Learning and quality postsecondary education are critical for Canada's continued prosperity in today's global knowledge economy. Colleges and institutes have a pivotal role in postsecondary education in Canada by producing highly qualified graduates for direct entry into the labour market and facilitating transitions into further postsecondary education. It is recognized that information and data on students attending Canadian colleges and institutes is limited: this study begins to address this issue. The study involved two surveys of first year students at colleges and institutes: (1) Survey at College Entry to identify the characteristics of these students; and (2) End of First Term Survey to gain an understanding of the nature of their experience during the first term. This report, the first in a series of three, provides a descriptive overview of the first results of these two surveys. A total of 28,992 students completed the Survey at College Entry, from 102 participating colleges and institutes and a total of 17,642 students completed the End of First Term Survey, from 92 participating colleges and institutes. While a large sample of students enrolled in their first year of college was polled in this survey, more than two-thirds of the respondents were from Ontario. Although a substantial number of institutions and respondents were obtained from the Atlantic Provinces, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, those in Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia were under-represented. For this reason, overall project findings should not be viewed as representative of first-year college students nationwide. However, until a future study captures a more nationally representative sample, the current findings are the best and most comprehensive description of first-year students in Canadian colleges, institutes, cegeps (Colleges of General and Vocational Education) and university-colleges achieved to date. Key results from this study include: (1) Profile of First Year Students at Colleges and Institutes; (2) Student Skills; (3) Student Goals; (4) Areas of Difficulty; and (4) Student Experiences and Engagement in College. The document includes five appendixes: (1) Members of Panels; (2) Survey at College Entry: Participating Colleges and Institutes; (3) Survey at End of First Term: Participating Colleges and Institutes; (4) College Entry Survey; and (5) End of Term Survey Results: Needs and Use of Support Services at Colleges and Institutes. (Contains 10 figures and 13 tables.) [This study was produced in cooperation with Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC).]