Ariz. school lands free Mass. Christian campus

Mueller said the school aims to provide a private Christian college education at an affordable cost, which is kept low in part by funds from its large online enrollment and investment in the publicly-traded company. Tuition is $16,500, roughly half the average $32,617 tuition at a private, four-year college, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics.

The business model has worked, as growth in its traditional and online student body has been exponential. But Green said it's important that, before the deal closes, the school shows how it intended to keep its Christian heritage central to its mission.

Mueller said the school's approach is to make its Christian identity a main, but voluntary, part of campus life, in the hope people are attracted to what they see. It has worked to build a strong Christian community in Phoenix, and he believes it will work in Northfield.

"We are anxious for the opportunity," he said. "We are anxious to take it on."