Located in Burlington, Vermont, one of the best college towns in the U.S., Champlain College is primarily known for its strength in game design and gaming-related programs. Yet, it may appeal to many students given its non-traditional learning style, which is reflected through the school motto, “Let Us Dare.”
Here are five fun facts about Champlain College:
Champlain College offers an “Upside Down Curriculum,” where students start taking classes applicable to their major during their freshman year. With a pre-professional, career-focused approach, Champlain is geared towards students who already have an idea for their future. The Degree Design Lab allows students to combine academic interest to create their own area of study. Champlain's focus on helping students develop critical thinking and industry-specific skills has contributed to its designation as a “Most Innovative School” by the U.S. News and World Report for the seventh consecutive year.
Champlain offers 6 majors related to the gaming industry - Game Art*, Game Business & Publishing, Game Design*, Game Product Management, Game Programming*, and Game Sound Design. *The curriculum simulates the professional gaming industry, so given the hands-on, experiential nature of these programs, the majors are capped at a certain number of students. Students interested in these majors should apply early in the admissions cycle. Champlain's Game Studio has been consistently recognized by Princeton Review as a Top 10 Game Design School.
More than 50% of Champlain Students study abroad at one of Champlan's own campuses in Montreal, Canada, or Dublin, Ireland, or through an approved third-party study abroad partner. Students interested in film can get 6 credits through the immersive Montreal Filmmaking Summer Program. Passport-eligible sophomore students with a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) can earn a free U.S. passport with the Champlain Passport Program.
Champlain offers Esports as both a varsity sport and club activity- it happens to be the only varsity sport on campus :). With state-of-the-art Esports facilities, students can play, create, and broadcast. The campus has 24 stations and 7 separate rooms for competitive training and is open to any interested student.
Champlain students get discount passes for the local ski resort. Students can pay a $75 fee for a Sugarbush Pass with unlimited access to Mt. Ellen, which is just 45 minutes away. A $250 pass will extend access to Mad River Glen and Lincoln Peak as well.
Champlain offers Early Decision and Regular Decision plans with no difference in financial aid between deadlines. Champlain also has a Count-On-It Financial Aid Guarantee - a student’s scholarship remains consistent from year to year, and over 95% of students receive scholarship support.
Here are some pictures from my visit this fall to Champlain with IECA - see if you can spot me!:
