Grand Valley State University Top Questions

Describe the students at your school.

Kaity

There are a lot of parties that happen which is hard being someone who doesn't, but people are generally nice and helpful. I havent met any people that werent willing to be friendly. Everyone is kind of every man for himself though.

Abby

My class mate are hard workers who take school and friendships seriously!

Kimberly

My classmates are hardworking individuals.

Colby

My classmates are reserved at first, but once you get to know people fun and helpful.

Taylor

In my classes, there is a mix of classmates. About half of the students in my classes do not have the courage to speak to the teacher but they are talkative when they are by their friends. The other half is outgoing and is not afraid to ask for help from the teacher or other students. Being a studio art major, most of my classmates are art students so they are very creative and make the classroom a fun environment to learn in.

Ronisha

Well I'm a freshman and I start in August so I haven't started class yet, but I have set my schedule and have met a pleothera of my classmates already. I consider my classmates to be outgoing and hardworkers just like me.

Marlee

My art and design classmates are fun, outgoing, and excited to learn.

Candace

My classmates, for the most part, are dedicated to pursuing their futures because they have chosen to be in a university to pursue the major of their choice; for the most part, we all thoroughly enjoy what it is we do, and we work hard to do our best and try to make a smooth transition between adolescence and adulthood.

Jessica

Classmates tend to be friendly and focused on doing well in class.

Sarah

Engaged

Sheila

There are a wide range of students at Grand Valley, and likewise, there are also a wide-range of clubs to accomodate students and their interests. Clubs such as the Latino Student Union and the Asian Student Union cater to ethnic or regional similarities. Students who are interested in Lation or Asian cultures are also encouraged to join. There are also service clubs such as Rotaract, as well as the more interest-themed clubs, such as the Quidditch team and anime club. Students gernally wear comfotable clothing to class, but on the flip side, you will often seen students wearing suits - indicating most likely a student majoring in Buiness of Political Science. Generally though, students interect regardless of majors. Among some of my closest friends, one is an Art major, another is a Biomedical Sciences major, and there is also a Criminal Justice major. Most of the students though are majoring in a medical science, although many switch after the first year. Most students who attend Grand Valley are from Michigan, usually from neighboring areas, although I have met many students from other states such as Virginia, and New York. I also had the privilege of meeting many international students, including a girl from Cameroon and a student from Mongolia who became a close friend of mine. Even after she returned home to Mongolia, we still keep in touch.

Sara

I do have friends here that I adore, but it can get tiring being surrounded by conservative West Michigan. However, I'd urge you to come visit to make sure you're comfortable. I don't feel too out of place because I have found a wide variety of friends! As long as you are willing to talk to new people and and break out of social cliques, you'll be fine. The majority on campus stays in their cliques, and the rest of us happily intermingle. Again, it's what you make of it. You'll find people who share similar values, and you'll find people who challenge that. It's a good thing!

Jacob

Generally speaking, my opinion of the student body at GVSU has been favorable, as i have found both faculty and peers to be mostly accepting and understanding of one another. As a homosexual member of the student body, I have yet to encounter any incident whatsoever of intolerance or discrimination after 2 years of attendance. While the large majority of GVSU students are Caucasian, students of varying ethnicities, races, and religions are fairly frequent sights around campus. I would think nothing of it if I saw a girl wearing hijab (Muslim headscarf) or someone of obvious Indian heritage on my way to class. However, these students are more noticeable as they are well in the minority here. Students also tend to coalesce around people similar to them. The majority of the Honors College are Caucasian, and an African-American is a rare sight there, with most of them choosing to live in the normal freshman dorms on North and South campus. Likewise, international exchange students tend to live together in the International House rather than with an American. However, I think this is true at pretty much any university, and if you are friendly, you can make friends of all types. Grand Valley State University is overall, a very safe, friendly, and accepting place to live, work, and play.

Brooke

The students at GVSU are a very diverse group. We have many different races here, all pretty evenly distributed. There are many different extracurricular groups and activities to be a part of as well (such as student-run bible studies for all religions, LGBT groups, and clubs for just about any interest you can imagine). Classes are also very integrated, and professors often push you to interact with your fellow classmates to get different perspectives on all the issues you cover. Often, we'll have outside protestors come to campus trying to gain support for their causes (usually these end up being very religious organizations preaching about everyone being a sinner but the members of their religion, how the LGBT community is going to hell, or how the world is going to end) and it is amazing to see students from all walks of life band together to confront these individuals and organizations. This is not a democratic or republican university... we have students on both sides of the fence, as well as extremeists and those who really could care less about politics in general. Basically, there is something for everyone at Grand Valley.

