Allegheny College Announces Expansion of Full-Tuition Commitment to Access Program to Ohio
Allegheny College, one of the nation’s oldest and most innovative four-year colleges, has announced the expansion of its investment in the Commitment to Access Program (CAP), building upon the College’s founding mission of providing access to a transformative education.
The program now covers 100 percent of tuition for Ohio and Pennsylvania students from families earning an annual income of $50,000 or less. In its inaugural year, 64 students were provided an affordable path to an Allegheny education through CAP.
“As a first-generation student from a low-income family, I never thought I would be able to attend Allegheny College,” shared Alizabeth Atkison ’26. “I was nearing the end of my first year at another college and worrying if I could afford my semester when my mother told me Allegheny was offering a program to help low-income families. I sobbed tears of joy when I was accepted to Allegheny — this is where I was meant to be. The CAP program truly changed my life.”
Earlier this week, Common App also announced Allegheny College joined their direct admission program, which provides proactive admission offers to first generation and low- and middle-income students who meet the College’s admission profile. Through direct admission, students who may have excluded Allegheny from their college search based on cost or other barriers will know they have a place and will be welcomed as part of the Allegheny community.
“Expanding the Commitment to Access Program to Ohio students and joining the Common App Direct Admission program are a clear demonstration of our core values of inclusion and excellence,” said Ellen Johnson, vice president for enrollment management. “These programs are another step toward our commitment to ensure Allegheny College is accessible to all.”
The New York Times recently recognized Allegheny College as the top college in Pennsylvania and 32nd in the country for having the greatest economic diversity. And, the College ranked in the top 20 percent nationally in economic mobility rankings released in July by the nonprofit organization Third Way. These recognitions demonstrate that the College not only enrolls students across the socioeconomic spectrum but ensures they graduate and lead successful and meaningful lives.
“We are excited for Allegheny College to join our direct admissions program, where even more students will now know that they are worthy and wanted on a college campus,” said Jenny Rickard, President and CEO of Common App. “Overall, direct admissions is about changing the narrative of a college education from one of scarcity to one of opportunity, by ensuring students know that college opportunity is an abundant resource — and one that’s available to them.”
CAP is available to new first-year and new transfer students and is renewable for four years. Students from families meeting the eligibility criteria will be automatically considered for the program if they submit both their Allegheny admission application and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by Feb. 15.
“Our alumni share over and over that their Allegheny education provided them with the experiences, knowledge, and skills rooted in the liberal arts that prepared them for meaningful lives and purposeful careers,” said Johnson. “The successful outcomes and increased social mobility will now be accessible to even more students across Pennsylvania and Ohio through Allegheny’s investment in their future.”
In the most recent U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, Allegheny was also recognized as one of the top 50 national liberal arts colleges for social mobility, and annual rankings by The Princeton Review, Forbes, and Money have consistently highlighted Allegheny’s commitment to quality and value. The College has also been named a First-Gen Forward institution in recognition of a commitment to improving experiences and advancing outcomes of first-generation students.
Visit allegheny.edu/cap to learn more about the Commitment to Access Program.
About Allegheny College
Allegheny College, founded in 1815, is one of the nation’s oldest and most innovative four-year colleges where multidisciplinary learning breaks the conventional mold. It is one of the few colleges in the United States with a unique requirement to choose both a major and minor for graduation, to provide students with a cross-disciplinary path in the sciences and humanities for educational depth and intellectual growth.
Located in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Allegheny College is one of 40 colleges featured in Loren Pope’s “Colleges That Change Lives.” In its 2023 rankings, U.S. News & World Report recognized Allegheny College as one of the country’s top 100 national liberal arts colleges — and one of the top 25 best for undergraduate research and creative activities.