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Military Friendly® Schools Survey: Scoring & Benchmarks

The Military Friendly® Schools designation is determined by a combination of proprietary survey data and public data sources. This multi-faceted approach ensures that schools are not only evaluated on their intent but on their actual outcomes for student veterans.


1. Mandatory Identification Numbers

Accuracy is the most critical component of your submission. You must provide the correct identification numbers for your institution. If these IDs are incorrect, your school cannot be matched to public data, leading to an automatic disqualification.

  • IPEDS ID: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.

  • OPEID: Office of Postsecondary Education Identification.

  • VA Facility Code: Required to verify your status with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

2. Scoring Focus Areas

The Military Friendly® methodology weights six distinct areas to calculate your final score:

Focus Area Weight Description
Graduation & Career Outcomes 30% Rates of degree completion and successful job placement.
Military Student Support & Retention 30% The availability of specialized advisors and veteran-specific retention rates.
Financial Aid & Loan Repayment 12% Effectiveness of financial counseling and low student loan default rates.
Culture & Commitment 10% Inclusion of military support in the mission statement and campus culture.
Academic Policies & Compliance 9% Adherence to federal regulations and flexible credit transfer policies.
Admissions & Orientation 9% Specialized onboarding and transition programs for new veteran students.

3. Performance Benchmarks

To qualify for any level of Military Friendly® status, an institution must meet at least three of the following six thresholds:

  1. Retention Rate: Must be greater than 50% for the veteran student cohort.

  2. Graduation Rate: Must be greater than 50% for the veteran student cohort.

  3. Job Placement Rate: Must be greater than 50% for graduating veterans.

  4. Loan Default Rate: Must be less than or equal to 20%.

  5. Persistence Rate: Consistent year-over-year enrollment for military-affiliated students.

  6. Transfer-Out Rate: Tracking successful transitions to other 4-year institutions (primarily for community colleges).

4. Eligibility & Compliance Standards

Regardless of your score, your school must remain eligible under strict federal standards:

  • Accreditation: Must be in good standing (not on probation).

  • Federal Standing: No "Caution Flags" or active investigations from the VA, DoD, or CFPB.

  • Complaint Threshold: No more than 9 registered veteran complaints (or 5% of the veteran student body) on the GI Bill® Comparison Tool.

Would you like to move on to drafting an article about "How to Leverage Your Award for Student Recruitment"?