GVSU named Best College Buy for 23 consecutive years

For the 23rd year in a row, Grand Valley State University has been named one of America's 100 Best College Buys by Institutional Research and Evaluation, Inc. (IR&E) in Georgia.

Each year, IR&E identifies the 100 colleges and universities across the country that provide students the highest quality education at the lowest cost. Grand Valley has made the list each year since the designation began.

To be considered for the designation, an institution must:

• Be an accredited, four-year institution offering bachelor's degrees;

• Offer full residential facilities, including residence halls and dining services;

• Have an entering freshman class in fall 2017 with a high school GPA and/or SAT/ACT equal to or above the national average for entering college freshmen;

• Have out-of-state tuition in 2018-2019 below the national average or not exceeding the national average cost by more than 10 percent.

The average GPA for incoming freshmen at Grand Valley for fall 2017 was 3.58, compared to the national average of 3.44, according to Institutional Research and Evaluation. The average ACT score for incoming freshmen at Grand Valley for fall 2017 was 24, compared to the national average of 23.

IR&E calculates cost of attendance by using out-of-state tuition at public institutions and regular cost of tuition at private institutions. Room and board is also included using the cost of a double occupancy room and the most common meal plan.

Under these guidelines, the 2018-19 cost of attendance at Grand Valley is $27,366, compared to the national average of $44,165, according to IR&E.

Grand Valley State University, one of the 100 largest universities in the nation, attracts nearly 25,000 students with high-quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities. Grand Valley is a comprehensive university serving students from all 83 Michigan counties and dozens of other states and foreign countries. Grand Valley offers 90 undergraduate and 41 graduate degree programs from campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids and Holland, and from centers in Muskegon, Traverse City and Detroit. The university is dedicated to individual student achievement, going beyond the traditional classroom experience, with research opportunities and business partnerships.