GVSU named best buy for 13th year

For the 13th 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. in Georgia.

Each year, Institutional Research identifies the 100 American colleges and universities providing students the very highest quality education at the lowest cost. Grand Valley has made the list far more times than any other Michigan institution; authors of the report say it is because of Grand Valley’s high academic performance coupled with its low cost. Hillsdale College was the only other Michigan school to make the list.

To be considered for the designation, an institution must:

• Be an accredited, four year institution
• Offer full residential facilities
• Have an entering freshman class in the fall of 2007 with a high school GPA and/or SAT/ACT equal to or above the national average for entering college freshmen
• Out-of-state tuition in 2008-2009 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 2007 was 3.57, compared to the national average of 3.29, according to Institutional Research. The average ACT score for incoming freshmen at Grand Valley for fall 2007 was 24, compared to the national average of 23.