The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the meaningful impacts of FYS courses on student success, academic performance, and retention rates in a large urban community college. Using quantitative research methods, the researcher compared Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 institutional data of enrollment and retention to evaluate student success and persistence relative to enrollment in FYS. The GRIT-O survey (Duckworth et al., 2007) was administered to Spring 2024 students enrolled in FYS courses. Analysis of the survey data revealed significant differences in GPA and retention rates between students enrolled in FYS courses and those not enrolled in such courses. However, the analysis also indicated that student semester persistence was not significantly related to internal persistence for FYS students based on the factors of the GRIT-O scale, unlike Duckworth's et al. (2007) analysis of other study populations. Additional research is needed on the academic composition of community college students and the effects it has on retention, persistence, and overall student success. [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.]