| Location: | Midwest |
| Setting: | Mid-size City Setting |
| Type: | Private |
| Affiliation: | Christian Reformed Church |
| Size: | Medium (2,000 to 5,000 Undergrad) |
| Mascot: | Knights |
Calvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed tradition of Protestantism. Calvin College is named after John Calvin, the 16th century Reformer at the center of the Reformation movement.
The college and Calvin Theological Seminary were formed by the Christian Reformed Church for the purpose of training church ministers, with seven students enrolled in the first year. The school organized on August 4, 1876 on Spring Street in Grand Rapids, MI (though the school had originally considered locating in Holland, Michigan). The initial six-year curriculum included four years in the Literary department and two years in the Theological department. In 1892 the campus was moved to the intersection of Madison Avenue and Franklin Street (Fifth Avenue) in Grand Rapids. In September 1894 the school expanded the curriculum for those who were not pre-theological students, making the school a preparatory school or academy equivalent. This yielded a program roughly comparable to a high school curriculum. In 1900 the curriculum was further broadened and made more attractive to students interested in teaching or in preparing for preprofessional courses in the universities. A year later, in 1901, Calvin admitted the first women to the school.
By 1906 the Literary Department, which provided the four years of preparatory and two years of college work, became known officially as the John Calvin Junior College. Also that year, the college held its first public commencement at the LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church. The student newspaper "Chimes" was first published in 1907, also the same year the Alumni Association formed. Around 1910, the West Michigan cities of Muskegon and Kalamazoo fought to have Calvin relocate to their respective cities. Muskegon offered $10,000 (approximately $250,000 in 2007 dollars) and a tract of land to attract the college. The city of Grand Rapids countered with its own $10,000 offer and the junior college chose to stay in Grand Rapids. The two-year college in time became a four-year college, and the preparatory department was discontinued. John Calvin Junior College moved in 1917 to the Franklin Street Campus which at the time was the south east edge of Grand Rapids. Two years later the college appointed its first president, the Rev. J.J. Hiemenga. Then a year later, in 1920, the college transitioned into a four year college following the liberal arts philosophy of the Free University in Amsterdam as laid out by Dutch theologian and statesman Abraham Kuyper. The next year the college awarded its first bachelor's degree. In 1924, with the opening of Grand Rapids Christian High School, the college offered its last year of preparatory education, focusing exclusively on higher education and opened its fist dormitory. The next year, the college began offering a teacher training program and in 1926 appointed its first female faculty member, Johanna Timmer, as Dean of Women. The college dedicated its library, the Hekman Library on March 8, 1928. The college later dedicated its seminary building at the Franklin Street Campus on October 29, 1930. Still under the leadership of Rev. Hiemenga the college faced significant trouble during the onset of the Great Depression as financial hardship beset the college.
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| Percent of Students International: | 7% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 59% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | Yes |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Basketball (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoc) Baseball (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoc) Track (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoc) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 19,150 | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 18,925 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 225 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,283 | 19% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 2,401 | 46% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 5,680 | 93% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 4,090 | 59% | |
Any Aid: |
97% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 98% (Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 35% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 540, Math: 550 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 660, Math: 670 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 84% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 23, Verbal: 22, Math: 23 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 28, Verbal: 29, Math: 28 |
| Application Fee: | $ 35.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Not Required |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Required |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Recommended |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
