<p>Students’ experiences in first-year college mathematics courses have the power to shape their overall academic trajectory. One approach to improving these experiences has been a shift toward incorporating evidence-based instructional practices that foster equitable interactions between students during class and using alternative grading methods. In this study, we examined students’ experiences in a redesigned, coordinated College Algebra course with an emphasis on active learning and standards-based grading. We present qualitative analyses of 228 College Algebra students’ responses to an end-of-semester reflection assignment. We discuss two key findings: how students perceived the classroom community, including how they interacted with their peers and instructors, and how students experienced shifts in their emotions and mindsets specifically tied to standards-based grading. Overall, we found that students were able to develop a sense of belonging within the mathematical community and appreciated classroom norms that helped create a low-risk, nonjudgmental learning environment. We conclude by discussing implications of this work for future research and for instructors or instructional teams who are incorporating active learning and alternative assessment methods across coordinated mathematics courses.</p>