American colleges and universities need to ensure that the students of today and the future receive better career preparation than they are currently getting: only six in ten employers say that recent graduates have the capabilities needed to succeed in entry-level roles, according to the Association of American Colleges and Universities' 2021 employer survey report. That means higher education institutions must improve the quality of the learning they offer to better prepare students for future jobs. It is also urgent to extend more equitable access to education--and therefore to career opportunities and financial security--to underserved groups. However, the impact of enhancing quality and access will be blunted if, simultaneously, the affordability of that education is not addressed--for both students and institutions. As higher education continues to reel from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it might seem like the worst time to consider such issues. But it might, in fact, be an ideal time. Leaning into the crisis and inching forward can be rewarding and lead to long-lasting success. It might also seem impossible to improve quality, access, and affordability simultaneously. It is indeed possible to improve all three areas at once. The author looked at some guiding principles to follow when creating a constellation of initiatives to simultaneously improve quality, access, and affordability. In this article, he presents some highlights from the work of three institutions that she studied studied--Georgia State University, Governors State University, and Guttman Community College--that illuminate different parts of the framework for pursuing 3fold gains.