A college degree is more important than ever before for ensuring the economic prosperity of individuals and for society at large. Individuals with a bachelor's degree who worked full time, year-round in 2008 had median earnings of $55,700, compared to the $21,900 earned by their peers with only a high school diploma (Baum, Ma, and Payea 2010). Despite the many additional benefits associated with college completion, including better health, improved job security, and stronger families and communities, too few college students complete their postsecondary schooling. While there are many determinants of college degree completion, arriving at college academically prepared to do college-level work is among the most predictive factors of collegiate success. The purpose of this brief is to review the evidence on the role of rigorous high school course-taking on students' subsequent college and labor market success. A bibliography is included. (Contains 2 tables and 4 footnotes.)