Whether a prospective student is most interested in athletics, a specific academic program or even the party scene, one institution is going to offer the best in that area while the others must find their own strengths to market or compensate in some other way.

Reputations are important in any field, and education is no different in the competition to recruit new students. The U.S. News named Harvard University, Princeton University and Yale University as the top three national universities for 2011, a fact which would rarely be disputed. Popular opinion agrees these are the best schools simply because of their long-standing reputation as the best.

On the state level, each public university has their own niche: the University of Michigan is considered the most prestigious state school, Michigan State University is known for its agriculture program, Ferris State University is a good option for pharmacy and optometry programs, and then there’s “Waste”-rn and “Only Chance College” (Oakland Community College). Some of these reputations may be based more on stereotypes than facts, but regardless, that image is still out there.

Recently, Grand Valley State University has established itself more prominently on the state and national level. Though it is still a mid-sized university in the cornfields of Allendale, an increasing number of students have flocked to GVSU each year, making others take notice and wonder what is the cause of the attraction.

The U.S. News ranked GVSU seventh among public universities in the Midwest for 2011, just behind sixth-place Michigan. The Princeton review also named GVSU among the best in the Midwest, as well as declaring the Seidman College of Business one of the best business programs in the nation in 2009.

GVSU made the list as one of America’s “100 Best College Buys,” top-25 of the nation’s green universities and the 10th most study abroad participation in the nation.

As GVSU’s reputation improves, all current students, faculty and alumni benefit as well. The better the university looks, the better we look with a degree from GVSU; the value of our investment continues to increase.

Based on the rising median GPA and ACT scores for incoming freshmen, more and more people are realizing the merit of GVSU, making it more competitive to gain admission here.

For those students already admitted to GVSU and the alumni who have completed their time here, it is still important to give back. By getting involved in any facet of the university and trying to improve the quality of its programs, the variety of student organizations offered or the level of outreach to the surrounding community, GVSU gains more prominence. When GVSU wins, every Laker wins.