Area academic stars pick Grand Valley

They are listed as the area's most accomplished high school graduates, and in the fall semester, 18 students selected by the Grand Rapids Press as tops in their schools will enroll at Grand Valley.

The Press annually lists West Michigan’s top 100 high school seniors. Students are nominated by high school counselors or principals and then judged based on their grade point averages, extracurricular activities and essays. President Thomas J. Haas was among the judges, in addition to college and university leaders from Cornerstone, Aquinas, Davenport and Grand Rapids Community College.

Eighteen seniors named Grand Valley as the university they plan to attend in the fall, making it the second top college choice for the 2008 academic superstars, following The University of Michigan, with 22.

Lynn Blue, vice provost and dean of academic services, said the number of students selecting Grand Valley reflects the university’s ever-growing reputation.

“High achieving students have many choices as they move on to college,” she said. “It is gratifying that these local academic stars have selected Grand Valley. It tells me that they highly value our academic programs and the overall environment.”