Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State|: the complete school report for parents
Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| puts the most weight on course rigor and GPA. The academic record does most of the work. It does not consider legacy, demonstrated interest and the interview, so campus visits and emails will not move the decision. With a 92.7% admit rate and 57% of enrolled students at a 3.50 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong.
Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| is officially Grand Valley State University, also known as Grand Valley or Grand Valley State. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
What does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| actually weigh in admissions?
Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| rates 2 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA. It does not consider 7 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State|'s 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Important |
| the essay | Considered |
| extracurricular activities | Considered |
| recommendations | Considered |
| personal qualities | Considered |
| talent | Not Considered |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Not Considered |
| the interview | Not Considered |
| legacy | Not Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Not Considered |
| state residency | Not Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider the application essay?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider extracurricular activities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider recommendation letters?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider character and personal qualities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider a special talent or ability?
No. Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| does not consider it.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider demonstrated interest?
No. Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| does not consider it. Campus visits, emails and info sessions do not move the decision.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider an interview?
No. Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| does not consider it. There is no interview to prepare for.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider legacy status?
No. Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| does not consider it. A parent or grandparent who attended gives no advantage.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider where we live?
No. Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| does not consider it.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider state residency?
No. Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| does not consider it.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| consider religious affiliation?
No. Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
57% of enrolled students had a 3.50 GPA or above. The average was 3.4 on a 4 scale, reported for 98.87% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 19.196% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 20.735% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 16.888% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 11.757% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 11.843% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 16.289% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 3.292% |
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| admitted 82.4% of 2,973 transfer applicants, against 92.7% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.5.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| offers neither Early Decision nor Early Action, so there is no early round to strategize about and every applicant is read in one pool.
| Regular application deadline | Not reported |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | Not reported |
| Reply / deposit deadline | Not reported |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | No |
| Application fee | Not reported |
| Fee waiver available | Not reported |
| Deferred admission offered | No |
What will Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $16,317 a year at Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $15,872. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 77.7% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 1,239 merit awards averaging $5,217 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $12,272 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $11,902 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $12,861 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $16,609 |
| Over $110,000 | $22,534 |
60% of Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $27,856 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $260 a month in repayment. Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State|’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| pay off?
Graduates earn a median $56,118 ten years after entering, and $47,840 at six years. 81% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 64% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $49,088 | 4.1 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $47,608 | 3.9 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $51,444 | 4.2 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $66,436 | 5.5 |
| Over $110,000 | $90,136 | 7.4 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$95,198 to $38,662, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State|:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $95,198 | 98 |
| Information Science/Studies | $94,036 | 32 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $83,452 | 123 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $74,838 | 260 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $73,018 | 179 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $72,866 | 215 |
| Marketing | $69,915 | 325 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $66,492 | 140 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $60,671 | 153 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $46,296 | 101 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $38,930 | 46 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $38,662 | 51 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
78% of first-years return for a second year.
How big are the classes?
33% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 0% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 15:1, and 66% of faculty are full-time. Accredited by Higher Learning Commission.
What is life at Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| like?
19,154 undergraduates, 8.3% of first-years from out of state. 88.15% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 31.14% across all undergraduates. 27% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $67,198.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
- 57% of enrolled students are at a 3.50 GPA or above, averaging 3.4. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- Skip demonstrated-interest tactics here. Visits and emails are not tracked, so save that effort for schools where they count.
- Its highest-earning major returns $95,198 five years out against $38,662 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State|
What GPA do you need for Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State|?
57% of enrolled students at Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| had a high school GPA of 3.50 or above, and the average was 3.4, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What do Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| graduates earn?
Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| graduates earn a median $56,118 ten years after entering, and 81% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State|
- University of Cincinnati-Main CampusAdmissions report · 88.0% admit rate
- UIC|U of I-Chicago|Illinois-Chicago|U of I-Medical Center|University of Illinois-Medical Center|Admissions report · 75.8% admit rate
- Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleAdmissions report · 94.4% admit rate
- Baylor UniversityAdmissions report · 52.2% admit rate
- TCUAdmissions report · 48.1% admit rate
- UHAdmissions report · 75.8% admit rate
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State|’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.
How to read these numbers · Back to the Grand Valley|GVSU|Grand Valley State| profile