2011 ‘Military Friendly’ Colleges and Universities

This week, G.I. Jobs Magazine is announcing 1,518 postsecondary institutions it considers the most “Military Friendly” schools in the country.

The list, including results from a survey of student veterans for the first time, names colleges, universities and trade schools “that are doing the most to embrace American military service members and veterans as students.”

Only American, George Washington University, and the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences earned the distinction in DC for nonprofit institutions.

In Virginia, Averett University, the College of William & Mary, Ferrum College, George Mason University, Hampden-Sydney College, James Madison University, Liberty University, Lynchburg College, Marymount, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Regent, Roanoke, Virginia Tech, Virginia Wesleyan, and Washington and Lee University made the list of 4-year baccalaureate programs offering the best education, value, and welcome to veterans.

And in Maryland, Frostburg State University, Hood College, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Salisbury University, McDaniel College, Stevenson University, Towson, University of Maryland—College Park, and UMUC were among the 4-year nonprofits considered “military friendly.”

“The Military Friendly Schools list is the go-to resource for prospective student veterans searching for schools that provide the right overall experience,” said Michael Dakduk, executive director for the Student Veterans of America. “Nothing is more compelling than actual feedback from current student veterans.”

The list is compiled using survey research as well as input from government agencies and private organizations administering education benefits. A panel of experts assigned weight to each of the following categories:

• Certifications, programs and policies suggesting a school’s non-financial efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students. This category includes VA-approval to accept the GI Bill SOC membership, academic credit for CLEP and ACE, and flexible learning programs (45%).



• Financial commitment to efforts to recruit and retain these students. This includes Yellow Ribbon program membership, tuition benefits, and percent of overall recruitment budget allocated to recruiting military students (35%).



• The number and percent of military and veteran students currently enrolled (15%).



• Other miscellaneous considerations including academic accreditations (5%).

In short, the schools making the list are mainly those that have made an investment to reach out to and enroll military and veteran students.