
Hot Springs, ARprivate nonprofitchampion.edu/
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Champion Christian College is a tiny, open-admissions Christian college in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where the mission is as clear as the acceptance rate. With a total enrollment hovering around 146 students, it offers a hyper-personalized, faith-centered education focused on ministry and professional studies, but faces significant challenges in student retention and graduation rates. It's a place for those seeking a specific, intimate, and spiritually formative path, not a conventional liberal arts experience.
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Outcomes & value
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Champion Christian College operates on an open admissions policy, meaning it accepts all applicants. Its Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. is 100%. The process is straightforward: the application fee is $25, and the school has early action and early decision deadlines (July 30 and July 15, respectively). While open to all, the school does have score requirements for 'unconditional acceptance': an ACT score of 19 or higher, an SAT score of 990 or higher, or an Accuplacer score of 251 or higher. Applicants not meeting these benchmarks should contact the admissions office. The total enrollment is very small, with 146 students in 2024, of which 137 were full-time. The provided sources do not contain a Common Data Set (CDS)A standardized report most colleges publish each year with admissions, test-score, and financial-aid figures, making schools easier to compare. for Champion Christian College itself, so factors like the relative importance of high school GPA, rigor of coursework, or demonstrated interest in the admissions process are not specified by the institution.
Academic life at Champion is defined by its small scale and Christian focus. The college promotes its small class sizes as a way to build lasting relationships and increase post-graduation success. The curriculum is narrow and purpose-driven, centered on ministry and professional studies.
Degree Programs:
Other sources indicate the college may be categorized as offering only two major areas: "Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other" and "Christian Studies," with an average of about 10 students graduating in these fields. This suggests a highly consolidated academic structure where the named degrees likely fall under these broader categories.
Life on campus is intimate and intentionally faith-based. With so few students, the environment is described as "close-knit." The college's Christian worldview is stated to permeate every aspect of campus life, aiming to encourage spiritual growth, critical thinking, and compassion. A central hub for students is the on-campus coffee shop, promoted as a cozy spot for studying or socializing. The college hosts events like "Tiger Day" for prospective students to explore campus and connect with the community. Student life also incorporates opportunities for community outreach, blending academic challenge with service. Social media portrays a campus committed to weaving academic excellence into all facets of student life.
Post-graduation data reveals significant challenges. The six-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time students is reported as 0%. Correspondingly, first-year student retention is very low at 35%. For those who do graduate, median earnings one year after graduation are $36,427. Data on median earnings five years after graduation is not provided in the snippets. These metrics highlight the college's struggle with student persistence and completion.
The annual Cost of attendanceThe full estimated yearly cost of a college: tuition, fees, housing, food, books, and other expenses, before any financial aid. (tuition and required fees) is $23,400. The college offers a range of scholarships and financial aid options, including federal and state aid. Scholarships are available based on various factors, such as academic achievement (e.g., GPA). The college provides a Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. calculator for families to estimate their actual cost after aid. It hosts events like "Financial Aid Night" to guide families through the process. The provided sources do not indicate that Champion Christian College has a policy of meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need or a "no-loans" policy for qualifying students.
Champion Christian College stands out for its radical accessibility and its uncompromisingly specific mission. It is not a college for everyone—its 0% graduation rate and 35% first-year retention are severe red flags for a traditional outcome-focused path. Instead, it serves as a starkly defined option: an open-door, intensely personal Christian environment for students seeking ministry or professional studies training within a tight-knit spiritual community. It's the antithesis of a selective, high-pressure institution. Its identity is its small scale, its faith integration, and its commitment to accepting students where they are. For a certain student—one undeterred by the statistics and seeking a particular kind of formative, relationship-driven, faith-based experience—Champion offers a path few other institutions provide. Its challenge is turning that accessible entry into sustained success for its students.