That is what we are going to do here with Calvin University, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I am not going to tell you whether it is the right school for your child, because I cannot know that. But I will explain, using official United States government data, what kind of institution it is, how much it really costs, how difficult it is to get in, and what happens to the students who are already there. With that information, you can decide whether it is worth investigating further.
Who this school is
Calvin University is a private, nonprofit university offering four-year or higher programs. Through a system called Carnegie, the federal government classifies it as a master's university with smaller programs: it offers bachelor's degrees and some graduate education, but its central identity is that of an undergraduate school, not a place devoted primarily to research.
That same classification labels it as “highly residential.” This means that, according to 2019-20 data, at least half of degree-seeking undergraduates lived in housing owned, controlled, or affiliated with the institution, and at least 80 out of every 100 studied full time. It is a school designed for students to live there, not a commuter school. Whether that works for you is another conversation—and an important one, because living on campus is not the same as paying tuition. Room and board are charged separately, and that number is almost never shown alongside tuition in the brochure. Ask for it separately before comparing this school with any other.
Carnegie also places it in its selective-admissions group, something we will examine more closely later using the actual figures.
Geographically, Calvin is in Grand Rapids, Michigan, within Kent County and the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood metropolitan area. Its census code places it within a city. That tells you where it is, not how to get there—ask the school directly about transportation. If your child plans to live at home, drive the route yourself on a weekday at the time of your child's classes. The time shown on the map is almost never the real travel time.
Regarding academic level, the government records a master's degree as the highest level Calvin reports offering and classifies it as a degree-granting institution that primarily awards bachelor's degrees or higher. That is an institutional fact: it does not tell you whether the specific major your child is interested in extends through the graduate level or whether there is a path connecting both levels within the same field. You have to ask about that yourself, program by program.
And here is something worth saying directly, without beating around the bush: do not rule it out or choose it because of the list price you will see later. Ask in writing how much your family would pay after scholarships and aid. That is the number that should actually be compared across schools.
One final piece of its identity: Calvin University is not listed as a historically Black college or university (HBCU), a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Those are three distinct designations with distinct histories—it is not that the school is missing one single label. Of the 3,012 colleges and universities in this federal directory, 138 have at least one of the three. Calvin's having none of them does not tell you which students it serves, how many Latino students are on campus, or how your child will feel there. Nor does it mean that it does not serve those communities. Ask directly: which cultural centers exist today, which student organizations are active, and, better yet, talk with someone who already studies there.
How many students there are and who they are
In the fall of 2023, Calvin University's total enrollment was 3,364: 3,053 undergraduates and 311 graduate students. Above all, it is a bachelor's-degree institution of medium size within the national landscape—between 1,000 and 4,999 students—and, compared with the other 941 selective private four-year schools in this census, it is on the larger side: between one and three out of every ten schools in that group have more students.
From that total, the government estimates a full-time-equivalent enrollment of 3,079 and reports 733 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking undergraduates. That last figure is not the entire entering class for that year; it is a specific subset the government uses for certain calculations.
Now, who are those students? Out of every 100 undergraduates in the fall of 2023, 5 are Hispanic or Latino. That is a small minority. Compared with 941 selective private four-year schools reporting this information, Calvin falls in the bottom quarter: three out of every four similar schools report a larger share of Latino students.
Having few Latino students does not make the school bad, just as having many would not make it good. This number counts who is enrolled, and nothing more. If your child will be one of the few, ask which student groups and support services exist, and speak with a Latino student there before deciding. The number covers the entire school; your child's specific major may look different.
The rest of the picture: adults ages 25 through 64 are a minority among undergraduates, just 7 out of every 100—this is, above all, a school of students who have recently finished high school. The split between men and women is nearly even, with women accounting for 51 out of every 100. And as for where new students came from—which states or countries—the government simply does not have that information reported for this school in this cycle. It is not there, and it should not be invented.
Being large does not mean having more options, and being small does not mean more attention for your child. What truly matters is the specific major, not the school's total size.
How academics work
Calvin organizes its year into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. In its official report, the school stated that it accepts credit from AP exams, but it did not check the box for credit based on life experience. It also reported enrolling high school students in credit-bearing college courses through a formal dual-enrollment program and accepting credit for military training.
