Grand Valley Transfer Handbook

Grand Valley Transfer Handbook

Contents Welcome...3 Quick Facts...4 Why Grand Valley?...5-6 Transfer Credits...7 Student Academic Success Center...8-9 Academic Programs...10-11 Financial Aid...12-13 Housing...14-15 Bus...16 Meal Plans...17-19 2

Welcome Thank you for considering Grand Valley as one of your schools of choice to transfer to. Transferring can be a confusing process for both you and your family, so we ve created this guide in the hopes that it will help you and make things easier to understand. Much of the information in this booklet can be found at the Grand Valley website, and web addresses will be included, but we know that there are times when you want to look at information and can t easily get online or don t have access to a computer. So think of this as a reference guide that helps you find the information that is relevant to you. In April 2012, everyone came to see the start of construction on our new library near Kirkhof, coming in 2013! 3

Quick Facts Location Allendale, Michigan is home to Grand Valley s main campus, established in 1960, situated on 1,304 acres 12 miles west of Grand Rapids. Classes are also offered at the university s Robert C. Pew Campus in Grand Rapids, Meijer Campus in Holland, and through centers at Muskegon and Traverse City established in cooperation with local community colleges. Established Grand Valley State University was chartered by the Michigan legislature in 1960 in response to the need for a public, four-year college in the state s second largest metropolitan region. Mission Educating students to shape their lives, their professions, and their societies. The university contributes to the enrichment of society through excellent teaching, active scholarship, and public service. Accreditation Grand Valley is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission; Member - North Central Association, 30 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504; telephone: (312) 263-0456; Web: www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org Academics: Areas of Study: 200+ Undergraduate Degrees: 82 Graduate Degrees: 30 Average Class Size: 27 Study Abroad Programs Available to GVSU Students: 4,000 Student Organizations: 356 Career Services Graduates Employed or Pursuing Advanced Degrees: 88.8% Students Participating in Internships and Co-op Education: 7,007 Career Events Coordinated for Students: 33 Employers Participating in Career Events: 737 Employment and Internship Opportunities Listed with Career Services: 6,202 More Quick Facts can be found at http://www.gvsu.edu/aboutgvsu.htm. 4

Why Grand Valley? Experience Excellence at Grand Valley State University Grand Valley State University is a public university in West Michigan providing a fully accredited undergraduate and graduate liberal education to over 24,000 students. Grand Valley offers more than 200 areas of study, providing a wide selection of undergraduate majors and graduate programs. Acting from a Strong Foundation Grand Valley's liberal education foundation spans all 82 undergraduate and 30 graduate programs. Grand Valley provides high-quality education through research mentoring and opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students. Value Matters Outstanding faculty members give personal attention in small classes of big thinkers. Named one of America's 100 Best College Buys for 16 years in a row. We're an Ideal Educational Destination The Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus is located in the heart of Michigan's second largest city, close to internship, employment, and community outreach programs. Top employers of Grand Valley graduates include well-known West Michigan companies such as Spectrum Health, Gordon Food Service, Amway, Crowe Horwath, and Steelcase. A Community Defined by Momentum Named an "up and coming" university by U.S. News & World Report because of the promising and innovative changes Grand Valley is continually making for our students. More than 90 percent of Grand Valley graduates are successfully employed or pursuing advanced degrees. Exceeding Your Expectations Modern living centers add a sense of comfort and belonging and better support your academic success, campus engagement, and personal growth. Grand Valley earned the Director's Cup for being the best NCAA Division II athletic program in the nation eight straight years in a row. 5

Why Grand Valley? Grand Valley s State-of-the-Art Facilities Grand Valley is continually setting new standards for excellence in how our facilities are used to promote academic achievement. Inspiring classroom and research facilities, modern living centers, wireless academic buildings, and convenient student services make Grand Valley campuses wonderful places to study, learn, and live. New academic, research, performance, and athletic facilities provide forums for learning on every level The Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences, located in the heart of West Michigan s life science corridor, will help prepare the next generation of professionals for advanced opportunities in health care research, education, diagnosis, and treatment Wireless academic buildings make connecting to email and the Internet easy and convenient Modern living centers are some of the newest in the state, tripling our number of beds over the past five years In 2013, Grand Valley will open the doors to two more innovative academic buildings, the Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons on the Allendale Campus and the L. William Seidman Center on the Robert C. Pew Grand Rapids Campus. These state-of-the-art buildings will further exemplify Grand Valley s commitment to academic excellence and enhancing students learning experiences For links for more information about Grand Valley, please visit https://secure.gvsu.edu/ admissions/undergraduate/index.cfm?sb_path=experience-excellence-at-grand-valleystate-university-2. 6

