Let’s go through it carefully. I am going to explain it fully—who it is, how much it costs, who gets in, who stays, and who graduates—so that you can incorporate it, with real knowledge, into the larger plan your family is building.
Who University of Valley Forge Is
University of Valley Forge is in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, within Chester County, in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. But being within that metropolitan area does not mean the campus is downtown: the census code places it in a suburb, within the urbanized area but outside the principal city. If your child were considering living at home and commuting every day, I recommend something simple: drive the route yourself on a weekday, at the time their classes would take place. The actual travel time is almost never what the map says.
It is a private nonprofit, four-year institution that offers programs through the master’s level. That is an institutional fact: it does not tell you whether the specific major your child is interested in is offered there or whether there is a path connecting their bachelor’s degree to a graduate program in the same field. That must be verified program by program.
The Carnegie Classification—the system that categorizes US colleges and universities by what they do—describes it as a four-year, very small, highly residential baccalaureate college with diverse fields. “Highly residential” means that, at the time of that count, at least half of degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing, and at least 80 out of every 100 attended full time. Living on campus is not the same as paying tuition: room and board are charged separately, and we will get to those figures shortly.
One fact worth keeping in mind if your child is coming from another college: Carnegie places it among institutions that receive many transfer students. That label does not say how many credits people bring with them or how many are lost in the transition. If your child is considering transferring here, ask in writing which courses will count and which will not before making the decision.
And one simple but important clarification: University of Valley Forge has none of three specific federal designations—it is not a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. That does not say which communities it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly which cultural centers and student organizations exist today and, better yet, speak with someone who already attends.
A Small Community, With a Clear Latino Presence
Among University of Valley Forge undergraduates, 24 out of every 100 identified as Hispanic or Latino in fall 2023. They are not the majority, but neither are they unusual: compared with 941 similar selective private schools, that share is in the top quartile. It is a clear sign of presence, not numerical dominance.
The rest of the picture: students ages 25 to 64 are a minority, at just 10 out of every 100. The balance between men and women is nearly even, with women accounting for 51 out of every 100. And something worth knowing if you are thinking about distance: fewer than half of first-time students—35 out of every 100—had a reported permanent residence in Pennsylvania. The rest came from other states or other countries, or their residence was not reported; this figure does not separate those categories or measure how far they travel or how much transportation costs them. If your child would consider coming from outside the state, compare the cost of attendance and build your budget around actual travel, not the average.
As for size: total enrollment was 573, with undergraduate enrollment of 498 and graduate enrollment of 75. Among the 941 selective private schools in this census, it is one of the smallest—at least nine out of ten have more students. Being small does not make it better or worse. It is worth asking something very practical: whether courses in your child’s intended major are offered every semester or only once a year, because that affects how long it takes to finish.
How Academics Work
The academic year is organized into semesters: two terms of about 15 weeks each, with fixed dates for everyone. The school reported that it accepts credit for AP exams and also what IPEDS calls “credit for life experiences”—learning acquired through independent study, work, a portfolio, prior licenses, or military experience—as well as credit directly for military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is a hard truth that I do not want to soften: the fact that the school reports these options does not mean it will automatically recognize any credit your child brings. It does not say what AP scores are required or how many credits are awarded for each exam. Request a written equivalency evaluation before enrolling, and do not count that savings in your budget until you have it in hand.
As for the degrees the school actually awards: it conferred 64 bachelor’s degrees during the year, spread across 11 program families. But the distribution is uneven. Theology and religious vocations accounted for 22 of those 64 degrees—34 out of every 100—making it by far the largest family. Compared with 942 similar selective private schools, University of Valley Forge falls in the quartile with the fewest program families represented in its reported bachelor’s-degree offerings. With numbers this small, a single year’s count can shift considerably from one period to another. If your child’s intended major is not theology, request the last three years of data for that specific program before assuming that one year’s figure represents the actual offerings.
Regarding the relationship between students and instructional staff: the official ratio is 11 students per full-time-equivalent staff member. Compared with similar schools, it falls below the midpoint—a low ratio. But be careful: this is an aggregate figure, not the size of first-year classes. We do not know which method the institution used to calculate it, and a low ratio alone does not demonstrate that more attention is available to each student. Report it for what it is: a clue, not a guarantee.
