Grand Valley enrolls record number of students

It's a record-breaking year at Grand Valley State University. Officials are once again welcoming a record number of students to campus this fall. 

Total enrollment is 25,325, up from last year's enrollment of  25,094, with 4,155 being first-time students. 

There are also a record number of students of color on campus 4,136 (16.3 percent), international students (434), and a record number of students living on campus (6,223).

"We're off to a great start this academic year," said President Thomas J. Haas. "Grand Valley students know they are enrolling in a university that puts their education and well-being first. Students experience Grand Valley's faculty and culture, and they tell their friends. Alumni go into communities, and employers see the difference they make. We've done a great deal of planning to not only attract students, but to keep them and guide them to meaningful degrees. Our retention is up, and students are benefiting."

 Student retention from the freshman to sophomore years is up for a second straight year. Students are able to take advantage of academic advising tools that are available from the beginning of their Grand Valley careers. They're able to meet with counseling staff to help stay on track toward graduation in four years. The university helps motivate students with the Grand Finish grant, which awards a $1,000 scholarship at the start of the fourth year to students with 90 credits.

"Grand Valley is committed to a student from enrollment to graduation," said David S. Hooker, chair of the Board of Trustees. "Students and the state of Michigan benefit when university officers and the board work together to control costs and do everything they can to help students earn a degree. We know there is a dwindling number of freshmen available to our universities, and Grand Valley's proof of performance is allowing for continued growth, while earning national recognition and staying affordable. We remain grateful to our donor community for helping to make all this possible." 

For the 19th year in a row, Grand Valley was named one of America's 100 Best College Buys by Institutional Research and Evaluation. The university also ranks as a "Best Value" and third in the "Top Public Universities in the Midwest" by U.S. News and World Report. 

Grand Valley colleges showing significant increases in enrollment are business (8.8 percent), engineering (10.2 percent) and health professions (6.6 percent).

"We're pleased to see that our liberal education philosophy, combined with liberal arts and sciences, professional majors and graduate programs, continues to be a draw for students," said Provost Gayle R. Davis. "Our faculty are continuously devising innovative programs and updating existing programs to stay relevant, while always stretching to see what should be next for Grand Valley. We have a history and a current climate that value critical thinking and life-long learning and we are privileged to work with the bright and diverse students who enrich our campus."

Grand Valley is in the top three for graduation rates of all public universities in Michigan, and is in the top four for retention. Nearly 90 percent of recent graduates are employed or pursuing advanced degrees. Of those working, 86 percent have stayed in Michigan. 

Visit www.gvsu.edu/accountability for more details on Grand Valley's performance.