The focus of this brief is student success: To what extent can the accreditation process drive significant improvement in student persistence and completion at institutions that undergo the peer review process, particularly for students from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education? Because this inquiry is in service to Achieving the Dream, a national initiative on community college student success involving nine states and fifty-seven community colleges, the particular interest of this brief is accreditation as it plays out in the community college sector. Jobs for the Future prepared this brief to spark discussion with regional accreditors, community colleges, researchers, policymakers, and others interested in identifying and strengthening external levers that can complement and accelerate internal institutional change processes. (Contains 2 tables and 7 endnotes.)