The institution also reports structured academic pathways: study abroad, noncredit developmental education, and several routes related to teacher certification, including state approval of its program for initial certification. If your child is interested in teaching, this deserves a direct conversation with admissions about what each pathway involves.
Admissions: Selective, but With Clear Rules
University of Valley Forge does not have open admissions. It reviews several pieces before saying yes: the high school transcript, GPA, personal essay, and, for applicants to whom it applies, an English proficiency exam are required. Class rank, the college-preparatory program completed, and letters of recommendation are not required, but they are considered if submitted.
Here is something I want to tell you plainly: at this university, gathering documents is not enough. The essay is required, so your child has to write one. Have them 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 $30.
As for how difficult it is to get in: out of 403 first-time applicants in the 2023 cycle, 315 received an offer of admission. That is 78 out of every 100—seven or eight out of ten. Compared with the other 942 selective private schools, that percentage falls near the middle, slightly above the midpoint. That does not make admission automatic: this is one cycle, not a permanent rule. If there are many more applicants in your child’s year without an increase in available places, the figure will fall on its own. Check the figure again for the relevant year.
A different figure, easily confused with the previous one: out of every 100 applicants admitted in 2023, only 30 ultimately enrolled there. The other 70 had an acceptance letter in hand and decided to go elsewhere. This does not measure how difficult it is to get in—we already covered that above; it measures what other families decided afterward. When your child’s letters arrive, this figure should not make the decision for you either. Put the admission letters side by side and compare net price, major, and distance before the deposit deadline.
One fact that may relieve some pressure: University of Valley Forge reported that it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in the admission decision, even if they are submitted. That reporting field does not cover scholarships or placement—ask about those separately.
Regarding transfers: among the bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in 2017, 24 out of every 100 left for another institution without completing here. Transferring is not the same as failing, but if it is a real possibility for your child, they should know in advance how to request the records needed to leave. On the other hand, in fall 2023, 32 transfer students arrived from other institutions. That figure does not say how many courses were accepted: request that information in writing, with the course list in hand, before your child makes the move.
The Money: What It Costs and What Is Actually Paid
At University of Valley Forge, among 21 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received Title IV federal aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $22,957. Among 24 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $27,104; among 30 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $30,639. For dependent students, the income band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band, whose student count was 21, and the average for the highest-income band, whose student count was 30, is $7,682. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $27,854.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, it falls in the most expensive quartile for the lowest-income families. That does not mean it should be ruled out. It means you need to request the financial aid letter before deciding.
An average does not show how different the cases within that band were; these data do not support claiming 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 Title IV federal aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships.
Financial Aid and Loans: What Is Common Here
The good news, stated precisely: 94 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received some grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Among recipients, the yearly average was $15,363—that average was not spread across everyone; it counts only those who received aid. And Pell Grants, the federal aid for low-income families, reached 53 out of every 100 students. Here, aid is the norm, not the exception.
But a high number is not a promise. It is what happened with other students in the 2022-23 year. It is neither your child’s probability nor the amount they will receive. Ask in writing which applications must be completed, what the deadlines are, and what happens to the scholarship if their grades fall.
Now for the part that must be said directly: 74 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan in 2022-23. That is a majority, and compared with similar schools, it is on the high side—seven out of ten similar schools had an equal or lower share. Borrowers took out an average of $6,598 that year. If your child borrowed a similar amount each year during the four-year program, the total would be around $26,392, not including interest. That number is decided before the first signature, not at the end.
This average covers only federal loans taken out in the student’s name during one year. It does not include PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, bank debt, or credit-card debt. Nor is it the total debt with which someone leaves upon graduation—that would require adding all four years, and that figure is not in this report. If debt appears in your child’s aid letter, request the estimated monthly payment before accepting it. The institution also offers a tuition installment payment plan, in case that helps organize the family’s cash flow.
Campus Life and Support
University of Valley Forge has institution-provided housing with a reported capacity of 629. It does not require all first-time, full-time students to live there—but that does not mean no individual program has such a requirement; ask about your child’s program. It also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals in the largest plan. The existence of the option does not guarantee space or a fixed rate: request the year’s rate, the housing application deadline, and whether space is guaranteed or there is a waitlist, all in writing.
