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The Achieve Program

For Students With Learning Differences

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The Achieve Program

The Achieve Program provides specialized services to students with learning differences. At Villa, we look at students’ needs individually, and develop a plan to help ease their transition into college. Through the Achieve Program, students can build their confidence as they develop the skills that are critical for achieving academic and social successes at the collegiate level and beyond.

Assistive Technology

Achieve students have unlimited access to Microsoft dictate and read aloud, Dragon Naturally Speaking Speech Recognition Software and Livescribe Pens and Notebooks, and other tools they’ll need to complete classwork and prepare for exams.

A Team Approach

The Achieve team communicates openly with faculty, students, and their home support system. This collaborative approach creates the best learning environment possible for every student, sets our program apart, and facilitates our students’ paths to success.

Proven Solutions

The Achieve Program assists students with learning differences in developing executive functions, self-advocacy, and goal-setting skills. Other solutions include subject tutoring with professionally-trained tutors, quiet work spaces, extended testing time, access to note takers, access to digital books, screen readers, and more.

Career Readiness

The Career Readiness Program was designed to help Achieve students improve their career readiness skills in preparation for transition from college to career. The program utilizes one-on-one coaching and specialized workshops to explore majors, career paths, skills/strengths assessments, and part-time jobs to help build their resumes and gain experience.

Tuition and Fees

The Achieve Program’s robust support system is fee-based, and goes beyond these standard accommodations, working with students who struggle with common obstacles like procrastination, time management and prioritization.

  • College tuition per semester (full-time): $12,350
  • College tuition per credit hour (part-time): $820
  • The Achieve Program has two levels with different fees:
    • Level 1: 3-hours of tutoring/week — $2,000/semester
    • Level 2: 5-hours of tutoring/week — $2,500/semester

Students enrolled in the Achieve Program have exclusive and unlimited access to the Achieve Center. This includes private classrooms and computer labs, experienced tutors who specialize in learning differences, quiet tutoring rooms, assistive technology and ongoing support and training to maximize their use, and personalized support for students’ entire time at Villa. The Achieve Center is open to students whenever they are on campus and the building is open. Even in between classes or tutoring sessions, Achieve students are able to use the Center as a quiet place to do their work or study.

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See for yourself.

All colleges and universities are required to provide accommodations to students with disabilities, including learning disabilities. These services, which are free of charge to students, are meant to help students with documented learning disabilities like ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism spectrum disorder, and other disabilities have a level academic playing field with their peers. The Achieve Program is a fee-based program that goes above and beyond what is required by law, and also works with students who struggle with common obstacles, like procrastination, time management and prioritization.

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Our Staff.

DIRECTOR OF THE ACHIEVE PROGRAM
Laura Pietak

[email protected]
716.961.2869

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE ACHIEVE PROGRAM
Aryanna Denk

[email protected]
716.436.5587

Career Readiness Specialist
Jill Manka

[email protected]
716.961.1833

Join the family.

Most Importantly, Villa’s Achieve Students Feel Like Their Success is Possible

“My learning differences made it challenging for me to understand everything I was being taught. Achieve gave me the opportunity to continue to get the help I had been used to receiving in high school at the college level. Because of my drive to do well, and with the help of the tutors in the Achieve Program, I’m on my way to attaining my goals while maintaining a 3.2 GPA or higher grade until graduation. Through the school’s and Achieve’s help, I know I will soon have a successful Graphic Arts/Creative Writing career.”

— Rebecca Kendall, Graphic Design, ’20

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