Attracting and retaining high-achieving engineering students requires first-year experiences that simultaneously challenge performance and support holistic development. This study reports the implementation of two high-performance first-year learning communities (CODEX and IGNITE) at the School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico). Using a mixed-methods design, we compared participants against a control cohort within a first-year population of 1,102 engineering students. Quantitative analyses included program persistence and academic performance indicators, and subjective well-being was measured through a Gallup-based survey covering economic, physical, community, and occupational well-being using a 5-point Likert scale; group differences were tested using Welch's t-test (¿=0.05). Results show that high-achieving groups exhibit higher program persistence (97.78%) than the overall cohort (93.58%). Well-being comparisons reveal statistically significant differences primarily in community and physical dimensions: while overall satisfaction remains high in both groups (mean > 4), high-achieving students report slightly lower averages across well-being items, consistent with greater self-demand and elevated expectations. Physical well-being - particularly perceived physical condition and time available for enjoyable activities - shows the lowest ratings among high-achieving students, highlighting opportunities for targeted program supports (health, sport, leisure, and recovery). Overall, findings support structured high-performance first-year programs as an effective approach to strengthen early academic trajectory while identifying specific well-being needs within high-achieving populations.
