Hello Adaanists,

So, you’re looking at Allegheny College and thinking:

Fair question. The total cost of attendance? Over $70,000 a year.

But here’s the thing: you can get a near-full tuition scholarship. And no, you don’t need to be a prodigy or start a nonprofit at 15.

We know because someone from the Adaanist Team actually did it. And he is going to walk you through exactly how.

Read till the end to catch the underrated insider tips you won’t wanna miss! 😉

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🧠 Underrated Tips That Could Give You an Edge

Before I dive deep into all the tactics I used to get into Allegheny College, let me first share some incredibly helpful tips and insights:

👉 Definitely apply for need-based aid. Seriously, this is what helped turn my offer into a near-full tuition scholarship. Merit got me close, but need-based aid filled the gap. Don’t skip that part of the process.

☝️ Bonus tip: If you’ve got talent in Dance & Movement Studies, Filmmaking, Music, Studio Art, or Theatre, definitely apply for the CAPA Scholarship. It’s another way to bring your cost down, especially if the arts are a real part of your story.

☝️ I bet you didn’t know this - Allegheny offers a referral scholarship. If a current student refers you before you apply (ideally before December 1), you could get an extra award on top of your merit and need-based aid.

Hack: I used LinkedIn to connect with a current Allegheny student and asked them to refer me. It worked.

👉 Talk to your admissions counselor. Once you’ve had a few convos and built some rapport, be real about your financial situation. If you can show your value and aren’t afraid to ask for help, your counselor can actually go to bat for you with the financial aid team. That can seriously change the game.

I negotiated for almost two months, even after the enrollment deadline, and held off on paying the deposit. In the end, they gave me extra aid so I could afford to go.

The key is to prove you’re worth investing in - both as a student and a human - and to be respectful while staying persistent. They really do listen when they know you’re all in on Allegheny.

👉 Lean into interdisciplinary interests. Allegheny is obsessed with students who like to mix it up - like pairing Psychology with Computer Science or combining English and Global Health. 

If that’s you, make it clear in your app. It shows you’ll thrive in the flexible academic setup they’re known for.

👉 Mention the Senior Comp. Every student at Allegheny has to do a capstone project before graduating, and it’s a huge part of Allegheny’s academic culture.

Talking about it proves you’ve done your research and that you’re actually excited to go deep on something you care about.

👉 Check out the Bonner Program. It’s really selective, but it gives you a meaningful service-based experience and more than $3,000 a year in award.

If giving back to your community is a big part of who you are, this program is a perfect fit.

👉 Own your story during the interview. Use it as a chance to talk about what you’ve done in your community and the kind of change you want to keep making. The goal is to show that you already think and act like someone who belongs on their campus.

🔭 What is Allegheny Really Looking For?

Allegheny isn’t interested in just perfect scores and loaded résumés. They want curious, purposeful, community-oriented students who show up in class, in service, and in how they reflect on their story.

They especially love students who connect genuine interests across disciplines - like someone who’s into baseball and data, and explores that through Data Science and Sports Analytics. That kind of authentic, layered curiosity stands out.

To land a top-tier merit award (like the Trustee Scholarship, which can get you close to full tuition), here’s what matters:

• Strong academics

• Impactful leadership or service

• A personal, thoughtful story

• Alignment with Allegheny’s mission and flexible academic vibe

• A well-rounded, values-based application

💪 Academic Strength

You don’t have to be flawless, but Allegheny wants to see that you’ve actually challenged yourself.

Most students who get strong merit aid are rocking a GPA of 3.6 or higher, especially with tough classes like APs, IB, or dual enrollment. That said, even if you're around 3.4, you’re still in the running, if the rest of your app is fire.

GPA Breakdown for Enrolled Students:

• 9.4% had a 4.0

• 24.1% were between 3.75-3.99

• 19.2% between 3.50-3.74

• 14.3% between 3.25-3.49

• 14.0% between 3.00-3.24

Now, if you’re applying from Bangladesh, just a heads-up: having GPA 5.0 in both SSC and HSC is kind of expected - tons of strong applicants hit that. If you’ve got it, great.

But if you just missed? No stress. You can still flex with a strong SAT score (1400+ really gives you leverage). I’ve seen it work.

✍️ Test Scores

Allegheny is test-optional, but submitting good scores gives you a boost, especially for merit aid.

SAT 25th-75th percentile:

ACT 25th-75th percentile:

If you’ve scored above 1400 SAT or 30+ ACT, you’re in excellent shape for top merit consideration, especially paired with leadership or strong writing.

🏆 Leadership & Extracurriculars

This matters way more than most people think. Allegheny’s not looking for résumé stuffers, they want students who actually care and show up for their communities.

That could be starting something, leading a club, mentoring, fundraising, or even holding it down at a job that helps your fam. They really care about service, so if you’ve done any community work - big or small - make it known in your app. Whatever you do, show impact and growth.

👑 Essays: Your Story Matters

This is where you stand out. Allegheny takes writing seriously, so be real. Let your personality show.

Talk about what matters to you. Show what you value. Reflect on what you’ve been through and tie it into things Allegheny values, like civic engagement, academic exploration, or independent thinking.

If you’ve done volunteering, mentorship, or activism, say so. Allegheny’s one of only ~70 colleges with a Bonner Program, which is a huge service-based scholarship. If that program excites you, say “I’m into volunteering” out loud. It’ll make a difference.

🎓 The Trustee Scholarship

The Trustee Scholarship is Allegheny’s biggest merit award, and it’s what you should be going for if you want to get as close to full tuition as possible.

It’s not just about having a high GPA. Allegheny looks for students who bring together strong academics, leadership, community involvement, and real life experiences that mean something.

The award is seriously generous: you could get up to $42,000 per year, which adds up to $168,000 over four years.

Only a small number of students get the top amount each year, but it’s 100% possible.

You don’t need to fill out a separate application either. Just apply for admission by one of the deadlines: Early Decision (Nov 1), Early Action (Dec 1 or Feb 1), or Regular Decision (Feb 15).

Real talk: I recommend going for Early Action. That’s how I landed my near-full tuition offer. It showed them I was genuinely interested, I got my decision earlier, and it gave me an edge in the scholarship game.

If Allegheny’s one of your top choices, EA is the move. You get better shot at scholarships, and you're not locked in like you would be with Early Decision.

💡Why Early Decision Can Go Even Further

If you’re already sold on Allegheny, Early Decision could be a great move.

You’ll get your admission and aid decision super early, usually by December. And you’re guaranteed at least $36,000 per year, with a shot at the full $42,000.

Plus, ED applicants are in a smaller pool, so your odds go up.

You also get early class registration, better housing options (yes, even singles), and free parking as a freshman.

🔍 What Allegheny Actually Cares About

(Straight from their Common Data Set)

These are the most important admissions factors, based on Allegheny’s 2024-2025 CDS:

This means Allegheny is building a class of people who work hard, think deeply, and contribute meaningfully - not just those who hit certain numbers.