Transfering Credits It s important to note that transferring doesn t mean that any classes you ve already taken automatically count towards your degree, nor do they not count. You can go to the Grand Valley website and look at the Course Equivalency Guide in the Admissions page to see for yourself which of your previous classes has an equivalent at Grand Valley, or you may send Grand Valley your transcript from your previous school (which is required) and wait for us to send you back a list of which classes transfer over. This is important, as it determines whether you transfer in as a sophomore, junior, or senior. For more info, visit https://secure.gvsu.edu/ admissions/orientation/transfer-credits-to-grand-valley-5.htm. Transferring from an in-state, two-year or four-year institution No matter where you are transferring from, it is vital that you order an updated official transcript after completing courses at another institution. Otherwise, your Grand Valley records will be incomplete. Please view our Course Equivalency Guide to see how your courses will transfer to Grand Valley: http://www.gvsu.edu/studentapps/mtn/ You may also go to http://www.michigantransfernetwork.org for more equivalency information. Students entering from a Michigan Community College may take advantage of the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (MACRAO) Agreement. If you are interested in learning more about the MACRAO agreement, you can visit the MACRAO Mission page of MACRAO s website. You will need to work on the MACRAO in collaboration with your community college advisor and request a MACRAO AUDIT near the end of your time at community college. Transferring with the MACRAO stamp waives Grand Valley Foundation Categories of the General Education Program, the Writing 150 Basic Skills requirement and one Supplemental Writing Skills (SWS) course. It does not automatically waive the Cultures or Math 110 requirements, although most community colleges have equivalency options for both Cultures categories and Math 110. Transferring from an out-of-state institution It is very important that students transferring from out-of-state institutions submit course descriptions from the catalog with syllabi and any other supportive information as soon as possible for evaluation of transfer of credits before orientation. This information should be forwarded to regdept@gvsu.edu or mailed to Grand Valley State University, 150 STU, Allendale, MI 49401. For more information, call Admissions at (800) 748-0246 or (616) 331-2025 or email Records at regdept@gvsu.edu or call (616) 331-3327. 7

Student Academic The Student Academic Success Center office coordinates student success services for undecided and pre-major students, transfer students, first generation college students, and student athletes. Equally important to the SASC office is the wide range of programs and services they offer to assist students in achieving their educational goals. Some of the resources provided are: Career & Major Exploration Tutoring Learning Skill Assistance Academic Advising Academic Review Appeals Course Evaluations & Substitutions Residency Waiver Requests Transfer Student Advising The SASC office understands that transferring to a new college can be challenging. Their goal is to support students during this transition towards their academic goals. It can be difficult knowing where to get help for your academic needs. You can go online and use the website http://www.gvsu.edu/sasc/transfer-students-72.htm to help find answers to those questions or contact them via email at askowl@gvsu.edu, or by phone at (616) 331-3588. Transferring to GVSU Transferring to GVSU is easy! Follow the checklist at the website mentioned above to ensure you will have a smooth transition into Grand Valley. If you are transferring to GVSU from Grand Rapids Community College, take advantage of their STEP program. Career & Major Interest Exploration Deciding on an academic major can seem like an overwhelming choice. Many factors have to be taken into consideration when making this selection. SASC encourages students to follow these three steps: 1. Self-Exploration 2. Narrow choices by majors and careers 3. Focus on developing final choice Tutoring SASC Tutoring provides tutoring for all 100-200 level courses offered at GVSU. Grand Valley students are provided 1 hour of FREE tutoring every week in each class. Tutoring is provided in small group settings. For more information, or to request a tutor, you can go to the tutoring website at http://www.gvsu.edu/tc/. 8

Sucess Center Learning Skill Assistance SASC wants to help students develop their personal and academic goals. To assist towards this end they provide a number of learning skill assistance options. For more information, and to start developing your personal learning style, just go to http://www.gvsu.edu/sasc/ learning-skills-support-85.htm. Academic Advising If you have a declared major at Grand Valley, SASC encourages you to visit the academic advising center for that major. You can find a list of advising centers at http://www.gvsu.edu/ advising/advising-centers-2.htm. If you are in-between majors or have general education requirement questions, SASC advisors are available to help. Contact the Student Academic Success Center at (616) 331-3588 to schedule an appointment with an SASC advisor or to ask about available walk-in hours. One of the many works of art around the Allendale Campus! 9

