Veteran Schools | Veterans College | Schools and College for Veterans

MILITARY CONNECTION VETERAN SCHOOL SALUTE

Because nearly one million Veterans are currently utilizing their education benefits, with an estimated  one million more students expected to enroll in colleges over the next  five years, MilitaryConnection.com has created the “Veteran School Salute” award. Our Veteran School Salute will recognize Veteran-friendly colleges and universities that go above and beyond, providing premium service for their military, Veteran, and military dependent students. These services may include: participation in the Yellow Ribbon program, preferred “in-state” tuition rates, a dedicated Veteran page on their website, extension of filing deadlines, waiver of SAT/ACT test scores, and the creation of a Veterans office, a one place stop on campus to get information pertaining to them. These schools may have a “Veteran’s only tour”, conducted by a Veteran, that would show where any Veteran-specific resources are located, where and what the disabled student office does, and where counseling is available for Veteran students. Additionally, schools may accept military education credits, encourage the formation of a Veteran student support group, and provide a Veteran’s Day observance to honor the service of these students.

Colleges and universities across the nation have already begun to direct their recruiting focus at this expanding demographic, competing for the hundreds of millions of dollars in Veteran education benefits under the Post-9/11 and Montgomery GI Bills. Veteran Students will have to make well thought-out decisions regarding what school they want to attend. With so many schools, each telling Vets that their school is the perfect place for them, Veteran students will need help filtering through the masses to decide which school is the right fit to help them reach their educational and professional goals.

The first Veteran School Salute is awarded to D’Youville College in Buffalo, New York. With only about 3,200 students in their undergraduate and graduate programs, this tiny school is making a huge impact on the Veteran school community. D’Youville is a Yellow Ribbon School with set and stated goals to make their college conducive to Veterans’ professional and educational goals. The school’s Veteran Affairs Office (VAO) is so dedicated to helping Veterans, that it will hold consultations with prospective Veteran Students before they even enroll. D’Youville goes above and beyond in their efforts to accommodate their Veteran Students by offering grants and waivers, including a book voucher that ensures that their Vets aren’t paying out of pocket for school materials at the start of each semester. D’Youville College exemplifies the dedication to the Military & Veteran community that all schools should strive for.