In the United States, there has been a recent resurgence of recognizing the value of a college education. While students are being encouraged to take challenging and advanced courses in preparation for college, a central question concerns whether secondary school instruction is developing the skills and knowledge necessary for learners to be successful in the college classroom. While there may some variations of instructional practice across institutions, one common assumption is that students entering college are “ready” to learn regardless of past educational experience. In this session we will discuss common instructional methods used in college classrooms and what types of pedagogical techniques and strategies can ease the transition to college learning. This discussion will be grounded in principles of educational psychology and cognitive psychology.