Academic Programs If you come to us from a community college and haven t chosen a major or minor yet, or come to us from a different college or university and wish to change majors or minors and don t know what to choose, don t worry! There are plenty to choose from at Grand Valley! Here s a list of the many programs you can major or minor in at Grand Valley, but keep in mind that this is just a list of the programs. A complete list of the majors and minors that are in the programs, along with summaries of the programs, can be found in the course catalogue or in the catalogue online on our website at http://catalog.gvsu.edu/content.php?catoid=36&navoid=1353 (A-H) and http://catalog.gvsu.edu/content.php?catoid=36&navoid=1364 (I-Z). Accounting Advertising and Public Relations African/African American Studies Aging and Adult Life Allied Health Sciences Annis Water Institute Anthropology Arabic Archaeology Art and Design Athletic Training Biology Biomedical Sciences Biopsychology Biostatistics Broadcasting Business Cell and Molecular Biology Chemistry Chinese Chinese Studies Classics Communication Studies Comprehensive Science and Arts for Teaching Computer Information Systems Computer Science Criminal Justice Dance Earth Science East Asian Studies Economics Education Undergraduate Teacher 10 Education Education Graduate Education Engineering English Entrepreneurship Environmental Studies Exercise Science Film and Video Finance French Geography and Planning Geology Geology-Chemistry German Health Administration Health Communication History Honors Frederik Meijer Honors College Hospitality and Tourism Management Information Systems Integrated Science International Business Intercultural Competence Experience International Relations Journalism Latin American Studies Legal Studies Liberal Studies Linguistics Management Marketing Mathematics Medical and Bioinformatics

Academic Programs Medical Laboratory Science Middle Eastern Studies Modern Languages Movement Science Music Natural Resources Management Nursing Occupational Safety and Health Management Occupational Therapy Philosophy Photography Physical Therapy Physician Assistant Studies Physics Political Science Preprofessional Studies Professional Science Masters Psychology Public, Nonprofit and Health Administration Radiological and Imaging Sciences Religious Studies Russian Russian Studies Social Studies Social Work Sociology Spanish Statistics Supply Chain Management Taxation Theatre Therapeutic Recreation Women and Gender Studies Writing The Cook Carillon Clock Tower 11

Financial Aid Choosing to transfer to Grand Valley is a smart investment in your future one made even better by the wide variety of financial aid options available. In 2010-2011, 94 percent of Grand Valley s full-time dependent students received financial aid (with an average award of $12,470) in the form of: Grants Scholarships Loans Work study The information in this section can also be found on the Grand Valley website at http://www. gvsu.edu/financialaid/transfer-40.htm, and we strongly encourage you to go there and visit the links on the page. Still have questions? Contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@gvsu. edu, (616) 331-3234, or toll-free at (800) 748-0246. There are many options to explore when it comes to paying for college. Below are steps to help you get started. File the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) If you need help in paying for college the first step to take is to file the FAFSA. The FAFSA is what we use to determine your eligibility for federal, state and some university based grants. For priority consideration, the FAFSA must be filed by March 1 of the year you plan to attend. Financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until all aid is exhausted. To file the FAFSA you will need: Federal tax information for you & your parents (if you are a dependent student) Grand Valley s School Code: 002268 If you would like an estimate of your FAFSA eligibility complete the FAFSA4Caster. Search for Scholarships Grand Valley offers a variety of merit-based awards for which incoming transfer students are eligible. Most require high academic achievement. Merit-based scholarships are automatically awarded to applicants based on information provided in your admissions application. To be considered for these scholarships, the Admissions Office must receive your completed application and all supporting documents by December 31 for fall admission. For additional scholarship opportunities, please review our scholarship database of over 250 endowed and department-based scholarships. 12

Financial Aid Consider Student Employment You could earn up to $3,000 a year by working while at Grand Valley, reducing your reliance on loans. Most students find it possible to work 10-15 hours a week and still maintain their academic and social life. Working helps you organize your time, teaches you discipline, and provides you with references to help you in your future career goals. Search for opportunities using the Student Employment Office Job Board. One of the fountains on the GVSU campus 13

