (1) Inviting the Mother Tongue and a First-Year Seminar to Promote Success among Spanish-Speaking ESL Students. (Andrea Parmegiani--Bronx Community College); (2) The Metro College Success Program: Redesigning the First Two Years of College (Vicki Legion--City College of San Francisco and Mary Beth Love--San Francisco State University); (3) The Targeted Learning Community: A Comprehensive Approach to Promoting the Success of First-Year Students in General Chemistry (Hillary H. Steiner, Michelle L. Dean, Stephanie M. Foote, and Ruth A. Goldfine--Kennesaw State University); (4) Common Courses: A Developing Linked Coursework Perspective (Hilary L. Lichterman, Daniel B. Friedman, Amber Fallucca, and Jason E. Steinas--The University of South Carolina; (5) Need a Little TLC? Incorporating First-Year Seminars in Themed Learning Communities (Stephanie Zobac, Kelly Smith, Julia Spears, and Denise Rode--Northern Illinois University); (6) Writing Across the Curriculum Through Community Engagement: Exploring the Foster Care System in a Thematic Living and Learning Community (Richie Gebauer and Michelle Filling-Brown--Cabrini College); and (7) Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) (Lauren Smith, Aslinn Arcuri, and Matthew Farina--Mt. Hood Community College). This book also contains a Conclusion (Lauren Chism Schmidt and Janine Graziano), an index, and a section about the contributors. (Individual chapters and case studies contain references.)