It reported no ROTC opportunities in its most recent survey, neither in the general field nor for any specific branch—among 1,786 four-year institutions in this guide, 926 marked that they did; this one did not. That does not prove there is no option nearby; it only means none was reported in that field. If this matters to your family, ask admissions directly before ruling it out.
It does compete in intercollegiate sports and is affiliated with the NCAA, specifically reporting membership for basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. This is institutional membership, not a promise for your child: if sports matter, write directly to the coach, ask whether there is a place on the team and whether that sport offers athletic scholarships. Get the answer in writing.
It offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Out of every 100 undergraduate students, 18 took their entire course load through distance education; the other 82 took at least one class in person. It also reported having at least one complete distance-education program, although this does not confirm the specific level. Confirm the exact level and program if this interests your child.
The library operates with paid staff and exceeded the government’s reporting threshold for annual expenditures, at $100,000, and it has physical and digital collections and participates in interlibrary lending. That does not guarantee specific databases for your child’s major—ask about those by the name of the major.
Finally, the institution reports combined academic and career counseling services, employment support for current students and alumni, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for military families, and a services page for people with disabilities.
Persistence and Graduation: The Part You Need to Face Directly
Here we reach the question that carries the most weight: if a student enrolls, do they stay? Do they graduate?
Of the cohort that entered in fall 2022—125 first-time, full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students—70 out of every 100 met the official retention criterion: they were still enrolled there or had already graduated one year later. Compared with 930 similar schools, that figure falls slightly below the group’s midpoint. The other 30 out of every 100 were outside that count, and the source does not say where they went: not returning is not the same as dropping out. In this figure, someone who transferred and is still studying elsewhere counts the same as someone who stopped studying.
Regarding graduation: out of 97 first-time, full-time students who entered in 2017, 54 had graduated there within six years. That is 56 out of every 100—a little more than half. At four years, the figure falls to 46 out of every 100. Compared with 920 similar selective private schools, it falls below the group’s midpoint: more than half of those schools reported a higher graduation share.
It is worth examining the full detail for that same cohort, whose size was 97, because it tells a more complete story than a single percentage:
| Outcome after six years | Students |
|---|---|
| Graduated from University of Valley Forge | 54 |
| Completed a short program there | 1 |
| Transferred to another institution | 23 |
| Were still enrolled without completing | 2 |
| Were no longer enrolled anywhere recorded | 17 |
Transferring does not prove that they finished at their new destination. “No longer enrolled” does not explain why and may include people who completed after the deadline. This rate follows only first-time, full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students; if your child enters another way—as a transfer student or part-time student—request the rate for that specific group.
There is also a longer view: at eight years, following a different cohort with an enrollment count of 302 that entered between 2015 and 2016—including first-time, transfer, and part-time students—40 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school. Among Pell Grant recipients, that figure falls to 34 out of every 100; among those who did not receive a Pell Grant, it rises by 14 points. And if we look only at those who entered for the first time and full time within that same cohort, the figure rises to 54 out of every 100.
I am not going to soften this for you: University of Valley Forge’s graduation figures fall below the median of its peers. That is a fact, not a verdict on your child. What I can tell you is what to ask: what specific support exists for students with Pell Grants—an assigned advisor, emergency aid, whether the scholarship renews each year—and request the answer in writing.
What This Article Cannot Tell You
This article does not address what happens after graduation—salaries, employment, or final accumulated debt. Those data require another source and are not authorized here. Nor can it tell you whether this is the right university for your child. That depends on three things only your family knows: what they want to study and have built so far, what you can actually afford, and how far—or how close—you are willing to have them live while studying.
What you can take away is an honest map: a small school with a notable Latino presence, moderately selective admissions, financial aid that is generous in frequency but a high net price compared with similar schools, and graduation outcomes below the median of its peers. None of those facts, by itself, decides anything. Together, they give you what you need to ask better questions.
Now you know one part of the plan in depth. Combine it with what your child wants, what they have built so far, and what your family can afford. The decision comes from that combination—not from a single number.
Source note: the information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the US Department of Education, with data corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent University of Valley Forge or the US government; this article is for informational purposes.