Military Colleges
An alternative to attending a federal service academy is enrolling in one of several military colleges in the U.S.
At a military college, you will work towards a college degree while taking military training and coursework. You may also receive money for your college education through a variety of military aid programs, including ROTC scholarships and the GI Bill. It’s important to remember that not all students who attend these colleges pursue a career in the military. For many, it is just an opportunity to experience a disciplined lifestyle and develop leadership skills.
Upon graduating, you will have earned a respected college degree and have acquired military training and qualifications that allow you to pursue either civilian or military professions. Military colleges fall into two categories: Senior Military Colleges and Military Junior Colleges.
Senior Military Colleges
Six four-year military colleges allow you to complete your college degree before fulfilling any military requirements required by your military-aid package. Some of these were founded as military colleges and maintain a corps of cadets in addition to a civilian student body.
- Norwich University Corps of Cadets, Norwich University, Northfield, Vermont
- Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
- The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
- Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
- North Georgia College and State University, Dahlonega, Georgia (chartered as a military college, but has had a corps and a civilian student body from its inception)
- Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia
Military Junior Colleges
Five Military Junior Colleges, each offering two-year associate degrees, participate in the U.S. Army’s Early Commissioning Program. This program allows you to start fulfilling military requirements after two years of college study. At that point, you can continue working towards your bachelor’s degree while simultaneously fulfilling military requirements and gaining service time for promotions and retirement.
- Wentworth Military Academy and College, Lexington, Missouri
- Valley Forge Military Academy and College, Wayne, Pennsylvania
- New Mexico Military Institute, Roswell, New Mexico
- Marion Military Institute, Marion, Alabama
- Georgia Military College, Milledgeville, Georgia