Housing We invest in our students success by investing in some of the newest and most inviting living centers in Michigan. We ve built exceptional housing so that you can build lasting friendships, personal character, and have a highly rewarding college experience. Whether you choose to live in Allendale or Grand Rapids, you have a variety of inspiring housing options. As a potential incoming transfer student, you have five options available to you. We ve prepared a list of the options and the different places you can live within those options, as well as a summary of the five options. All this information and more can be found by going the webpage at http://www.gvsu.edu/housing/students/housing-options-2.htm and clicking the links there under Incoming Transfer Student Options. On Campus Apartments If you choose to live in an On Campus Apartment, then there are eight options available for you, six are at our Allendale Campus, and two are at our Campus in Grand Rapids. Allendale Ravine Apartments Grand Valley Apartments (GVA) Laker Village/Calder VanSteeland & Murray Apartments South C, D, and E Niemeyer East and West Grand Rapids Secchia Hall Winter Hall Living/Learning Communities Housing and Residence Life offers living-learning communities in a number of our oncampus apartments. Students living in these buildings have chosen to expand their education through shared learning experiences, and each community is built upon a specific theme, major, or area of interest. Professional and graduate staff work closely with a faculty coordinator in these communities to provide a rich living-learning experience that extends outside of the classroom (programs, events, field trips, research, etc.). Art Housing Honors College International House Movement Science House Women in Science, Engineering, and Math - WISE Women s Leadership House 14

Housing Gender Neutral Housing Housing & Residence Life works to provide a safe, inclusive, comfortable and supportive living experience for all students living in Grand Valley State University s living centers. Gender Neutral Housing is defined as a housing option in which two or more students may share a multiple-occupancy apartment regardless of the students sex or gender. Gender Neutral Housing is open to all students and supports the University s non-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. If you are interested in a gender-neutral room or apartment space, we will provide you with a personal and confidential assessment of the available options. To discuss your interest or preferences, please contact Amanda Brower in Housing (616.331.2120) or Carrie Christian in the LGBT Resource Center (616.331.2530). Gender Neutral Housing assignments vary based on student needs, application date, and availability. As with all living centers, students who would like to live in Gender Neutral Housing are encouraged to request roommates and apply early. Off Campus Housing Off Campus information is provided strictly as a courtesy for students of Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and does not constitute or imply endorsement or support by the Office of Housing and Residence Life or GVSU. Representatives from GVSU have not inspected these facilities. Any agreements you enter into for off campus housing are solely your responsibility. The GVSU Office of Housing and Residence Life is not responsible for, and will not be a party to, any rental agreement established between you and any other parties. This includes, but is not limited to, landlords, other tenants, roommates, and students of GVSU. The website listed below may serve as a resource. www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/publications/tenantlandlord.pdf Additionally, here are some tips for renting your first apartment: http://www.rentersinsurance.com/tips-for-renting-first-apartment Family Housing Our Housing & Residence Life office does not offer family housing on campus. We do, however, recommend the apartments below for families who need housing while attending GVSU. Bayberry Pointe Apartments Hampton Lakes Apartments Apple Ridge Apartments 15

Bus The bus schedule can be confusing for new students, and so we ve decided to include here a brief guide to the bus schedule and a simple map of the major bus stops, where the buses will always stop. A more complete explanation can be found online at http://www.gvsu.edu/ bus/. We use The Rapids busing company, and no matter what bus you use, students ride free! GVSU Allendale Campus Park and Ride, Free Parking and bus stops at Walker Fire Station and Meijer Dash to the Hill Route 51 CHS Express, 5-10 min. service weekdays, 20 min. evenings GVSU Center For Health and Sciences 51 37 48 Kirkhof, all three buses stop here 50 GVSU Grand Rapids Campus Apartment Shuttle Routes, 37/48, 4-10 min. service weekdays Campus Connector, Route 50 service, connects Allendale and Grand Rapids campuses, and The Rapids central station. 6 min. service weekdays, 14 min. evenings after 6pm, also runs weekends Central Station, you can ride the 50 to get here and have access to all other Rapid routes (minus 37/48) for free 16

