What Coalition for College does

Coalition for College is a U.S. nonprofit consortium of more than 150 colleges and universities, founded around 2014–2016 and headquartered in Barrington. Its stated mission is to improve access to higher education by helping students learn about, prepare for, and apply to college, with member institutions committing to affordability and timely graduation. The organization operates as a coalition rather than a single institution: it has 1–10 employees, no parent company, and is funded through membership dues paid by its member schools.

The core product is the Coalition Application, delivered through a technology partnership with Scoir, which provides the underlying college application platform, college-list building, and application management tools for students. Around this core, Coalition runs the My Coalition Counselor advice platform (articles, videos, and guidance on applications, essays, and financial aid), a calendar of virtual events and workshops featuring admissions counselors from member schools (with recordings and Spanish-language support), a Member Portal for institutional partners, and a fee-waiver program to reduce application costs for qualifying students.

The business model is membership-dues-based: 150+ member colleges and universities fund operations, and all resources, events, and the application platform are provided free of charge to students, families, counselors, and community-based organizations. Go-to-market is community-led and content-driven, relying on the website and blog, email newsletters, virtual events, the Scoir platform integration, and direct outreach to high school counselors and CBOs. Member-institution prestige (including Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Chicago) is the principal brand asset and the source of credibility with counselors and applicants.

Name

Coalition for College

Legal name

Coalition for College

Website

https://coalitionforcollegeaccess.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Coalition for College is a U.S. nonprofit consortium of 150+ colleges and universities that provides free college planning resources, events, and a Scoir-powered application platform to high school students, counselors, parents, and community organizations, funded by member institution dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

College access and admissions support services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• College access nonprofit
• College application platform
• Higher education access
• College admissions guidance
• Student college preparation

Headquarters

HQ city

Barrington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Institution Dues: Coalition for College is funded through membership dues from its 150+ member colleges and universities. As a nonprofit organization focused on college access, all resources provided to students are free.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Coalition for College is a nonprofit consortium of 150+ colleges and universities that delivers free college preparation and application services, including the Coalition Application platform (delivered through partner Scoir), the MyCoalition Counselor advice hub, virtual events with admissions officers, essay prompts and guidance, and application fee waiver resources. All student-facing offerings are provided at no cost, funded by member institution dues and donations.

Product overview

Coalition for College operates as a coalition of 150+ top colleges and universities offering a suite of college access products and services. The core offering is the Coalition Application with Scoir, a unified application platform enabling students to apply to multiple member schools. Supporting this are the MyCoalition Counselor advice platform providing free guidance content, Events and Workshops featuring expert admissions counselors, Essay Prompts and Resources, and Application Fee Waivers. The Member Portal serves the institutional side, supporting the network of member schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• My Coalition Counselor: Free college admissions tutoring program providing guidance on applications, essays, and financial aid

Products and services

• Coalition Application with Scoir A unified college application platform delivered in partnership with Scoir that allows students to apply to more than 150 Coalition member colleges and universities, build college lists, and manage their admissions journey through a single account.
• MyCoalition Counselor A free college admissions advice platform providing articles, videos, and recorded event content covering application preparation, financial aid, essay writing, and student support resources for high school students, families, and counselors.
• Events and Workshops Free live and recorded virtual events and workshops for students and families, hosted by admissions and financial aid counselors from Coalition member schools, with Spanish-language captioning on select sessions.
• Essay Prompts and Resources Guidance, prompts, and tips for writing college application essays, including topic selection, brainstorming techniques, and revision strategies drawn from Coalition member-school admissions officers.
• Application Fee Waivers Information and resources explaining fee waiver eligibility and process for students applying to Coalition member colleges, reducing the financial burden of college applications.
• Member Portal Online portal through which the Coalition's 150+ member colleges and universities access partnership resources, manage their membership, and use available institutional tools.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ScoircoreTechnology or IntegrationCoalition for College partners with Scoir to deliver the Coalition Application and free college planning tools. Scoir provides the technology platform for students to access the Coalition Application, build college lists, and manage their application process. This partnership simplifies the college application process and delivers powerful tools to help students navigate their admissions journey.
• Member Colleges and Universities (150+)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition for College is comprised of 150+ top colleges and universities committed to improving access to higher education. Member schools include institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, University of Chicago, and many others. Each member school commits to making college affordable and ensuring students graduate on time, with most graduating with no or low debt.
• When We All VoteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoalition for College partners with When We All Vote to share the mission of closing equity gaps across society. The partnership focuses on civic engagement and voter registration, particularly among young people and college-bound students.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Scoir: Scoir is the technology partner that powers the Coalition Application and provides college planning tools. It also serves schools directly as a college and career readiness platform, making it both a critical infrastructure provider and a competitor in the same college access space.
• College Greenlight: College Greenlight is a college access platform supporting first-generation and underrepresented students with college matching, scholarship discovery, and application tools. It is directly comparable to the Coalition's equity-focused, free-to-student model.
• QuestBridge: QuestBridge is a nonprofit that connects high-achieving, low-income students with partner colleges and full scholarships. It addresses the same college access and equity mission as the Coalition and serves an overlapping student demographic through college application support.
• RaiseMe: RaiseMe is a college access platform that helps students earn micro-scholarships from partner colleges based on achievements during high school. It competes with the Coalition on college affordability and access messaging while serving a similar low-income, first-generation demographic.
• Naviance by PowerSchool: Naviance is the leading college and career readiness platform used by high schools to manage student profiles, college lists, and application workflows. It overlaps with Scoir and the Coalition Application at the counselor and school administration layer.
• Common App: Common App is the dominant college application platform accepted by 1,000+ institutions. It directly competes with the Coalition Application as the principal method US high schoolers use to apply to college, serving the same students, counselors, and member schools.
• Scholly: Scholly is a scholarship discovery and college access app aimed at helping students find and win scholarship money. It overlaps with the Coalition's affordability-focused mission and serves a similar audience preparing for college applications.
• American College Application Campaign (ACAC): ACAC, run by the American Council on Education, helps high school seniors — particularly first-generation and low-income students — apply to college during dedicated events. It addresses the same college access mission through school-based application completion events.

Broad incumbents

• College Board (BigFuture): College Board operates BigFuture, a free college planning and access platform reaching millions of students via PSAT/SAT touchpoints. It serves the same students and counselors with college search, financial aid, and application guidance, though within a broader testing and assessment portfolio.
• National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC): NACAC is the largest membership association for college admissions counselors, providing training, ethical standards, and resources that shape how counselors guide students. It serves the same counselor ecosystem the Coalition relies on for student outreach and distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CoalitionforCol
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCExample
• Facebookfacebook.com/CoalitionforCollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coalition-for-access-affordability-and-success

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Coalition for College