Grand Valley State University

Date: Sep 18 2008
Major: Economics (This Major's Salary over time)
Grand Valley provided a great and affordable education. I was able to get into a top-ranked law school in southern California with a Grand Valley degree, which has led me to a sucessful career as a lawyer in the Los Angeles area.

That being said, I think GVSU is not well known outside of the midwest. People's perception is the the rank goes UofM, Michigan State…, and they never heard of GVSU. This sucks, but it is not a deal breaker for job applications etc.

I primarily took classes in downtown Grand Rapids, which I enjoyed. The campus is great, and is close to downtown and the fun bars. However, I am originally from Grand Rapids, so I knew lots of people there. I met some people at GVSU, but I didn't really try either. I lived in Grand Rapids and commuted to Allendale, which was really not that bad (40 minutes or so). I never lived at campus or got into campus life. I did, however, think people in my classes were friendly, approchable, and considerate.

I thought the economics program at GVSU was challenging, and I thought (for the most part) the professors were good, so long as I was discerning in what classes I enrolled in.

If you are looking for the greek life, or to have a totally wild college experience, GVSU probably isn't your school. I studied a lot, got good grades, had a lot of fun, and got into a great grad school. Plus, for those of us who have to pay for our own college (like me), GVSU will save you a bundle of money over UofM.

Hope this is helpful.