Grand Valley State University

Statistics

School Says - General Information
Founded in 1960, Grand Valley State University is a public institution devoted to providing students with the highest quality undergraduate and graduate education. The main campus in Allendale, Michigan is located approximately 15 miles east of Lake Michigan and 12 miles west of Grand Rapids, the location of Grand Valley's Robert C. Pew Campus.

We offer more than 200 areas of study, including 78 undergraduate majors and 29 graduate programs. Grand Valley is dedicated to building a liberal education for each student emphasizing critical thinking, creative problem solving, and cultural understanding. Students benefit from small class sizes (average 27 students), and personalized instruction from first-rate faculty who are dedicated to teaching. Students collaborate with professors on advanced research projects, gaining knowledge and skills more commonly associated with graduate-level study.

Grand Valley has been named one of the "100 Best College Buys in the United States" for 14 consecutive years. With enrollment of more than 24,000 students, Grand Valley has campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids, and Holland, and centers in Muskegon and Traverse City.

School Says - Student Body
Grand Valley participates in thousands of volunteer hours each year and was named on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction in 2009. Fraternities and sororities offer students social and leadership development opportunities. Campus ministry mission trips and alternative breaks engage students in community service throughout the country. Group study opportunities, over 300 registered student organizations, concerts and lectures provide learning and entertainment experiences. Diversity is celebrated through activities coordinated by the Office of Student Life as well as several other campus partners like the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Women's Center, and the LGBT Resource Center. Opportunities for musical and theater performances abound.

The Recreation Center is open for all students, faculty and staff. It includes weight training circuits, cardiovascular machines, an elevated indoor running track, five basketball/volleyball courts, and a climbing wall.

Grand Valley is a member of NCAA Division II in athletics and is a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Additionally, Grand Valley is a member of the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference and participates in 19 collegiate sports, which include baseball (M), basketball (M, W), cross country (M, W), football (M), golf (M, W), soccer (W), softball (W), swimming and diving (M, W), tennis (M, W), track (M, W), and volleyball (W). Grand Valley won the Director's Cup for being the top NCAA Division II athletic program in the nation from 2004-2010. Laker teams and individuals have competed for and won recent national championships in a variety of women's and men's sports.

Our on-campus housing is among the newest and most contemporary in Michigan. Housing is available on both the Allendale and Pew Grand Rapids Campuses. Over 5,500 students live on campus putting them just steps away from classes, professors, campus dining, and extracurricular activities.

New freshman students who wish to guarantee a space are encouraged to apply for housing by March 1 of their senior year in high school. Housing options include traditional-style residence halls, suite-style, and apartment-style living centers. Upper class students may choose from different apartment complexes on campus. Honors students may choose to live where they learn in the Glenn A. Niemeyer Learning and Living Center. Three brand new living centers were built on the south campus this fall, featuring apartment-style living.

School Says - Academics
Grand Valley offers more than 200 areas of study, including 78 undergraduate degree and 29 graduate degree programs. The academic programs are built around our liberal education curriculum. Our liberal education focus emphasizes critical thinking, creative problem solving, and cultural understanding.

School Says - Admissions
A complete application for admission will include:

Freshman: a signed application, official high school transcripts, scores from ACT or SAT, and non-refundable $30 application fee (check or money order payable to Grand Valley State University). Although not required, letters of recommendation from teachers or counselors and personal essays may be included.

Admission to Grand Valley is based on a combination of factors including:

A college preparatory curriculum consisting of four years of English, including composition, three years of mathematics, three years of social science, three years of science, including two years of laboratory science, and two years of a single foreign language. A fourth year of math, additional science, and computer science are strongly recommended.

A transfer applicant will be evaluated based on previous course work at the college level. High school performance will also be considered for those who have earned fewer than 30 semester credit hours of college level course work. Transfer students are normally admitted based upon the completion of 30 semester credit hours and a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher. A signed application, official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended, and non-refundable $30 application fee (check or money order payable to Grand Valley State University). Applicants with less than 30 semester credit hours must also furnish official high school transcripts.

