Through Gateway to College, students who are behind in credits or out of school can complete their high school diploma on a college campus while earning college credits. Gateway programs empower communities to re-engage students who disconnected from education through sustainable, revenue-sharing, partnerships between local colleges and school districts.
Gateway to College is a second chance for thousands of students every year. With personalized support from a student success coach, Gateway students build a strong sense of belonging to the college and gain the skills needed to achieve postsecondary success. Gateway students overcome obstacles, improve attendance, increase their GPAs, and enroll in college at higher rates than their peers.
How Gateway Works
We help communities form partnerships that lead to improved outcomes for opportunity youth. Gateway to College has helped more than 10,000 students earn a diploma while gaining postsecondary credentials.
Find Your Gateway
Are you a high school student or parent looking for a Gateway to College program in your community? Find Gateway to College program locations, contact information, and application instructions.
See Where We AreLaunch a Program
Are you a college or school district looking to expand opportunities for young people in your community? ATD can help you launch a Gateway to College partnership.
Ask Us HowGateway to College benefits the whole community
Whether you’re a school district, an institution of higher education, or a student, Gateway to College can help you achieve your goals.
- Reduce dropout rate
- Provide an engaging, supportive pathway for struggling students
- Return students to school in a new, transformative setting
- Recover previously lost per-pupil funding for students who return
- Revenue sharing with K–12 partners enables intensive holistic support
- Students complete a diploma and enter postsecondary careers with the tools to succeed
- 73 percent of Gateway to College graduates continue in postsecondary education, most at their host college
- Supportive setting where students receive personalized coaching and participate in a community of learners.
- Access to college courses, books, and advising are covered by the program free of charge
- Students find relevance in education that leads to meaningful employment
Bring Gateway to Your Community
Achieving the Dream supports colleges and their K–12 partners with the planning and launch of Gateway to College programs in their communities. From discovery and strategy to staff training, implementation assistance, and data management, ATD offers comprehensive support to communities who are ready to put disconnected youth on a path to success, helping with the development of partnership agreements, sustainable budgets, and a continuous improvement plan.
Launching a Gateway program also connects you to a national network of peers sharing expertise and insights about all elements of operating a high-impact, sustainable program.
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Equity in Design for Holistic Student Supports: A Gateway to College for High School Students
For Devin, Kristian, Ali, and Miranda, Gateway to College helped them attain what they thought was unattainable: a high school diploma, and a path to higher education.
Read MoreTalk to ATD about Setting up a Gateway to College Program
If you represent a college or a school district and have a need for Gateway to College in your community, ATD can help you get started. Talk to us about your needs and learn more about the steps to starting your own Gateway to College program.