Grand Valley was ranked 44 in the region -- up from a ranking of 50 in the same category last year. The rankings are based on a combination of statistics, including freshman retention rate, graduation rate, class sizes, student to faculty ratio, percentage of full-time faculty, standardized test scores, incoming freshman high school class ranks, acceptance rate and alumni giving rate.
The results show Grand Valley's commitment to educating students to shape their lives, their professions, and their societies. The university contributes to the enrichment of society through excellent teaching, active scholarship, and public service.
Grand Valley was ranked 2.9 on a scale of 5.0 by its peers. The freshman retention rate was 80 percent and average graduation rate was 50 percent; 26 percent of Grand Valley's classes have fewer than 20 students, while only 6 percent of classes have 50 or more students. The student to faculty ratio is 18-1, and 86 percent of Grand Valley's faculty are full-time.
"We're always proud to be recognized for our academic excellence at Grand Valley, and we're happy that our U.S. News & World Report ranking went up this year," said Gayle Davis, interim president and provost. "We are always striving to bring an excellent education to our students at the lowest cost to them. It's good to have that hard work acknowledged."
Grand Valley State University, established in 1960, is a four-year public university. It attracts more than 22,000 students with its high quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities. Grand Valley provides a fully accredited liberal undergraduate and graduate education and has campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids, and Holland and centers in Muskegon and Traverse City. Grand Valley is the comprehensive regional university for the states second largest metropolitan area and offers 70 undergraduate and 26 graduate degree programs. The university is dedicated to individual student achievement, going beyond the traditional classroom experience, with research opportunities and business partnerships. Grand Valley employs more than 1,700 people and is committed to providing a fair and equitable environment for the continued success of all.
