This literature review examined the relationship between the type of mathematics courses taken and scholastic mathematics achievement. The paper concludes that there is a high correlation between types of mathematics courses taken and scholastic math achievement. Specifically, higher level mathematics courses enhance and foster analytical thinking and problem solving ability among students. Consequently, students who have been enrolled in upper level math courses have traditionally scored higher on national tests. The learning resulting from high school through college preparatory math courses enhance a student's success rate in college. Nine references are listed. (YP)