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Best for Veterans: Colleges 2011 - The best colleges for military veterans - Military Times EDGE

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Best for Vets: Colleges 2011

Best for Vets: Colleges 2011

We started back in the spring by polling more than 500 student veterans on what they consider the most important school services for vets. Results of the student survey informed our college survey and ultimately these rankings, particularly our emphasis on academic accreditation, central veterans' offices and staff knowledgeable on veterans' issues.

Charts: 4-Year | Online & Nontraditional | 2-Year
Click here to see the criteria
  • Under $250 per credit means a college's per-credit-hour rate for all programs was lower than the $250-per-credit-hour tuition assistance cap as of press time. The Defense Department was considering reducing that cap sometime in 2012.
  • Under GI Bill cap for public schools means full out-of-state tuition for all programs is lower than the nationwide cap of $17,500 per school year; for private schools, it means all programs are under the $17,500 cap.
  • Yellow Ribbon Program means a school participates in this veterans' scholarship program, which receives a federal match. It only applies to private schools or public schools' out-of-state tuition.
  • Relaxed residency means some in-state tuition restrictions don't apply to vets.
  • Veterans office means the school has a central office for handling veterans' issues.
  • Accepts ACE credits means a school accepts at least some credits for military training recommended by the American Council on Education.
  • Veterans Upward Bound means a school is a site for this Education Department program.
  • Academic help rates a school's academic support programs for vets, including classes open only to vets, as well as tutoring and professor mentorship programs. No stars means a school reported no specific programs.
  • Accreditation indicates the school's institutional accreditation: NCACS is North Central Association of Colleges and Schools; SACS is Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; NWCCU is Northwestern Commission on Colleges and Universities; NYSED is New York State Board of Regents and the Commissioner of Education; MSCHE is the Middle States Commission on Higher Education; WASC is the Western Association of Schools and Colleges; TRACS is the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools; NEASC is the New England Association of Schools and Colleges; ABHES is the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools; and DETC is the Distance Education and Training Council.
  • Graduation rates from the NCES show the percentage of first-time students who graduated within 150 percent of the normal time for their program who began an associate degree in 2006 or a bachelor's degree in 2003 and graduated by 2009. Some schools' large populations of transfer students may influence this rate. The average for 2-year colleges was 32 percent. For 4-year colleges, it was 57 percent.
  • Default rates from the NCES indicate the percentage of students from the 2008 graduating class who defaulted on student loans |within two years of beginning to repay them. The average rate for 2- to 3-year colleges was 8.77 percent. For 4-year colleges, it was 4.68 percent.


4-YEAR
The following are 4-year colleges as classified by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Rank School Under $250 per credit Under GI Bill cap Yellow Ribbon Program Relaxed residency Veterans office Accepts ACE credits Veterans Upward Bound Academic help Accred. Graduation rate Default rate
1 Concord University (W.Va.) NCACS 39% 9.64%
2 Eastern Kentucky University     SACS 37% 9.08%
3 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey     MSCHE 77% 2.30%
4 California University of Pennsylvania         MSCHE 49% 4.00%
5 University of South Florida     SACS 48% 4.90%
6 Arizona State University         NCACS 56% 3.08%
7 University of Kentucky       SACS 60% 2.40%
8 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology       NCACS 35% 1.92%
9 University of Nebraska at Omaha       NCACS 45% 4.80%
9 D'Youville College (N.Y.)           MSCHE 53% 5.18%
11 Ohio State University       NCACS 75% 2.58%
11 Texas A&M University     SACS 80% 3.09%
13 Texas State University at San Marcos     SACS 56% 3.32%
14 University of Arizona       NCACS 58% 4.03%
15 University of Pittsburgh         MSCHE 78% 2.25%
16 Wright State University (Ohio)       NCACS 45% 2.87%
16 Western Kentucky University     SACS 44% 7.93%
16 Evergreen State College (Wash.)   NWCCU 58% 6.40%
16 George Washington University           MSCHE 81% 1.03%
20 Medaille College (N.Y.)           MSCHE 58% 6.23%
21 Valdosta State University     SACS 43% 4.36%
22 University of Wisconsin at Whitewater           NCACS 56% 3.09%
23 Chadron State College (Neb.)     NWCCU 38% 4.24%
24 Bowling Green State University (Ohio)     NCACS 59% 4.51%
24 University of Missouri at Columbia     NCACS 68% 2.40%
26 Western Illinois University           NCACS 59% 5.82%
27 California State University at San Marcos         WASC 47% 2.27%
27 Mississippi State University       SACS 61% 4.00%
29 University of the Incarnate Word (Texas)         SACS 43% 4.33%
30 Southern Illinois University at Carbondale       NCACS 44% 4.58%
30 State University of New York College at Brockport           MSCHE 62% 2.20%
32 Cleary University (Mich.)         NCACS 60% 3.35%
33 California State University at Chico           WASC 58% 3.14%
34 Western Michigan University     NCACS 54% 2.66%
34 Colorado State University     NCACS 64% 2.02%
34 Fordham University (N.Y.)         MSCHE, NYSED 79% 2.18%
37 The University of Texas at San Antonio     SACS 26% 5.88%
37 Arkansas State University, main campus     NCACS 37% 10.56%
39 University of Louisville (Ky.)         SACS 48% 4.63%
40 University of Massachusetts at Boston         NEASC 38% 4.52%
41 University of Michigan at Flint         NCACS 45% 3.63%
42 Humboldt State University (Calif.)         WASC 42% 4.22%
42 University of North Texas     SACS 47% 5.56%
42 University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh       NCACS 51% 1.66%
42 Pennsylvania State University           MSCHE 68% 3.50%
42 Texas Woman's University     SACS 48% 4.62%
47 St. Petersburg College (Fla.)         SACS 29% 10.74%
49 Roger Williams University (R.I.)       NEASC 61% 3.27%
49 Northern Illinois University           NCACS 48% 4.41%
50 University of Massachusetts at Amherst     NCACS 65% 2.44%
51 Kent State University (Ohio)         NCACS 49% 6.03%
52 Metropolitan State College of Denver       NCACS 21% 11.02%
53 Minnesota State University at Moorhead       NCACS 44% 2.00%
54 Columbus State University (Ga.)         SACS 33% 5.91%
54 Long Island University (N.Y.)         MSCHE 41% 4.05%
56 University of South Dakota         NCACS 47% 2.66%
57 Colorado State University at Pueblo     NCACS 27% 6.44%
57 Southern Polytechnic State University (Ga.)       SACS 28% 7.73%
57 State University of New York at Canton       MSCHE 30% 5.80%