The Transition Class is an alternative model to the traditional college sequence of developmental courses. Offered as an option to prospective students before they complete the college application and financial aid procedures, the 12-week Transition Class is nongraded and free of charge. By taking the class before they fully matriculate in the college credit system, nontraditional, first-generation college students have the opportunity to learn about the expectations and demands of college in a supportive, low-risk environment. A holistic, integrated curriculum and class structure, along with the constant use of active learning methodologies, characterize the Transition Class. Academic skills, emotional and social skills, teamwork, career exploration, and goal setting are developed to cultivate success in the workplace as well as in the classroom. The curriculum consists of reading, writing, math, and "emotional literacy," and class sizes are small enough to foster collaborative learning and student involvement. In the Transition Class, students are expected to meet high demands and are responsible for their own learning, which is often strengthened by the communal learning environment. The Transition Class has proven extremely successful in improving the college academic achievement of "at-risk" students. (YKH)