The processes by which unprepared freshmen are able to develop their academic literacy are overlooked by those in the academy. The author will describe a case study of the development of a student's academic literacy in the 1st 3 semesters of college. The information for this project was obtained through interviews with the student and her teacher, observation of her ESL classes, and analysis of her writing. The author will provide 4 major findings of her success studies as well as important implications for students and teachers in the TESOL field.