Grand Valley State University Review

Grand Valley State University Overview

Grand Valley State University (GVSU) was founded in 1960, 12 miles outside of Grand Rapids, in Allendale, Michigan. Originally Grand Valley State College, the university changed to its current name in 1987 and established campus locations in Grand Rapids and Holland, MI. The Princeton Review ranked the university as one of only three 'Best Value Colleges' in Michigan. The university was also ranked 37th on U.S. News and World Report's 2010 list of master's degree-granting universities in the Midwest.

The university has a student population of over 20,000 and provides more than 25 housing options in its residence halls and on-campus apartments available on the main and Grand Rapids Pew campuses. Campus athletics include 19 men's and women's sports teams, all of which compete in the NCAA Division II. Grand Valley State's students run a newspaper, a cable television station and a radio station as well as operating almost 300 student organizations.

Admission and Enrollment Overview

GVSU offers undergraduate, international and graduate admissions options; online or paper application forms are available on the university's website. The average high school GPA for incoming freshmen is 3.5, and admissions decisions are typically based on high school transcripts, standardized test scores and personal information included on the application. Applicants can also access admissions resources, such as live chat, the GVSU blog site, an admissions checklist and a virtual advisor to guide them through the admission and enrollment process.

Campus Facilities and Learning Environment

The average class size at the university is 27 students, with a student-faculty ratio of 18:1. Computer labs are located on all of Grand Valley State's campuses and are equipped with both Macintosh and Windows software. Students will have access to online course materials, wireless networks, email, special software and a number of other technological resources provided by the university.

Grand Valley State University Libraries have over one million volumes and electronic books, along with 250 databases and 70,000 journals subscriptions. The library houses special and digital collections, government resources and more than 900,000 mixed-media materials. Library services and resources are available both on and off-campus; students can make an appointment or chat with a GVSU librarian online.

Colleges at Grand Valley State University

• Seidman College of Business
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• College of Community and Public Services
• College of Education
• College of Health Professions
• Padnos College of Engineering and Computing
• College of Interdisciplinary Studies
• Kirkhof College of Nursing

Contact Information

• Address: 1 Campus Dr., Allendale, MI 49401
• Phone Number: (616) 331-5000