Here is a truth worth stating plainly: accepting AP does not mean the school will give your child credit for every exam. The report does not say what scores are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward the specific major that interests your child. Ask for the written course-equivalency evaluation before enrolling, and do not calculate any savings until you have it in hand.
As for the range of majors, in the reported year Calvin awarded 704 bachelor's degrees across 22 families of academic programs—what the government calls CIP families—although some of those rows may show zero degrees for that year. No single family accounts for a large share: health professions had the most degrees, and even then represented only 14 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. Compared with 942 selective private schools reporting this information, Calvin ranks in the quarter with the most program families represented in its bachelor's-degree detail.
Put simply, the range is broad. But 22 families with rows in the report do not mean 22 active majors or 22 families with actual degrees awarded—a family groups several programs together, and a row may report zero. Verify the exact program that interests your child, not the general category.
Regarding class size, there is a number here that deserves twice your attention. Calvin's official ratio is 14 students per full-time-equivalent instructor. Viewed alone, that number looks small, almost intimate. But among the 941 similar schools—of the same type, both public and private—that report this information, Calvin falls in the quarter with the highest ratio. Both things are true at the same time: the number sounds low in absolute terms, but it is on the high side for this type of school. That is why it is compared with similar schools rather than with every college and university in the country.
And an important clarification: this ratio does not tell you the actual size of your child's classes. The government calculates it as a relationship between undergraduate students and full-time-equivalent instructional staff, but the file does not reveal the exact method the institution used or the size of first-year classes. Ask admissions directly about that.
The paths the school says it has open
Calvin reports offering several structured academic paths: study abroad, undergraduate research alongside a faculty member, teacher-certification preparation below the bachelor's level, the opportunity to complete preparation there in certain teacher-specialization areas, and state approval of its initial teacher-certification program. These are opportunities the institution says are available; if your child is looking for any of them, it is worth asking for the concrete details: capacity, requirements, and cost.
Getting into Calvin: what they require and what really happens
This is where many families become nervous, so let us go slowly and use the exact numbers.
Calvin does not have open admission. It reviews several components before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations tracked by the government—not counting standardized tests or legacy status—Calvin marks five as required: the high school record, high school GPA, completion of the college-preparatory curriculum required by the university, the personal essay, and an English-proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. It also considers, though does not require, your child's class rank and letters of recommendation.
At this university, simply gathering documents is not enough. The essay is required, so your child has to write. Have your child start it during the summer, not the week of the deadline: the first draft is never the one that gets submitted. The published application fee is $35.
Now, how difficult is it to get in? In the 2023 cycle, Calvin received 4,719 first-time applications and offered admission to 3,365 applicants. That is 71 out of every 100 applicants admitted. Among the 942 selective private schools in this census, that percentage is near the middle of the group, slightly below its midpoint. Seven or eight out of every ten received a yes. That does not mean admission is automatic, but it does mean your child has a real reason to try—and also a reason not to leave the application until the last minute.
It is worth remembering that this figure comes from a single cycle, not from a permanent rule at the school. If there are many more applicants next year and the number of available places does not grow, the percentage will fall on its own. When it is your child's turn, check the figure again for the relevant year.
Here is a fact that surprises many families: out of every 100 students admitted by Calvin, only 22 ultimately enrolled. The other 78 had earned a place and did not take it. Among the 942 comparable schools, this is entirely typical: it falls right at the middle of the group.
And here a hard truth needs to be stated without drama: out of every five young people who receive a yes from this school, about one ends up enrolling. The other four already had a place here and decided to go elsewhere. That is not a mark against Calvin—the federal record does not explain why each family made its decision. What others chose does not tell you what the school will offer you. Wait for your own letter showing the net price, which is what the year will actually cost your family. With that number in hand, you can decide whether this school stays on your list.
Regarding standardized tests, Calvin reported that the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application remains under consideration just the same. Among those who enrolled, 45 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores—a high share compared with 653 schools of the same type. Within the group that submitted scores, the middle half scored between 530 and 670 in reading and writing and between 540 and 670 in math. But take care: those ranges describe already-enrolled students who submitted SAT scores, not all applicants, and they do not prove that the score was used to admit anyone. That 530 is not a minimum, and that 670 does not guarantee anything either.
