GVSU creates program called Grand Finish to encourage students to stay on course with credit hours

Sharon Hanks

Grand Valley State University has created an innovative Grand Finish program that entices students to take a full load of classes and graduate on time by offering them a $1,000 grant after completing three years of study.

Lynn Blue, GVSU's vice provost and dean of academic services and information technology, says Grand Finish is based on the premise that the less time students spend in college, the less money they'll spend for an increasingly expensive degree.

"We're trying to get students through in a total of four years," Blue says. "Every year they attend (college) beyond four years is an expense. You are forgoing a professional job and you're paying more for tuition."

That's because, she explains, tuition costs the same whether students take anywhere from 12 to 16 credit hours. By completing the maximum number of credits each semester, students will not only save money but complete their school at a faster pace as well.

Blue says the Grand Finish program starts with the incoming freshman this summer. Those who complete 90 credit hours in three years would be awarded $1,000 during their final two semesters of undergraduate studies. Transfer students would qualify for $500 if they achieve the 90-credit-hour requirement by completing an average of 30 credits per year at GVSU.

Besides the cash incentive, GVSU has beefed up its advising program with an expanded counseling services and a more comprehensive, resource-rich website to help students take advantage of the Grand Finish. The university also provides students with two powerful software programs to help them transition into college life and select the right courses they'll need to meet degree requirements.

Undergraduates are taking longer to graduate with the national average length nearing six years compared to the traditional four years a generation ago. Only about 30 percent of incoming freshmen at GVSU will graduate in four years, Blue says. But that's an improvement of the low 20 percent rate a few years ago.

"If you want five years, get a master's degree," Blue advises. "It's a much better way to spend that fifth year."

Source: Lynn Blue, Grand Valley State University vice provost and dean of academic services and information technology, Allendale

Sharon Hanks is innovations and jobs news editor at Rapid Growth Media. Please send story ideas and comments for the column to Sharon at [email protected]. She also is owner of The Write Words in Grand Rapids.