Kayla

It's a very laid-back atmosphere. Most people here are very easy to talk to and you get a lot of diversity on opinions and experiences, so it makes it interesting.

Sara

I'm bisexual, and I feel somewhat comfortable here. I'm participating in an LGBTQ organization, which makes me feel more accepted. Generally speaking, I don't feel very accepted by the majority of people at GVSU. I do have friends here that I adore, but it can get tiring being surrounded by the conservative majority. I am one of those "radical" people--I'm an activist, in a band, really liberal, atheist, nerdy, a LGBTQ person, pro-choice, etc etc. I'd urge you to come visit to make sure you're comfortable. I don't feel too out of place because I have found a wide variety of friends! As long as you are willing to talk to new people and and break out of social cliques, you'll be fine. The majority on campus stays in their cliques, and the rest of us happily intermingle. Again, it's what you make of it. You'll find people who share similar values, and you'll find people who challenge that. It's a good thing!

Stephanie

My classmates are either really serious about their schooling or they dont care at all.

Sara

I'm bisexual, and I feel comfortable here. There's not a ton of diversity, but there's a good amount. This is West Michigan however, and I do feel a little out of place, as I am rather liberal and many people here are very conservative. I'd urge you to come visit to make sure you're comfortable. I don't feel too out of place because I know cool people, but there are some bigoted/close-minded people on campus. Most students wear whatever to class. Girls wear anything from sweats to casual dresses. GVSU is pretty clique-y. Out of class, people usually just stick to their own group of friends. Most students are from around Michigan, with middle-class backgrounds. If there were four tables in the dining hall, you'd have one table of athletes, one table of the more arty students, one table of ignorant people and one table with a mish-mash of everyone. The last table is where you'd want to be.

Leah

My classmates are pleasurable, hardworking, devoted, and beautiful people.

Daniel

My classmates have a strong personal drive to succeed inside and outside of the classroom.

Jabari

They are some of the most interesting people that you will ever meet and they really make class more interesting.

Wenqi

Classmates are all very different but all unique, some of them are very quite, some of them are more extravert, they say hi and smile at you trying to make friends, however, some of them are more likely to be introvert, they wanted their own space and liked their own worlds. But that's intersting to meet all kinds of different people.

Amanda

My classmates at Grand Valley are supporting, friendly, and helpful.

Jessica

My classmates depend on my class. In general, I have found at grand valley that students rarely particpate in class but have active extra curriculars.

Allyssa

The community at GVSU is diverse in the aspect of backgrounds, and they are trying to be more inclusive all the time.

Sarah

My classmates are a group of extremely varing and fascinating people, depending on the specific class, and they are very friendly and usually willing to help.

Heather

Most of the students here know what they want to do with their lives. Study groups are more frequent here than my other college experiences. Some parting goes on, but not very often. Most of my peers are very responsible.

Kelsey

I feel all of my classmates are caring towards the feelings of others and devoted to the sucess of our school.

Tara

My classmates are very helpful, and friendly.

Lizette

My classmates are very outgoing and determined to pursuit their dreams.

Amber

The people that sit in one class with me are like the people I sit with in every class - thirsty and incapable of learning too much

Ashley

My classmates are friendly and caring. They are career driven. They study hard and their grades show for it. They are always there to help with questions on homework. My classmates have grown to be close friends.

Amanda

My classmates help make my classroom experience positive by sharing their opinions during discussion.

Alexis

My classmates are full of energy and ready to learn what the teacher is teaching.

William

Living in honors housing, I found my classmates are as seriuos about eduationas I am.

Hannah

The students are engaging, friendly and egar to learn.

Brandi

The classes at grand valley are small so i often develop a good relationship with a lot of my classmates.

Brittany

Most of my classmates are friendly.

Daina

The classrooms are filled with a diverse group of students that will force you to think outside of the box and engage you in conversations about very obscure topics.

liz

The people in my classes are very nice and are really enjoyable to be around; i'm very pleased to be attending gvsu.

Tori

Are friendly if you are and are willing help you if you are willing to do the same.

Laurel

Not as driven as they should be, especially with the situation our world/ country is in now.

Corey

Classmates are very friendly. As long as it's a class after 10am most people are awake and talkative. Especially once you get into your core classes for your major, everyone starts to get to know everyone else.

Andrew

Fun, helpful, friendly, kind, chearful, exc.

Stephanie

My classmates are fun, interesting, and always willing to help.

Chris

Very friendly and interactive in class.

Alexandra

My classmates are usually friendly enough, most are middle to upper class, and more girls go here than guys so classes usually have a larger number of girls.

Hannah

Most students here are highly intelligent and extremely friendly.

Katie

Classmates are always helpful.

Mitchell

Always ready to help you, most times they will go out of their way to help you and I for them.