Get Your Students Hired
I very much agree with the thoughts on a first impressions impact over the entire course.
One of the things I do each term on the first day is hand out a list of personal goals for the students. I walk them though the goals and follow up the discussion with the fact that these are also my goals for the class. I suggest they post it on the fridge and explain that I will not ask them to consider a path which I would not also follow. For some of the students it's a challenge, for others it serves as a mental check list, and for a few it is the difference in between just satisfying the course requirements and achieving excellence. Be positive! Be excellent!