Grand Valley State University campus

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GVSU Ratings and Reviews

  • 6/10 Overall Rating
  • 4 Year
  • Allendale, MI
  • 3.7 3 reviews
#5 Best Public Universities in Michigan
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GVSU Ratings and Reviews

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Ratings

GVSU is rated within the top 45% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 6 out of 10.

  • Overall Rating
    6 out of 10
  • Academics
    7 out of 10
  • Resources
    5 out of 10
  • Outcomes
    6 out of 10
  • Value
    7 out of 10
Learn how ratings are calculated

Student Review Summary

3.7

Approved reviews

3 student reviews

2 out of 3 (67%) reviewers rated 4 stars or higher

Students rate Campus Atmosphere highest and Value for Money lowest.

Rating snapshot

  • 5 stars
    2
  • 4 stars
    0
  • 3 stars
    0
  • 2 stars
    0
  • 1 star
    1

Average by category

  • Overall Rating
    3.7
  • Academics
    3.7
  • Value for Money
    2.7
  • Professors / Faculty
    3.0
  • Campus Atmosphere
    4.7
  • Housing
    2.7
  • Campus Safety
    3.7
  • Student Life
    3.3
  • Party and Bar Scene
    3.0

Student and Parent Reviews

If you are a student, former student, faculty member or parent, please help guide other prospective students by sharing your personal experiences at this college. What is it really like to go to Grand Valley State University?

Oct 28, 2018
Rating 5 out of 5

Family type atmoshpere

Overall Rating
Academics
Value for Money
Professors / Faculty
Campus Atmosphere
Housing
Campus Safety
Dating and Social Life
Party and Bar Scene
Mar 5, 2018
Rating 1 out of 5

Campus is far away from everything. This one bus runs back from campus to downtown grand rapids but there is nothing around. Take your am or sw radio, with the lack of cell towers one can get radio stations in 4 states and shortwave radio isn't bombarded with signal found in city. A single book for any class would sometimes repeat itself at the 200 or 300 level. Bring your underwear as it is cold and windy by that big lake Michigan.

Overall Rating
Academics
Value for Money
Professors / Faculty
Campus Atmosphere
Housing
Campus Safety
Dating and Social Life
Party and Bar Scene
Dec 17, 2015
Rating 5 out of 5

Great school with the best Div 2 sports program in the country. Has won 10 NACDA Directors Cup's in a row. Only University east of the Mississippi to ever win the cup. GVSU is also in a great location. 15 minutes from Grand Rapids and 20 minutes from Grand Haven and Lake Michigan. Voted as the safest big college in the country. Although GVSU is in Allendale which is a small town its close to everything. GVSU Football has the highest home attendance in D2 football. Teachers are great and the school offers many different majors. Classes are small and easy to get around campus. GV has state of the art workout facilities and its own very nice golf course.

Overall Rating
Academics
Value for Money
Professors / Faculty
Campus Atmosphere
Housing
Campus Safety
Dating and Social Life
Party and Bar Scene

Rate Grand Valley State University

Share your ratings for GVSU across academics, campus life, and more to help prospective students understand what it's really like to attend.

Your Overall Experience *

If a friend asked whether GVSU was worth it, what would your gut say?

Academics *

Did classes challenge you and leave you feeling like you actually learned something?

Value for Money *

Considering tuition, aid, and what you got out of it, did the cost feel justified?

Professors and Faculty *

Were instructors accessible, engaged, and invested in students or mostly going through the motions?

Campus Atmosphere *

Did the campus feel welcoming and full of energy, or more like a place you simply passed through?

Student Housing *

Were dorms and residence halls somewhere you'd want to live, or a constant source of frustration?

Campus Safety *

Did you feel comfortable walking around at night, or did safety ever weigh on your mind?

Student Life *

Was it easy to find your people, make friends, and stay socially connected?

Party and Bar Scene *

Do weekends have a pulse here, or does the social scene quiet down once classes end?

We will review your college review for suitability and publish it if approved. We reserve all rights to reject and edit reviews deemed incomplete, inappropriate or malicous or critical of individuals. By submitting this review you agree for it to be published on this website. Your full name will not be published.

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=170082.

Last updated: August 2026