ALLENDALE — Grand Valley State University announced that a record number of first-year students arrived on campus this fall. This year’s number jumped to 4,124 freshmen from last year’s record of 4,005. Their academic scores are also higher. The average high school GPA of this year’s class is 3.52 and the average ACT is 23.8.

The percentage of minority students is also a record at 15.2 percent; there’s a record number of international students, with 378 students enrolled; and the number of out-of-state students has been rising steadily and is now up to 1,260, another record at Grand Valley.

Enrollment in science, technology, engineering, math and health professions is also up significantly. The number of undergraduates in engineering is up nearly 16 percent, and enrollment in health professions programs is up nearly 23 percent at the graduate level. Credit hours are also the highest in university history, due to Grand Valley having more full-time and fewer part-time students. The total number of students enrolled at Grand Valley is 24,477, which keeps enrollment stable and aligns with the university’s strategic plan for budget stability.

“We are beginning this academic year on a strong, positive note at Grand Valley,” President Thomas J. Haas said. “We have been recognized as best in class by lawmakers looking at our performance, and clearly by students making a choice about where to pursue their educational and life goals. We are extremely pleased that the strategic choices we’ve made in providing relevant academic programs and helping students complete degrees more quickly are proving to be successful for our students and for the state of Michigan, since nearly all of our graduates begin their careers here.”

Grand Valley’s fall enrollment report also shows:

– More than 80 percent of Grand Valley students attend full time;

– Students are taking more credit hours;

– The investment in health programs is paying off with a notable increase of graduate students in the College of Health Professions.