Transforming Colleges, Transforming Communities
We believe in a world where every community college is a catalyst for more equitable, economically vibrant communities. Alongside hard working leaders, we’re transforming colleges — from how they lead to how they teach — to put students at the center, so that all students can access life-changing learning that propels them into community-changing careers.
See Our Approach300+ colleges. 300+ success stories.
Will yours be next?
This Is Whole College Transformation.
The community colleges we work with are distinct: They choose transformation over tradition, curiosity over inaction, innovation over status quo. Achieving the Dream is dedicated to being the trusted partner community colleges seek to better connect the academic, social, and operational dots. We provide institutions with integrated, tailored support for every aspect of their work — from foundational capacities such as leadership, data, and equity to intentional strategies for supporting students holistically, building K-12 partnerships, and more.
Whole College Transformation starts here. Foundations of Transformation is our core program; it’s a multi-year, intensive engagement led by expert coaches and teams, designed to build foundational capacities that enable sustainable college transformation across leadership, equity, data — and so much more.
Get StartedOnce a solid foundation has been built, it’s time to accelerate. Accelerating Transformation engagements span multiple areas of expertise, from K-12 partnerships to equity to holistic student support. These services are designed to go deeper within specific institutional capacities and are customized based on each college’s areas of growth.
Go DeeperTrusted experts for the journey ahead.
Our experts have worked in community colleges across the country. They’ve seen challenges up close; they understand the tools required to help create smart solutions that address your institution’s unique challenges. With Achieving the Dream, you’ll work directly with our network of experts to create and follow your path to transformation.
Learn More About Our ExpertsReady-to-use tools for a big impact.
While each institution is unique, it’s critical to learn from each other’s challenges and successes. Use our actionable, field-tested resources to augment your whole-college transformation.
Trusted by leading community colleges across the country.
At Achieving the Dream, you’re in good company: We’ve worked with over 300 colleges in 45 states.
300+
colleges in the Achieving the Dream Network
4M+
students served by network colleges
3,000+
coaching hours provided in 2021
4,000+
attendees at the 2021 DREAM conference and learning events
Continuous opportunities for improvement
Join our upcoming webinars, virtual sessions, and events to learn from one another as we work to close equity gaps and improve student outcomes.
Holistic Student Supports
Opportunities for All: Webinar Series
The 2022–2023 Network Engagement webinar series, Opportunities for All, offers expert insights for ATD Network colleges as they continue their transformation journey. Register today to join us for the webinars in this series.
Equity
DREAM 2023
During this 19th annual convening in Chicago, thousands of practitioners from over 300 colleges will exchange evidence-based strategies that drive access, momentum, mobility, and community impact.
Data
Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) Onboarding Course
The Online PDP Onboarding Course is designed to support college teams that are new to the Postsecondary Data Partnership. Participants will connect with colleagues and mentors, complete a comprehensive PDP data submission to maximize dashboard functionality, navigate the ever-growing demands for better data to inform better decisions, and use data to advance equity. The course content is available online for participants to access when it best suits their schedule and is supplemented with live sessions for real-time engagement with PDP experts.