2011 Military Friendly Schools List Released, Includes Virginia College
Posted: Monday, August 16, 2010
List shows veterans which colleges are a good fit
Pittsburgh, Pa., Aug. 16, 2010 -- G.I. Jobs announces the release of its 2011 list of Military Friendly Schools at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/2011list. The list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools which are doing the most to embrace America's veterans as students. Schools on the list range from state universities and private colleges to community colleges and trade schools, and again includes Virginia College. The common bond is their shared priority of recruiting students with military experience.
Colleges have long coveted veterans in the classroom. Dr. Dick Dormouth, Sr. Vice-President--Academic Affairs for Virginia College's parent company, Education Corporation of America, points out some of those reasons. "We are delighted to have so many military students choosing our schools...Virginia College, Golf Academy of America and Ecotech Institute. Military students bring a high degree of maturity, life experiences, diversity, and leadership to the classroom. Other students and faculty benefit from the different perspectives that service members and veterans bring."
"This list is especially important now because the Post-9/11 GI Bill has given veterans virtually unlimited financial means to go to school," said Rich McCormack, G.I. Jobs publisher. "Veterans can now enroll in any school, provided they're academically qualified. Veterans need a trusted friend to help them decide where to get educated. The Military Friendly Schools list is that trusted friend."
Derek Blumke, president of Student Veterans of America and a member of the list's Academic Advisory Board, agrees. "The Military Friendly Schools list is the gold standard in letting veterans know which schools will offer them the greatest opportunity, flexibility and overall experience. It's especially important now with so many schools competing for military students."
Schools on the Military Friendly Schools list also offer additional benefits to student veterans such as on-campus veterans programs, credit for service, military spouse programs and more. The list was compiled through exhaustive research starting last April during which G.I. Jobs polled more than 7,000 schools nationwide. Methodology, criteria and weighting for the list were developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board (AAB)
A full story and detailed list of Military Friendly Schools will be highlighted in the annual Guide to Military Friendly Schools and on a poster, both of which will be distributed to hundreds of thousands of active and former military personnel in late September. The newly redesigned website, found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com, features interactive tools and search functionality to assist military veterans in choosing schools that best meet their personal educational needs. The site currently shows 2010 Military Friendly Schools but will switch to the 2011 list in late September.
Criteria for making the Military Friendly Schools list included efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students and academic accreditations.
ABOUT G.I. Jobs
G.I. Jobs (www.gijobs.com) is published by Victory Media, a veteran-owned business which also publishes The Guide to Military Friendly Schools, Military Spouse and Vetrepreneur magazines and annually rates the nation's "Military Friendly Employers," "Military Spouse Friendly Employers" and "Best Corporations for Veteran-Owned Businesses."