In this paper I summarize some key findings from a three-year study of the high school-university transition for students attending a large arts and science faculty, within the context of their first university chemistry course. I then discuss these results within the broader context of research on success in higher education. Final conclusions are drawn from both my own observations and participant discussion from the session at the 2009 Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) conference at the University of New Brunswick.