Meal Plans Meal plans are a good way to make sure you don t spend too much money on food by paying for a certain number of meals a week per semester. Even if it sounds easier to just cook your own food all the time, you ll find that this actually saves time and money. You can also choose to have a certain number of meals per semester. Below, we ve included information about the Fall 2012 Meal Plans as an example, along with some info. More info can be found online at http://www.gvsu.edu/campusdine/. Fall 12 Meal Plans WEEKLY MEAL PLANS Plan Meals/Week Debit Cost/Meal Cost of Plan 19+ 19/week $175 $3.81 $1,260 14+ 14/week $275 $4.69 $1,260 10+ 10/week $375 $5.90 $1,260 5+ 5/week $100 $6.82 $625 Choose from 19+, 14+, 10+ and 5+ Weekly Meal Plans are per week and do not transfer to the next week. Use up to 3 Meals per day and 1 Meal per purchase. Two guest Meal passes are available for the Fresh Food Co. per semester. Visit 100 Commons to obtain guest passes. Weekly Meals are available 7 days a week through the semester while classes are in session. Weekly Meals are not available Thanksgiving, Winter or Spring Break. See gvsufood.com for dates. SEMESTER PLANS Plan Meals/Semester Debit Cost Value -- $1,000 $1,000 Value + 80/semester $400 $1,000 Casual -- $625 $625 Casual + 40/semester $300 $625 Commuter -- $100 $100 Choose from the Value+, Value, Casual +, Casual and Commuter Plan Meals can be used at your discretion throughout the semester. HOW IT WORKS A barcode on the back of your student ID card is scanned and identifies your account when you make a purchase. 17

Meal Plans MEALS Meals are offered in six of the nine plans. Enjoy all-you-care-to-eat dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner at Fresh Food Co. Meals can be used to purchase Meal Combos (predetermined meal combinations) at various locations. One Meal will be subtracted from your account when you purchase a Meal at the Fresh Food Company or a Meal Combo. You can use up to three meals per day. DINING DOLLARS All Plans offer Dining Dollars to use in Campus Dining restaurants and C-Stores. Purchase beverages, snacks or meals with Dining Dollars. Works like a debit card, each time a purchase is made the money is subtracted from your account. Dining Dollars can be added at http://www.campusdish.com/en-us/csmw/gvsu. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS CAN I CHANGE MY MEAL PLAN? You can change your Meal Plan during the first week of the Fall and/or Winter semester. Visit 100 Commons or gvsufood.com to submit your request. WHAT IF I HAVE UNUSED DEBIT DOLLARS AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER? Unused Debit Dollars transfer from Fall to Winter semester. Any unused dollars are nonrefundable at the end of the Winter semester and cannot be transferred to the new academic year. WHAT IF I HAVE UNUSED MEALS? Value+ and Casual + Meals are per semester and will roll to Winter semester as long as your account is active. The 19, 14 and 10 and 5 Plus plans are per week and do not roll over to the next week. WHAT IF MY DEBIT DOLLARS RUN LOW? Check your account with a cashier or at gvsufood.com. You can add to your account using a Visa or Mastercard online. WILL MY MEAL PLAN BE RENEWED FOR THE WINTER SEMESTER? Repurchase your plan if you are a COMMUTER or live in an ON-CAMPUS APARTMENT including: Calder Art Residence, Grand Valley Apartments, Laker Village, Ravine 18

Meal Plans Apartments, VanSteeland, Murray, Niemeyer East & West, Secchia, Winter Hall, South C,D & E WHICH PLANS CAN I CHOOSE? TRADITIONAL STYLE LIVING CENTERS* Choose from 19+, 14+ or 10+ Copeland, Robinson, Kistler SUITE STYLE LIVING CENTERS* Choose from 19+, 14+ or 10+ Hoobler, Johnson, Ott, Weed, DeVos, Pew, Pickard, Seidman, Swanson, Kirkpatrick, Stafford APARTMENT STYLE LIVING CENTERS* Choose any plan except the commuter Frey, Hills, North A,B & C, West A & B ON-CAMPUS APARTMENTS Choose any plan Calder Art Residence, Grand Valley Apartments, Niemeyer East & West, Laker Village, Ravine Apartments, South, VanSteeland, Murray, Secchia, Winter Hall, South C,D & E COMMUTER STUDENTS Choose any plan *Students in these living areas are required to select a meal plan and will automatically receive a 14+ plan as part of their Housing contract. Students in these living areas may choose any plan except the Commuter Plan. 19