The Coalition for College is a diverse group of more than 170 distinguished colleges and universities across the U.S. that are fully aligned with the vision and mission of the Coalition. These institutions have demonstrated their commitment to access, affordability, academic outcomes, and student success, and are leaders in actively building supportive environments that foster a sense of belonging for all students.
The Coalition is made up of more than 170 distinguished and diverse public and private colleges and universities across the U.S. View our membership list
The Coalition is led by Liz Cheron, chief executive officer. Meet Team Coalition. The Coalition is governed by a board of directors that is composed of administrators from member schools, as well as directors with expertise outside of higher education.
Research shows that not all students have equal access to college. Specifically, students from disadvantaged backgrounds—including lower-income, under-resourced, and/or first-generation students—are not provided with the tools and resources they need to apply to college. In addition, they frequently struggle with applying for financial aid, and they often do not receive the financial aid for which they qualify. As a result, some of the most highly qualified students do not attend college, or do not complete their college degrees. That’s why we’re here. The Coalition offers tools and resources to help students learn about, prepare for, and apply to colleges.
All Coalition member schools graduate students with low-to-no debt, while either meeting students’ full demonstrated financial need, offering low-cost in-state tuition, or providing responsible financial aid packages. In addition, with the Coalition’s simple fee waiver, eligible students do not have to pay to apply to Coalition schools.
First, the Coalition increases awareness, beginning as early as ninth grade, by helping students learn about, prepare for, and apply to college—especially lower-income and under-resourced students. Second, we demonstrate that college is affordable, and our members are invested in their success—they offer generous financial aid or low-cost in-state tuition AND graduate students with low-to-no debt. Finally, we offer fee waivers to eligible students, so they don’t even have to pay to apply to Coalition schools.