Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Meadville, Pennsylvania
58.5% Acceptance Rate
Allegheny College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
58.5%Acceptance Rate
3.53Avg GPA
1292Avg SAT
28Avg ACT
$70,614Annual Cost
$62,069Grad Salary
25.2%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
58.5%
Avg GPA
3.53
Avg SAT
1292
Avg ACT
28
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1140–1350
ACT Middle 50%
25–31
Need-Based Aid
25.2% receive Pell
Allegheny College, established in 1815 in Meadville, Pennsylvania, is a private liberal arts college ranked among the top national liberal arts colleges by U.S. News. Allegheny's distinctive 'Unusual Combinations' curriculum requires students to major in one discipline and minor in another unrelated field, fostering interdisciplinary thinking. The college's 500-acre campus features state-of-the-art science facilities, the Allegheny Center for Political Participation, and the Bentley Hall historic landmark. Allegheny maintains a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and emphasizes undergraduate research across all disciplines.
Allegheny's location in northwest Pennsylvania provides outdoor recreation opportunities and proximity to Pittsburgh and Cleveland. The Gators compete in NCAA Division III athletics in the North Coast Athletic Conference. The college's environmental science program benefits from the 283-acre Bousson Experimental Forest, while its art department operates a student-run gallery. Allegheny's strong alumni network includes Pulitzer Prize winners and leaders in various fields, reflecting the college's emphasis on critical thinking and communication skills.
Allegheny College Acceptance Rate
Allegheny College takes a broad view of applicants, admitting about 58.5% each year.
What Allegheny College Admissions Looks For
- Whole-Person Review: Personal circumstances and career goals are weighed alongside grades.
- Flexible on GPA: Strong extracurriculars or work experience can offset an average transcript.
Selectivity at a Glance
Somewhat Selective
Selectivity scale: Somewhat Selective — 58.5% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.53 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.33 – 3.52
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.08
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Allegheny College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Allegheny College is November 15 for Early Action applicants, with additional plans listed below. Admission decisions are typically released by December 15.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 97 days left — Early Action
Early Action
November 15
Decision by: December 15
Regular Decision
February 15
💡 The scholarship deadline (November 15, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Allegheny College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Allegheny College is 3.53. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.23 and 3.53? A strong standardized test score is worth prioritizing.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently. For an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.73–3.93.Allegheny College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Selective; solid academic performance is expected.
Recommended Strategy: Focus on a Strong 'Spike' in extracurriculars or research.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.53 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.33 – 3.52
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.13 – 3.32
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.12
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- No supplemental/writing essay required since the 2013-14 application cycle - some outdated third-party sites still list one.
- Distinctive graduation requirement: every student completes both a major and a minor in different fields.
- New for 2025-26: 28-microcredential program layered onto the existing curriculum, no added coursework.
- Visit Grant: $1,000/year added to aid offer for campus visits by May 1.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Allegheny College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Allegheny College's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Allegheny College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Allegheny College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Allegheny College Without SAT or ACT?
Allegheny College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Allegheny College Average SAT Score: 1292
The average SAT score of admitted students at Allegheny College is 1292 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1292 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1350 SAT or 31 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Allegheny College allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1140, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Allegheny College. Retaking multiple times is completely normal. Most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 600 | 540 | 660 |
| SAT Reading | 645 | 600 | 690 |
| SAT Composite | 1292 | 1140 | 1350 |
Below 1140, you're behind most admitted students; at 1350 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1300
Can I get into Allegheny College with a 1350 SAT?
A 1350 SAT puts you ahead of most of Allegheny College's admitted class, but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
Allegheny College ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Allegheny College is 28.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 28 — Competitive
This average is solidly above the national mean without being elite-tier.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 24 | 21 | 27 |
| ACT English | 29 | 22 | 35 |
| ACT Composite | 28 | 25 | 31 |
Can I get into Allegheny College with a 31 ACT?
A 31 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Allegheny College's admitted students. That's a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several that admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science, each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section, especially Science at STEM-focused schools, stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at Allegheny College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Allegheny College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Allegheny College is accessible to students who show core competency. Focus on proving readiness for college-level work and locking in financial aid.
Plan your double major/minor combination early
Allegheny requires every student to complete a major AND a minor in different academic areas - this is a graduation requirement, not an elective choice, so start thinking about your combination (even tentatively) before you arrive, since it shapes your first-year course selection.
Ask about the new microcredential program at your admissions visit
Allegheny launched 28 microcredentials for 2025-26, layered onto the existing major-minor curriculum with no extra coursework required - ask specifically which microcredentials align with your intended major-minor pairing, since this is a genuinely new (not legacy-marketed) feature.
Visit by May 1 for the Visit Grant
Allegheny offers a $1,000/year Visit Grant added to your scholarship and aid offer for visiting campus by a specific date - this is a concrete, actionable financial incentive tied to a real deadline, not vague "demonstrated interest" advice.
Don't rely on third-party sites citing a supplemental essay
Allegheny's own admissions office states it has had no writing supplement since the 2013-14 application cycle - if you see an aggregator site referencing a "75-word supplemental essay," treat Allegheny's own site as authoritative and skip searching for a nonexistent essay prompt.
Expert Insight:
Because some third-party aggregators still list an old, discontinued supplemental essay requirement, applicants relying on those sites risk either wasting time writing an unnecessary essay or, worse, believing they're missing a requirement that doesn't actually exist - always cross-check against allegheny.edu directly.
Allegheny College Profile
Full Name
Allegheny College
City
Meadville
State
Pennsylvania
ZIP Code
16335-3902
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
Is a Allegheny College Degree Worth It?
Whether Allegheny College is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals. Here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $64,300, with a graduate unemployment rate of 3.05%.
How much does a degree from Allegheny College Cost?
The sticker price is $70,614/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
25.2% of students receive a Pell Grant and 71.2% take federal loans at Allegheny College. File your FAFSA early and list Allegheny College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Allegheny College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $62,069. That's about 53% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Allegheny College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1251 | 26 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1261 | 26 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| Biola University | La Mirada, CA | 1258 | 27 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, CA | 1278 | 26 |
| Thomas Aquinas College | Santa Paula, CA | 1277 | 29 |
| University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL | 1277 | 27 |
| Eckerd College | Saint Petersburg, FL | 1256 | 27 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | Daytona Beach, FL | 1256 | 27 |
| Florida Southern College | Lakeland, FL | 1263 | 28 |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Allegheny College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1287 | 28 |
| United States Coast Guard Academy | New London, CT | 1290 | 28 |
| University of Delaware | Newark, DE | 1297 | 29 |
| Agnes Scott College | Decatur, GA | 1296 | 29 |
| University of Georgia | Athens, GA | 1301 | 29 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Allegheny College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hendrix College | Conway, AR | 1336 | 29 |
| Chapman University | Orange, CA | 1353 | 30 |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu, CA | 1367 | 29 |
| Westmont College | Santa Barbara, CA | 1367 | 32 |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, CO | 1353 | 31 |
Degree Programs at Allegheny College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Allegheny College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Allegheny College run about $62,069 a year.
At about $70,614 a year, Allegheny College's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
About 25.2% receive a Pell Grant at Allegheny College. The odds are moderate and largely income-dependent, but an early FAFSA filing still helps.
At 58.5%, Allegheny College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Allegheny College average a 3.53 GPA.
Allegheny College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.23 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.13, Allegheny College becomes a harder reach, though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at Allegheny College — aim above 1292, ideally within the 1140–1350 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Allegheny College is November 15 for Early Action applicants. Admission decisions are released by December 15.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is November 15, 2026. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes, transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most, along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.
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