Most of the professors are really great. They try to teach to all types of learners (auditory, visual, etc.) and most have done an excellent job. The one professor I, and the rest of my class, had a problem with was replaced because the chemistry department recognized the issue and are doing what they can to work everything out. Grand Valley cares a lot about their students and want everyone to succeed.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
There is something here for everyone. We have a wide variety of clubs and organizations to join and the people are all really nice. The only issue that I've found is that the campus clears out on the weekend. It's almost creepy how quiet it gets. Many of the students are local, so they go back home and other just go home or go to other campuses for the weekend. Since not many people stay, Grand Valley doesn't schedule much to do on the weekend. Going downtown is always an option for the few that remain, but without a car, riding the bus can be a hassle since it only runs every our, if it's on time. Most of the clubs downtown are 21 and up on the weekends, so those who are not of age yet either can't go or get a fake ID to get in, which is obviously illegal and unadvised. It's still a fun place to be, you just have to know where to look to find things to do.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
Grand Valley is becoming a very well known school and with the ever growing medical mile in Grand Rapids, an undergrad at GV looks good for grad school applications. Also, we are provided with many services that other schools have to pay extra for. Students are give money to do laundry if they live on campus, students can ride the buses for free and they take you almost anywhere, the rec center is free for students and is a very nice, high quality facility. The food provided on campus, while it may not be the nice home-cooked food from back home, is better than most colleges. The Grand Valley campus is gorgeous and I would advise anyone who loves the nature experience that we have in Michigan to come here. It doesn't have the big city feel that many other campuses, like U of M, have. It's a nice, relaxing environment to live and study in.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Understand that college is not like high school. You probably won't know many of the kids in your classes and that's ok. Find where you fit in and be yourself. The teachers may not assign homework that is due necessarily, but reading the textbooks, doing problem sets they post online, and whatever other material they provide is well worth doing. It may seem like a waste of time, even if you think you already know how to do something, but in the end it is well worth the time spent doing it when you get an A on an especially hard test.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
If you're going to college expecting a bunch of wild parties every weekend, Grand Valley is not the school for you. However, for those students that want a great education with smaller class sizes, you would fit in well here.The classes here are great for any student. They are challenging, but the teachers do what they can so that every student understand the material and is sufficiently prepared for the exam and further courses in the subject. If you want to be a name rather than just a number, I highly recommend coming to Grand Valley.
Most of the professors are really great. They try to teach to all types of learners (auditory, visual, etc.) and most have done an excellent job. The one professor I, and the rest of my class, had a problem with was replaced because the chemistry department recognized the issue and are doing what they can to work everything out. Grand Valley cares a lot about their students and want everyone to succeed.
There is something here for everyone. We have a wide variety of clubs and organizations to join and the people are all really nice. The only issue that I've found is that the campus clears out on the weekend. It's almost creepy how quiet it gets. Many of the students are local, so they go back home and other just go home or go to other campuses for the weekend. Since not many people stay, Grand Valley doesn't schedule much to do on the weekend. Going downtown is always an option for the few that remain, but without a car, riding the bus can be a hassle since it only runs every our, if it's on time. Most of the clubs downtown are 21 and up on the weekends, so those who are not of age yet either can't go or get a fake ID to get in, which is obviously illegal and unadvised. It's still a fun place to be, you just have to know where to look to find things to do.
Grand Valley is becoming a very well known school and with the ever growing medical mile in Grand Rapids, an undergrad at GV looks good for grad school applications. Also, we are provided with many services that other schools have to pay extra for. Students are give money to do laundry if they live on campus, students can ride the buses for free and they take you almost anywhere, the rec center is free for students and is a very nice, high quality facility. The food provided on campus, while it may not be the nice home-cooked food from back home, is better than most colleges. The Grand Valley campus is gorgeous and I would advise anyone who loves the nature experience that we have in Michigan to come here. It doesn't have the big city feel that many other campuses, like U of M, have. It's a nice, relaxing environment to live and study in.
Understand that college is not like high school. You probably won't know many of the kids in your classes and that's ok. Find where you fit in and be yourself. The teachers may not assign homework that is due necessarily, but reading the textbooks, doing problem sets they post online, and whatever other material they provide is well worth doing. It may seem like a waste of time, even if you think you already know how to do something, but in the end it is well worth the time spent doing it when you get an A on an especially hard test.
If you're going to college expecting a bunch of wild parties every weekend, Grand Valley is not the school for you. However, for those students that want a great education with smaller class sizes, you would fit in well here.The classes here are great for any student. They are challenging, but the teachers do what they can so that every student understand the material and is sufficiently prepared for the exam and further courses in the subject. If you want to be a name rather than just a number, I highly recommend coming to Grand Valley.