VCM vs. GVSU

Should I go to VanderCook College of Music or Grand Valley State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if VCM or GVSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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VanderCook College of Music vs. Grand Valley State University comparison
VanderCook College of Music Grand Valley State University College 3 College 4
Grand Valley State University
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Overview

VCM GVSU
Location Chicago, IL Allendale, MI
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 263 21,648
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #583
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu gvsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VCM GVSU
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $13,952
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $19,856
Room & Board $7,500 $10,140
Avg Net Price $12,436 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $8,811
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 93%

Admission

VCM GVSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 17,123
Admitted 22 15,474
Acceptance Rate 100% 90.4%
Enrolled % 50% 25%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.65
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 21/27
SAT Range 890/1160 960/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

VCM GVSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

VCM GVSU
Graduation Rate 45% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $44,600
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

VCM GVSU
% Men 43% 38%
% Women 57% 62%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 83%
% Black 8% 5%
% Hispanic 21% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

VCM GVSU
% In-State 58% 91%
% Out-of-State 42% 8%

Campus

VCM GVSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Grand Valley State University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (21,648 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. GVSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or GVSU?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 98.3% more expensive to attend than GVSU for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $13,952.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.4% higher at VCM than Grand Valley State University ($27,670.00 vs. $19,856.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than GVSU ($12,436 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 35.2% lower than costs at Grand Valley State University ($7,500 vs. $10,140)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Grand Valley State University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 216.5% larger than aid received Grand Valley State University ($27,884 vs. $8,811)

VCM vs. GVSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, VCM or GVSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between GVSU or VCM .

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 17 points higher than at GVSU (1090)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at GVSU (24)
  • Accepted freshman GVSU students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than GVSU (90.4%)

VCM vs. GVSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VCM or GVSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between GVSU and VCM.

  • The graduation rate at GVSU is higher than VanderCook College of Music (63% vs. 45%)
  • Grand Valley State University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • GVSU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former GVSU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/