The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe how first-year college students describe the academic benefits and effectiveness of participating in a developmental education program in preparing them for academic success. The theoretical frameworks supporting this study were Bandura's theory of self-efficacy and Tinto's theory of student integration. The purposive sampling approach was used to recruit 15 students at a community college in South Carolina who were over the age of 18 under the age of 65 in a developmental education program. The research questions posed explored how first-year college students described the academic benefits of participating in a developmental education program and the recommendations for improving a developmental education program. Data was collected through interviews and a focus group. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the individual semi-structured, open-ended interview responses as well as the answers to open-ended question responses from a focus group. Results from the study support the need for instructors to implement a program that is geared towards building relationships, effectively communicating with students, and fostering interaction among students. Nine of the 10 (90%) interview participants and five out of five (100%) focus group participants discussed the themes support from faculty and future job/career endeavors. The results also conveyed that student's recommended required advisement and the offering of credits for the courses. Overall, the findings can contribute to helping administrators, policymakers, and researchers understand which factors improve perceptions of self-efficacy and success rates for students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]