Record-Breaking Registrations for Grand Canyon University
The largest Christian university in the country is anticipating an outstanding number of registrations for the 2025-2026 academic year, particularly following a series of legal challenges with federal agencies during the Biden administration.
“Our growth never stopped… we just grew through it,” said Brian Mueller, president of Grand Canyon University (GCU). During Biden’s term, the university faced numerous federal investigations. Mueller believes that this growth reflects what many Americans aspire to, claiming, “The largest private university in the country today is one that teaches from a Christian worldview.”
GCU expects to see registrations soar to 133,000 this fall, pulling in students from every state. Recently, the university was allowed to file a federal complaint as officials argued they were unfairly targeted by the administration. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had previously filed a lawsuit against GCU, alleging deceptive advertising practices and improper telemarketing.
These accusations, according to GCU, mischaracterized the university’s programs and falsely labeled it as a non-profit when it actually was not. The investigations, which included the FTC, VA, and the Department of Education, were viewed by Mueller as a punitive effort. “They said the Department of Education, the Federal Trade Commission and the VA are combining efforts to crack down on for-profit agencies,” he noted.
In a recent decision, the FTC voted unanimously to dismiss the lawsuit against GCU. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson stated that the case, inherited from the last administration, faced setbacks regarding two allegations that were ultimately dropped. This decision came after GCU managed to secure a legal victory over the Department of Education on related matters. Furthermore, the Department has rescinded a hefty fine originally levied against the university, confirming its status as a 501(c)(3) organization.
Mueller emphasized that federal investigations under the Biden administration were largely unfounded. “The administration has changed, and the Ed Department has looked into what led to fines and said there is no essence in this accusation that they misunderstood the students,” he conveyed, indicating a shift in perspective about how the investigations had been conducted. “When the department was fined, it was $37 million,” he added.
