New Saint Andrews College

This is a one-major school—Liberal Arts and Sciences—taught through a classical Christian lens with readings that routinely exceed 200 pages per assignment. The 19:1 student-faculty ratio means intimate seminars where students defend their interpretations of Plato and Calvin. Despite the rigor, only 52% graduate within four years (48% per US News), suggesting the program weeds out those unprepared for its demands. The curriculum explicitly prepares graduates for fields like law, ministry, and education, with a heavy emphasis on shaping culture through Reformed Christian thought.

Imagine Oxford circa 1550 meets Idaho potato country—this is a community where students debate Aristotle over coffee, attend faculty dinners, and bond over shared theological intensity. There are no dorms; students live in off-campus housing, creating an oddly mature residential dynamic. Social media shows a culture of formal dances, Latin study groups, and impromptu psalm-singing. The college leans into its lack of conventional amenities (no pools, no food courts), arguing this fosters focus on intellectual and spiritual formation.

Graduation rates tell two stories: 72% eventually finish (per College Scorecard), but only 48% do so in four years. Alumni earn $36,427 one year out and $45,519 after five years—modest sums reflecting the school's emphasis on ministry and education over corporate tracks. The 150% completion rate metric suggests many take longer than traditional programs, possibly due to the program's intensity or students balancing work with studies. Notably, 20% withdraw entirely, underscoring the niche nature of the education.

At $18,000 tuition, NSA undercuts the $40K+ average for private colleges. 85% of students receive grants, averaging $4,058, with some scoring $3,000 merit scholarships. The net price?Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. after aid is $16,064, though the college doesn't participate in federal aid programs, relying instead on institutional grants. Financial aid deadlines are early (February 1), so families must plan ahead. For a classical education, it's a relative bargain—but the lack of dorms means additional housing costs.

New Saint Andrews is the West Point of classical Christian education—a place where students read Thucydides in the morning and Calvin in the afternoon, all while navigating the peculiar rhythms of a no-frills, no-dorms academic cloister. Its singular focus on a Reformed Christian worldview and Socratic pedagogy creates graduates who can parse a Latin text or defend presuppositional apologetics, even if their earning potential lags behind state school peers. For a certain kind of student—deeply religious, intellectually pugnacious, allergic to modernity's excesses—there's literally nowhere else like it.