And regarding transfers: of the full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking cohort that entered in 2017, 113 students are recorded as having transferred without completing at Calvin within the expected time. That is 13 out of every 100—on the low side compared with 542 similar schools, most of which saw a larger share of their students leave. On the other hand, in the fall of 2023, Calvin enrolled 117 undergraduates who were entering Calvin for the first time after having studied at another institution. This transfer-out percentage does not tell you what happened to the others: they may have graduated, remained enrolled, or stopped studying altogether. And if your child were to transfer to or from Calvin, this number does not tell you how many courses would be accepted for credit: ask for that in writing, with the course list in hand, before your child moves.
The list price and what is actually paid
At Calvin University, among 30 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $20,249. Among 47 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $21,973; among 147 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $28,027. For dependent students, the band combines their parents' income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (30 students) and the average for the highest-income band (147 students) is $7,778. Among first-year students who received any scholarship or grant aid, the average was $26,374.
Even after scholarships were deducted, the average net price for the lowest-income families was $20,249 in the 2022-23 academic year. If that amount does not fit your budget, it is better to see that today than in August.
An average does not show how different the individual cases were within that band; these data do not support a claim that some families were far below or above the published figure. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with scholarship or grant aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional scholarships or grants.
Scholarships, Pell, and loans: who receives what
At Calvin, 96 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received some scholarship or grant aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something is the norm here, not the exception. Among those who received it, the annual average was $25,390—although, again, that average conceals those who received much more and those who received much less.
Now, one fact is worth separating carefully: the Pell Grant, which is federal aid specifically for low-income families, reached only 15 out of every 100 students. That means at least 81 out of every 100 received aid from another source—from the school, the state, or somewhere else—not from Pell. Receiving aid is not the same as receiving Pell, and the report groups all types together without saying where each award came from. Ask the school directly who provides that scholarship or grant, who qualifies, and what is required to renew it each year.
Regarding loans, 34 out of every 100 undergraduates received a federal loan in the 2022-23 school year—more than two out of every ten, but fewer than half. Among those who borrowed, the average amount per borrower that year was $6,542. Compared with 942 selective private schools, Calvin is on the low side: seven out of every ten similar schools had a larger share of students in debt.
Some young people here go through the year without debt, while others borrow. This overall percentage does not determine which of those two groups your child will fall into—the financial-aid letter your child receives in writing does. And this average of $6,542 covers only one year and only federal loans in the student's name. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes end up signing for, bank debt, or credit-card debt. Nor is it the total debt someone has upon graduation, because that would require adding together all four years, and that number is not in this report.
Ask about both if paying the full amount at once each month is not feasible for you.
Campus life: housing, sports, and support
Calvin does have its own housing, with reported capacity for 2,445 students, either on or off campus. It does not require all first-time, full-time students to live there—but that does not mean no specific program has such a requirement. It also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals per week under the largest plan. The existence of housing does not guarantee a bed, and the existence of a meal plan does not mean it is included in the price. Ask in writing for this year's rate, the housing-application deadline, and whether you are guaranteed a place or placed on a waiting list.
Regarding ROTC, Calvin reported that an opportunity is available, with the Army branch specifically marked. The Navy and Air Force are not marked. If your child is interested in a different branch, this report does not confirm it—that does not mean it is impossible; it means you need to ask. And the fact that the Army is marked does not confirm that the program is taught on this same campus: ask about it by name before building your child's plan around ROTC.
Calvin competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA—not the NAIA or other associations. Sports with confirmed membership include soccer, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. But this membership belongs to the school, not to your child. If your child is interested in a specific sport, write directly to the coach: ask whether there is a place on the team, which division they compete in, and whether that sport offers an athletic scholarship. Get the answer in writing.
Regarding study format, Calvin offers distance education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, although in the fall enrollment count only 3 out of every 100 undergraduates were taking all of their courses remotely—the other 97 were taking at least one class in person. The school also reports having at least one complete program that can be completed entirely through distance education, although the data do not specify whether that program is undergraduate or graduate. Confirm the exact level if this is important to your child.
