The mission of the First Year Foundations (FYF) program is to support entering first-year students in making a successful transition into the scholarly life and social community at Young Harris College. To do so, it provides opportunities for personal growth through academic planning, decision-making, and use of support services. Each section of FYF is taught by a faculty or staff member and assisted by a peer mentor. FYF is a two-credit hour, required component of the YHC baccalaureate degree, which all first-time, full-time students must take in their first semester of enrollment. Specific courses have been designed following a theme selected by the instructor.

All classes meet for an hour twice a week. First-Year Foundations classes also provide group and individual academic advising, with the teaching professor or instructor serving as the academic advisor for each member of the class. All sections of FYF share common goals and learning outcomes; however, individual instructional teams may develop, emphasize, and assess these goals differently.