---
title: Reporting your Schools Metrics
description: "Maximize your institution’s Military Friendly® Schools survey score by mastering the 6 qualifying metrical benchmarks. This guide explains how to use IPEDS as your standard reporting fallback and details the critical \"No First-Time\" rule for veteran student data to ensure your submission remains accurate and audit-ready."
---
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1. [Military Friendly Surveys](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase?hsLang=en)
2. [Reporting Metrics](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/reporting-metrics?hsLang=en)
3. [Military Friendly Schools](https://account.militaryfriendly.com/knowledgebase/reporting-metrics?hsLang=en#military-friendly-schools)
# Reporting your Schools Metrics
## To qualify for any Military Friendly® designation, an institution must complete the metrics section and meet specific performance thresholds. Failure to provide this data or meet the minimum benchmarks will result in disqualification.
#### 1. Qualifying Benchmarks
Your institution must meet or exceed at least **3 out of the 6** following benchmarks to be eligible for an award:
- **Graduation Rate:** 50% or higher for all students **OR** veteran students.
- **1-Year Retention Rate:** 50% or higher for all students **OR** veteran students.
- **2-Year Retention Rate:** 50% or higher for all students **OR** veteran students.
- **Loan Default Rate:** 20% or lower for all students **OR** 15% or lower for veteran students.
- **Job Placement Rate:** 50% or higher for all students **OR** veteran students.
- **Transfer Rate (Community Colleges):** 50% or higher for all students **OR** veteran students.
> **Pro Tip:** Benchmarks can also be met if veteran outcomes specifically surpass non-veteran outcomes, or if your school tracks and reports on subcategories like Guard/Reserve, military spouses, and dependents.
#### 2. Standard Reporting Fallback (IPEDS)
When calculating and reporting your numbers for this survey, the **standard reporting fallback is to pull and report them the same way you do for your [IPEDS](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/) annual survey.** Consistency between your survey responses and public data is vital. The [Military Friendly® Schools Guide](https://www.militaryfriendly.com/survey-schools-guide/) states that submitted data will be compared against public sources; your metrics **must be within 10%** of the aggregate data collected by federal agencies.
#### 3. The "No First-Time" Rule for Military Students
While you should follow IPEDS methodologies for general calculations, there is one major exception for the military population:
- **Do Not Use "First-Time" Characteristics:** Most military students enroll with prior credit for service experience or previous schooling.
- **The Rule:** When calculating retention or graduation rates for military-affiliated students, **remove the "First-time" filter.** Using it will result in an undercount and may trigger a data discrepancy flag.
#### 4. Required Verification Tools
Before submitting, verify your institutional IDs and public metrics using these official resources:
- **[NCES College Navigator](https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/)**: Use this to confirm your IPEDS ID, OPEID, and the student-to-faculty ratio reported in your last federal filing.
- **[VA GI Bill® Comparison Tool](https://www.va.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool/)**: Check for any "Caution Flags" or student complaints that must be disclosed in the survey.
---
**Warning:** No edits or modifications can be made after you click submit. Ensure your [Online Profile Manager](https://www.militaryfriendly.com/survey-schools-guide/) has reviewed these metrics against your last IPEDS submission to ensure 100% accuracy.
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