A survey of freshmen students who applied for admission to Grand Valley State Colleges (GVSC) for fall term 1976 was conducted to explore the factors that affect the choice of GVSC. A survey instrument was used that asked for one response out of several alternatives to nine questions dealing with factors affecting the following four decisions: whether to go to college or not; whether to go away to college; which college to go to; and which of GVSC's four undergraduate colleges to attend. Results show that the majority of college applicants decided to attend college to prepare themselves for a job with more potential earning power or prestige. The students who decided to go away to college generally made the choice to be "on their own" or to participate fully in a campus lifestyle. Students were found to choose GVSC over other colleges because of good campus facilities, program considerations, academic diversity, academic reputation, and cost, in that order. Academic program was reported to play a much larger role in the selection of a college within the GVSC federation than in the selection of GVSC over other colleges or universities. (SPG)