Wes,
I will echo what Alexander stated.  With a Windows computer, anyway, you really have to have an audio interface box.  I use a Presonus, another popular series is the Fousrite Scarlet.  Both can be had for about $100.  Behringer has a lower priced unit that others have reported to work.  I tried several high end computers without an external interface and met with nothing but frustration.  Note also if someone does not have a good computer, the FastMusic box or an equivalent build of a Raspberry Pi (with the Symonics operating system) works very well.
Michael Read