This author argues that college and university education in North America is in trouble. Education surpasses health, war, and the economy as the most important issue for the future. It does not get the attention it deserves because its effects are long term and people have short attention spans. In this article, the author explains why so many students fail or drop out of high school, college, and university in North America. He shares some causes of student attrition and describes what colleges are doing to help. In order to create a successful college student, the author argues that it is important to improve students' academic state of preparedness and develop self-knowledge.