There has been a huge improvement in the education system in Saudi Arabia quantitatively and qualitatively. Nevertheless, many researchers indicated that high school graduates are not ready for higher education. Especially when considering mathematical compensations, high-demanded skills for tertiary academic programs, Saudi students have been found deficient. Lots of them fail--and hence, quit--from the very first year. There have been several approaches that addressed the challenge of transition from secondary education to higher education. Some of these attempts addressed school curricula. Others focused on improving students' competencies during their first year at university. This paper elaborates on [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] KSA recent movements to address the challenges that students face when moving to higher education institutions. It then, explains the performance of students at a private university in Saudi Arabia during the transition period and particularly when they complete the mandatory preparatory year program.