The library operates with paid staff, and its annual spending exceeds the $100,000 threshold tracked by the government. It has physical and digital collections and participates in interlibrary lending. But exceeding that threshold does not guarantee the availability of databases specific to your child's major—ask about them by program name.
Finally, Calvin reports a broad package of services: combined academic and career counseling, a job board for current students, placement services after program completion, a comprehensive transition program for students with intellectual disabilities, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for military families, and a published webpage about services for people with disabilities. The fact that these services are reported does not indicate how good they are or how accessible they prove to be in practice—that, too, should be asked directly.
What happens to the students who are already there
And now we reach the question that may matter most to you: if my child enrolls, how likely is it that my child will stay and finish?
Of the cohort that entered Calvin in the fall of 2022—617 first-time, full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking students—546 met the official retention criterion: one year later, they were still enrolled there or had already completed their degree. That is 88 out of every 100. Compared with 930 selective private schools, Calvin ranks in the upper part of that group.
It is a high figure, and it is worth celebrating while keeping your feet on the ground: this number combines those who remain enrolled with those who have already finished, without separating the two branches, and it does not explain what happened to the other 12 percent who were not counted. High retention is not a diploma in hand.
Regarding graduation, of the cohort that entered in 2017—879 first-time, full-time students—680 had earned a degree six years later. That is 77 out of every 100. At the four-year mark, the figure falls to 65 out of every 100—a difference of 12 points between those who graduate on time and those who need a little longer. Compared with 920 similar schools, Calvin ranks in the top quarter: three out of every four similar schools report an equal or lower share of graduates.
For those original 879 students, the exact breakdown is as follows: 680 completed a bachelor's degree at Calvin, none completed a shorter program there, 113 transferred without completing at Calvin and then enrolled at another institution, 8 remained enrolled without completing within the time limit, and 78 were marked as “no longer enrolled” at the reporting cutoff. Transferring does not prove they finished elsewhere, and “no longer enrolled” does not explain why—it may include people who earned a degree after the time limit measured by this count.
Here is another unvarnished truth: a high graduation percentage does not mean your child will graduate. It is what happened to the cohort of 2017. What is within your control, and your child's, is making sure your child begins the first semester with credits in order and knows who the academic advisor is and when enrollment opens for the courses required by the major.
Finally, a long-term figure: following a cohort of 1,071 students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016—combining first-time and transfer students, both full-time and part-time—by the August 2023 reporting cutoff, eight years later, 77 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from Calvin. This figure places Calvin in the top quarter among 935 comparable schools.
And here there is a difference that deserves your attention if your family would qualify for Pell aid: among the students in that cohort who received Pell, only 63 out of every 100 left with a Calvin degree or certificate within those eight years—19 points below the group that did not receive Pell. Whether your family qualifies for Pell today does not determine your child's outcome. But if it applies in your case, it is worth asking the school very frankly what specifically exists for those students: an assigned advisor, emergency aid, and whether the school's own scholarship or grant is renewed from year to year. Get the answer in writing.
What you now know and what remains yours to decide
You now know Calvin's size, its academic rhythm, how selective it really is, how much it costs at list price and how much it ultimately costs after aid, who receives loans and how much, and what happens to the students who enroll, stay, and graduate.
None of these numbers makes the decision for you. The admission rate does not tell you whether your child will get in. The average net price is not the letter your family will receive. The graduation rate is not a promise about your child's particular story. They are the real ground on which any decision stands, neither more generous nor harsher than the data show.
You now know Calvin's part: admitting, denying, and offering aid, and you can now read its numbers clearly. Your child's part is to explore whether this major, this group size, and this highly residential campus life make sense personally. Your part is to bring together the family finances, FAFSA deadlines, and the honest question of how much you can pay without drowning financially.
You now understand one of the pieces you need to decide in depth. Combine it with what your child wants, what your child has built so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay. A plan comes from that combination, not from a single number.
Note on sources: the information in this article comes from official data reported by Calvin University to the United States Department of Education's IPEDS system, corresponding primarily to the years 2022-23 and 2023-24, as indicated for each figure. Best College Aid does not represent Calvin University or any government agency; this article is a public-information exercise intended to help you understand public data.