Frequently Asked Questions

Online & evening learners often have many questions as they make the decision to enroll in college. Get answers to your questions below.

What career and enrichment programs are offered?
You can take college credit or non-credit classes to achieve your professional and personal career goals. If you wish to earn a degree, several baccalaureate degree programs are available. View our programs.
Do schedules and locations fit my lifestyle?

Classes are offered during the day, evenings and alternate Saturdays. Classes meet in accelerated eight-week sessions or during the regular semester. Accelerated session classes generally meet two evenings a week for eight weeks and evening semester classes generally meet one evening a week.

Accelerated Classes
Students taking accelerated classes can take two classes per evening during each eight-week session. This allows you to work full-time and be a full-time student. You have the option of being full-time (6 credits per session) or part-time (less then 6 credits per session), which opens up opportunities for financial assistance. There are six sessions per year, so you can earn up to 36 hours of credit in an academic year. The BSN degree completion accelerated classes, for licensed RNs, meet one afternoon or evening per week during each eight-week session...less frequently for courses in blended format.

Semester Classes
Evening semester classes are offered one night a week for 15 weeks. You’re considered full-time if you take 12 or more hours per semester, half-time if you take 6 to 11 hours per semester and less than half-time for 5 or fewer hours per semester.

Saturday classes meet on alternate Saturdays during the semester. Two alternate Saturday schedules are offered each semester, which would allow you to take two Saturday classes (up to 6 credit hours).

Condensed Schedules for Teacher Education Endorsements
Select Teacher Education teaching endorsements, such as Reading, Instructional Strategist I, and Driver and Safety Education, are offered in condensed class schedules. The summer Teacher Endorsement Academy offers classes in two-week sessions. Accelerated weekend and evening endorsement classes are offered during the academic year. These classes are designed for licensed teachers who wish to obtain additional teaching endorsements.

Location
GV's campus is located in Des Moines and is centrally located and easily accessible.
Can I afford it?
At only $369 per semester credit hour, Grand View is very affordable. In addition, financial aid is available for those who qualify. Military personnel may be eligible for military tuition discounts of $100 per credit hour. An Employer Reimbursement Plan is available for students who are reimbursed by their employer. The Alpha Sigma Lambda scholarship is available once you've been here for awhile. Apply today and take advantage of the financial aid opportunities available to you! 
Why should I choose Grand View?

Here at Grand View we pride ourselves on giving you a quality education. You will be taught by experienced professors, and with smaller class sizes you'll get plenty of personal attention from them. You will learn in a friendly environment and have the opportunity for hands-on learning, as well as courses in blended format.

Grand View engages, equips, and empowers students to fulfill their potential and to serve society. Believing that each person possesses natural strengths and developing abilities which can lead to a full and satisfying life, Grand View admits and educates students who represent a wide range of ages, achievements, and expectations.
How do I apply for admission?
If you plan to earn a degree from Grand View, complete the admission application, and request official transcripts from all colleges you have attended. (There is no application fee if you apply online.) Failure to submit all previous transcripts will be considered sufficient cause for denial or cancellation of admission. If you have fewer than 24 hours of college credit, you must provide official ACT or SAT scores and submit an official high school transcript or official GED scores. Your transcripts must be sent from the issuing institution directly to Grand View. Students who have earned 24 credits or more must certify on their application for admission or through a signed written statement, that they have graduated from an accredited high school.  

If you want to take Grand View classes and don’t plan to earn a degree, you don’t need to apply for admission. Call the Registrar’s Office to sign up for classes. Financial aid is available only for students earning a degree or an education certificate.

If your native language is not English, you will need to submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOFEL). More information for international learners is available online or by contacting the Admissions Office.
What credit will transfer?

At Grand View, we keep our transfer process simple and our transfer policies friendly. Normally all college parallel credits from accredited institutions are accepted. We accept up to 66 semester hours of transfer credit from junior/community colleges.

Grand View also awards credit for off-campus educational programs that have been evaluated by:

  • The American Council on Education (ACE)
  • The Armed Services
  • The Association of Executive and Administrative Professionals (AEAP)
  • The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA)
  • The Insurance Institute of America
  • The Life Management Institute (LOMA)

In addition, you may earn college credit through the successful completion of:

  • College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests
  • DSST Exams
  • Proficiency Examination Program (PEP) tests
  • Grand View departmental exams
  • Experiential learning (life experience) portfolios

Grand View's Testing Equivalencies

Up to 32 hours of credit by examination and/or portfolio assessment may be counted toward the Grand View baccalaureate degree.

The Associate in Arts degree (AA) satisfies the Grand View University General Education Core requirements for the baccalaureate degree except for the composition and quantitative reasoning courses (unless fulfilled by transfer coursework), Core Seminars II and III, and the required number of outcome iterations (number determined by class status on entry to the University as defined above). See the University Catalog for details. Students holding any Associate’s degree other than an Associate of Arts degree are not exempt from the general degree requirements.
What services are available?

We have the following services available:

  • Evening office hours for general information and other services
  • Academic advising
  • One-stop registration for all locations
  • Textbook sales and book buy-backs
  • Grand View merchandise and supplies
  • Math Placement testing
  • Ordering of Grand View transcripts
  • Acceptance of tuition and fee payments
  • Tutoring services including math and writing labs
What is offered to military personnel?
Grand View is a military-friendly university and a Yellow Ribbon participant, here to assist our veterans and military personnel in receiving a first-class education. Check out all that we have to offer in terms of military programs, benefits and policies.  

Have a Question? I Can Help.

Ginger Hermon
Enrollment Counselor