To compete for decent-paying jobs, today's students--particularly those coming from low-income families--need more than a high school education. In fact, the odds of living in poverty can be reduced by 20 to 30 percent with some college attendance or by earning an associate's degree rather than a high school diploma or equivalency. However, public policies all too often rely on outdated assumptions that fail to incorporate the characteristics of, and challenges faced by, low-income students. Today's students have significant non-academic demands, may be academically unprepared for school, and/or may be pursuing college after taking time away from school. The complexities in students' lives necessitate policies that support them across multiple dimensions--financial as well as academic, social, and personal (even basic) needs. Supporting students holistically improves their academic success and makes them more likely to persist and complete. However, college administrators too often overlook these supplemental services or view them as expendable costs, particularly when budgets are tight. Many low-income students need additional supports but tend to go to resource-starved open-access institutions. The proliferation of free college (sometimes called "Promise" or "College Promise") programs have provided low-income students with needed tuition assistance, which supports their ability to persist in their education, but these programs may provide limited opportunities for the broader range of supports that low-income students also need. The Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) initiative, which this paper discusses, combines both financial and student supports to help underprepared students persist in and complete college. This brief describes how ASAP is a highly effective strategy for low-income students that is also cost-effective for institutions.