Grand Valley State University

While most of the profs and faculty are quite friendly, capable and helpful, the classwork assigned isn't too challenging. I went to community college and transferred in, and I really felt like i was doing the same level of work. Major points deduction there.

As for the social life at GV....well, to put it nicely, there is none. The other students are, for the most part, very self centered, closedminded and obnoxious. Not too friendly, either. The majority of the social clubs are a joke, too. There are a ton of religious (95% Christian, take that how you will) groups, but they're either too corny to take seriously, or so intense that they border on being a cult. The other groups on campus are nothing fantastic either, and are more often than not, rediculously elitist and exclusive.

The cops on campus have nothing better to do than stalk the students. As with any college, there will be crimes of various degrees. The GVSU public safety officers would rather bust people for drinking, though, than actually persuing real crimes (larceny, harassment/stalking, etc).

The people who work in the student services building are friendly, but quite incompetant. If you want to have a question answered, odds are that you will have to stand around and wait, because the person helping you will have to go all over the place trying to figure out what to do, and how to help you best. Either that, or you'll get a not so nice "Thats not my department, I can't help you. Go to (insert random dept.).

Possibly one of the most disappointing things, though, is the sense of elitism and snobbery that is pervasive throughout the school. They proudly herald being the 3rd hardest school to get into (behind UM and MSU), but don't really have the academic chops to back it up. There are no campus traditions or milestones really, but the university likes to pretend they exist. Lots of pro-GVSU campaigning going on, but once again, not much to support those claims. The level of elitism present would be understandable if GVSU was as notable and old as a place like MSU, that has been around for near a century, but the university has really only been known about for 15 years. People will tell you its a great school, but GVSU is still regarded as a joke or as being a johnny-come-lately.I went in thinking it would be a great time, but was sadly mistaken. Do yourself a favor and don't waste your time, energy and money with this school. You'd be better off looking elsewhere