Foreign language (FL) learning is a complex interplay of cognitive processes as well as social and affective factors, in which learner contributions play a central role (Nyikos & Oxford, 1993). Students' perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes have the potential to affect learning behavior and can ultimately determine not only the quality of the learning experience but also its outcomes (Bernat & Gvozdenko, 2005). This article explores how false beginners transition from their high school program to a college-level FL class. In this multiple case study, interviews with seven students, their teacher, and his assistant, as well as classroom observations, were used to explore learners' expectations, beliefs, and experiences in a college review course as part of theor cultures of learning.