Higher education administrators are well versed with the learning loss and disruption issues surrounding the COVID-19 lockdown. Students entering college now may not be prepared for the rigors of higher education coursework. This study was conducted to examine the perception of academic preparedness and success of first-year college students who enrolled at one Maryland 4-year college in Fall 2022. The research questions penetrate the topic of COVID-19 learning loss and disruption to discover what support was needed and used by this student population, and how the cohort performed during their first year in college. The researcher sought to understand students' perceptions of what helped prepare them for college and what impacted their readiness to enter college. This study used a mixed methodology to examine the academic preparedness and success of first-year college students. The researcher gathered historical data from the institution along with survey data submitted by the Fall 2022 first-year student cohort to formulate a profile of the cohort. Data analysis revealed that the Fall 2022 first-year cohort performed well during their first year of college despite their survey responses indicating that they felt the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on their studies. The research questions were developed to increase understanding of how students perceived their academic preparedness for college, how the COVID-19 lockdown impacted their ability to be successful in college, and what resources were utilized to perform well in their first year of college. More work is needed to assess the needs of first-year students. Research into COVID-19 learning loss should continue. The comprehensive set of recommendations for future research include a longitudinal study to monitor the academic performance and progression of incoming first-year students and utilizing this study's survey to continue to identify student needs. Practice recommendations include reinstating the SAT requirement for enrollment, applying more emphasis on dual enrollment, increasing the involvement of friends and family, developing a peer mentoring program, and creating a first-year seminar to help higher education administrators understand how to support student success in the post-COVID era. [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.]