- Acceptance rate: 83% for fall 2024
- Average high school GPA: 3.4, as reported by the college for 2025–26
- SAT, middle 50%: 480–600 reading and writing, 460–590 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 22–30 composite
- Average net price: $17,995 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
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Where you standEnter your GPA
Type your GPA to compare it with what Grand Valley State University reported: an average GPA of 3.4 (2025–26), an acceptance rate of 83% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 22–30.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Grand Valley State University reviews each application.
Grand Valley State University average GPA
Grand Valley State University reported an average high school GPA of 3.4 for its first-year students who submitted one (99% did), in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.
How their high school GPAs were spread:
| High school GPA | Share of first-year students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | |
| 3.75–3.99 | |
| 3.50–3.74 | |
| 3.25–3.49 | |
| 3.00–3.24 | |
| 2.50–2.99 | |
| 2.00–2.49 | |
| 1.00–1.99 |
An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so these figures can't be compared directly with your own GPA.
Grand Valley State University acceptance rate
Grand Valley State University admitted 22,464 of 27,059 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 83%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Grand Valley State University is a public 4-year university in Allendale, Michigan, with 19,002 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Grand Valley State University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 480 | 540 | 600 |
| SAT Math | 460 | 520 | 590 |
| ACT Composite | 22 | 26 | 30 |
| ACT English | 20 | 24 | 31 |
| ACT Math | 20 | 25 | 28 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1074 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Grand Valley State University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Considered if submitted |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Not considered |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
AP credit
Grand Valley State University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It also awards credit for life experience, such as work or military service.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $17,995 a year at Grand Valley State University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have a chance at GVSU with a 3.0 GPA?
It would be within the usual range there: 31.7% of Grand Valley State University's first-year students who submitted a GPA had one below 3.0, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set, and it admitted 83% of applicants for fall 2024. Colleges calculate GPA in different ways, so compare on the same scale and look at your courses and test scores too.
How important is GPA for getting into GVSU?
A lot: Grand Valley State University requires high school GPA, high school record and college preparatory program. It considers high school class rank, essay or personal statement, test scores, work experience and legacy status if you send them. It doesn't consider recommendations, other tests and demonstration of competencies. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Does GVSU require the SAT or ACT?
No. Grand Valley State University is test optional: it considers SAT or ACT scores if you send them, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024. Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 53% sent SAT scores and 4% sent ACT scores.
What GPA do most GVSU students have?
40.8% of Grand Valley State University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (24.5%) had 2.50–2.99, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.
Is there a minimum GPA for GVSU?
Grand Valley State University doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.4, as reported by the college in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.
What SAT and ACT scores do GVSU students have?
The middle 50% of Grand Valley State University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 480–600 in reading and writing and 460–590 in math; ACT composite 22–30, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
How many applicants get into GVSU?
Grand Valley State University's acceptance rate was 83% for fall 2024: it admitted 22,464 of 27,059 first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education.
Is GVSU hard to get into?
Not for most prepared students: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. Grand Valley State University admitted 83% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
Can you get college credit for AP scores at GVSU?
Yes. Grand Valley State University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
What is the average net price at GVSU?
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $17,995 a year at Grand Valley State University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check GVSU's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Grand Valley State UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- Grand Valley State University Common Data Set 2025–26Grand Valley State University: average high school GPA of first-year students and how their GPAs were spread.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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