School Says - Campus Life
Grand Valley's main campus in Allendale is located between downtown Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan. The 1,280-acre campus features wooded ravines penetrating a high bluff overlooking the Grand River.

The Pew Grand Rapids campus includes a number of learning and living facilities. The Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences has made Grand Valley a catalyst for unique healthcare partnerships and joint research ventures that put students in the heart of unique learning experiences in Grand Rapids' Health Hill. The latest addition to the Grand Rapids campus is the John C. Kennedy Hall of Engineering containing state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms. In addition, the L.V. Eberhard Center, Fred M. Keller Engineering Laboratories, Meijer Public Broadcast Center, and Richard M. DeVos Center put students closer to employment, internships, and community outreach programs.

School Says - Cost Aid
For the 2010-2011 academic year, estimated expenses are:
Michigan residents
Tuition and fees $9,088
Room and Board $7,624
Books/Supplies $1,000

Non-Michigan residents
Tuition and fees $13,402
Room and Board $7,624
Books/Supplies $1,000In the 2010-11 academic year, more than 82 percent of full-time Grand Valley students will receive some kind of financial aid. The average award was approximately $12,947.

The three basic types of financial aid are merit-based programs, need-based programs, and student employment. Merit-based programs include the Awards of Distinction level for the Presidential and Faculty Scholarships, the Awards of Excellence, Urban Schools Scholarship, and the Early Awareness Scholarship. The application for admission is also the application for these scholarships and must be submitted by December 31 for eligibility. Other merit-based awards include departmental scholarships, athletic, and performing arts scholarships.

Merit-based scholarships are also available for community college transfer students.

Need-based loans, grants, college work-study, and other aid programs are provided for students who demonstrate financial need. To be considered, students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by March 1 for the fall semester.

Students Say - Academics
"Grand Valley State University is "a big (and getting bigger) school with a small, accommodating and friendly atmosphere" that "offers a diverse array of degrees, athletics, and student organizations" without sacrificing "a small campus feel." GVSU accomplishes this paradox in part by splitting its student body between two campuses: the larger rural Allendale campus, "where many of the freshmen and sophomores reside," and the smaller urban campus in Grand Rapids (the two are connected by shuttle bus). The curriculum here "is based around liberal studies, not in the political way but in the sense of being well-educated, well-diversified, and being an active participant in your community." Ask students what's best about their school and they'll probably mention the football team. Next up, they'll identify programs in nursing, business, engineering, and physical therapy as standouts. Undergrads enjoy a surprising range of amenities from this state school, "from free tutoring to study abroad, the opportunities [are there] for students to experience and gain the most from life." Unlike their peers at many state schools, "professors are always responsive to emails and phone calls" and "the administration also makes sure they communicate with the students. The president, for example, emails students regularly about topics on campus [and] has open office hours and even online hours to answers questions.""

Students Say - Campus Life
""Athletics are a huge strength" at GVSU, "despite the fact that we are only ranked in Division II." As one student explains, "School spirit is never out of style at Grand Valley. Whether our football team is adding on to its NCAA streak of 37 straight wins, our basketball team is winning yet another GLIAC championship, or our volleyball and soccer teams are dominating the nation, Laker Nation is always supporting our athletes." When they're not waving banners and screaming, GVSU undergrads enjoy "a wide variety of clubs and organizations to join, including things from Swing Dance Club to Harry Potter Club to College Democrats." While there "isn't too much to do in Allendale itself," the school is "about 20 minutes from Grand Rapids…a decent-sized city" with "museums, theatres, coffee shops, bars, [and] the Van Andel Arena.""

Students Say - Student Body
"The typical Grand Valley student is "hard to define. While most are from Michigan or the surrounding states and a larger percentage are female, there is a wide variety of cultural/ethnic backgrounds, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, and major of studies among the student body." Because "GVSU is located in West Michigan, one of the most conservative areas in the country…the dominant political beliefs are conservative and moderate" here. At the junior and senior levels "many more students are non-traditional, [such as] adults returning to school, people with their own families, transfer students, and exchange students as well. Atypical students only add to the diversity and opportunity for different points of view to be expressed in the classroom or on campus.""

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