Academic preparedness is critical when it comes to student success in college, but research on factors such as academic performance indicators and behaviors has shown that many students are not prepared for college. While may studies highlight that college-bound students need help becoming academically prepared for college, fewer studies have investigated what high school students think about their own academic preparedness. In September 2023, a random sample of high school students who registered for the September 2023 ACT national test were surveyed. In this online survey, students were asked to share what academic preparedness means to them, what they think about their chances of success in first-year college courses, what evidence they use to evaluate their academic preparedness, and what supports helped them to become academically prepared. This brief shares what was learned from the 1,842 surveyed high school students on these topics.