Home-schooled students bring a distinctive perspective to the Allegheny community with each unique experience and background. At Allegheny College, our students combine — and redefine — their interests. They expand their concentrations beyond one academic division, developing the big-picture, critical thinking that is in high demand in today’s global marketplace. If you’d like additional guidance throughout your application process, feel free to contact the Home-School Admissions Counselor.
Application Process
We want you to choose the application that is right for you. We treat all three applications equally and there is no application fee required.
Allegheny Application – or – Common Application
– or – The Coalition Application
The CEEB code for home-schooled students is 970000.
If using The Coalition or Common Application, be sure to add Allegheny to your list of schools and submit once you have completed all sections of your profile and college specific questions.
All other credentials should be submitted via the same system as your application (e.g. if you submit the Allegheny Application, your Teacher Recommendation cannot be requested/submitted via the Common App website and must be done via the Allegheny Application Portal or in person).
Please note, online applications may not perform adequately with older web browsers like Internet Explorer 11.
Required Materials
We use the same criteria to evaluate all applicants for admissions; however, we also recognize the distinctive academic experiences of home-schooled applicants. An application for a home-schooled student will be considered complete when Allegheny has received the following information.
Personal Essay
As part of either application listed above, your essay is an opportunity to express your individual creativity and personal qualities to the admission and scholarship committees. Please review the suggested topics and submit a carefully-composed essay.
Narrative High School Transcript
Provide a transcript from your home-school program and a detailed syllabus of your academic coursework. Your narrative transcript should include all of the following information:
- Your name, the name of your home-school (if applicable), address, and phone number
- Your high school course list ordered by year (grades 9-12)
- The institution where each class was taken (i.e. homeschool, online institution, community college)
- The grading scale being used in your homeschool
- Your overall GPA
- Credits given per course (listed per semester and per year)
- Expected graduation date
- Parent signature with a date
The narrative transcript should include both your home-schooled classes and any classes you’ve taken at an outside institution. Additionally, an official transcript must also be submitted for any college coursework completed. Please review the following examples of narrative transcripts for further clarification.
Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3
Guidance or Primary Instructor/Evaluator Letter of Recommendation
We ask that you submit a letter of recommendation from the primary instructor/evaluator of your home-school program. This letter should come from the person who has been most responsible for your academic learning, and who can highlight your academic abilities (this person is often, but not always a parent or guardian).
Send email request via Coalition (only if applying via Coalition Application)
Send email request via Common Application (only if applying via Common App)
Download and request in person
Letter of Recommendation from Non-Family Member
A second letter of recommendation should be submitted from someone outside your family who can evaluate your talents and strengths. Examples include: pastor/priest/clergy person, employer, educational instructor, or coach.
Download and request in person
Optional Materials
Standardized Test Scores
Allegheny College is Test Optional.
Students who apply for admission will not be required to submit ACT or SAT scores with the application. The Admissions staff will focus on other important indicators—overall high school performance, character, determination, and love of learning. Allegheny became test optional with the 2015-16 application cycle.
Test scores are just one of the many factors that we will take into consideration as we get to know you better. While we are test optional, we encourage applicants for admission to submit their test scores if they feel the scores are an accurate representation of their potential for success at Allegheny. While the SAT test may have changed, Allegheny’s commitment to its test-optional policy remains.
Submit Your SATs (code: 2006) | Submit Your ACTs
Self-reported scores can be used for application review but we may ask for verification of self-reported scores for those that enroll.
Note that it is not necessary to send your scores via SAT or ACT if you confirm with your school that your test scores are included on your high school transcript.
Counselor Session (on- or off-campus)
Prospective students and their families are strongly encouraged to visit the Allegheny campus to appraise the College’s educational programs, campus atmosphere, and physical facilities. Although a meeting with a member of the Admissions staff is not a requirement, this conversation can provide both the student and the College with a deeper insight into the character and personality of each other. Meetings with members of the faculty or with other member of the Allegheny community can also be scheduled upon request. Schedule a campus visit or contact the Home-School Admissions Counselor for a virtual counselor session.
Important Dates
| Date | Event / Deadline |
|---|---|
| October 1 | FAFSA Is Available |
| November 15 | Early Decision I App Deadline |
| December 1 | Early Action I App Deadline |
| February 1 | Early Action II App Deadline |
| February 15 | Regular Decision App Deadline |
| February 15 | FAFSA Preferred Submission Date |
| February | Financial Aid Package Mailed |
| March 15 | Regular Decision Notification Deadline |
| May 1 | Enrollment Deposit Deadline |