Survey Taker's Guide
Your questions answered
How Can we help?
What is the deadline or survey timeline?
Annually the survey opens for registration in July, Links are distributed in August and the initial deadlines is the third wed of December. We accept rolling submissions for gold, silver, bronze, and designated awards after the December deadline until we close the survey on the third wed of June. Editorial cut offs are as follows.
1st Deadline: December (Third wed of the month) – Top Ten Determinations
2nd Deadline: January (Third wed of the month) – inclusion in MFS Guide 1.0
Soft Close: February (Third wed of the month)-inclusion in MFS Guide 2.0
Hard/Final Close: June (Third wed of the month)- Web Listing
I need assistance with the questions within the Military Friendly® Schools Survey
Please visit our step by step tutorial and help course for questions around survey responses and reporting data. CLICK HERE https://training.viqtory.com/courses/mfs-survey-question-help
Click to Learn
Timeline
The expanded timeline that includes designation release dates and future survey openings
Methodology
Breakdown how we create our rigorous Military Friendly® Schools List
Understand Your Designation
Understanding where you need to improve is important. We are here to help. Historical information.
Awards & Categories
Understand the Top 10, Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards, the Categorical breakdowns, and more.
Resources
Logos, PDF of the survey, Plaques, Profile Needs, Press Releases, and more.
Survey Support
Survey questions, help, assistance, logos, press releases, and more.
Survey Help
New to the survey process or in need more information about data, metrics, or specific questions in the survey?
Logos and Press Information
Logos and Press Releases for the current survey cycle.
Survey Rescores or Rolling Submissions
Survey questions, help, assistance, logos, press releases, and more.
Timeline
Current Cycle: 2025-2026 Military Friendly Schools
Initial Deadline for Top 10: December 18th 2024
Methodology
Breakdown how we create our rigorous Military Friendly® Schools List
The list of Military Friendly® Schools and Military Friendly® Schools ratings are assessed through the evaluation of both public data about the institution and proprietary data gathered through our free Military Friendly® Schools survey. The annual, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey assessment is offered at no cost to more than 8,800 institutions nationwide. Each year, schools taking the survey are held to a higher standard than in previous years via improved methodology, criteria and weightings developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and our Advisory Council.
Survey responses are weighted according to the categories below. Final survey results and ratings are determined by combining an institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet minimum thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.
We use a third party platform for the execution and audit of our scoring and methodology used for the Military Friendly® Schools list using the criteria set forth by VIQTORY.
Survey Categories & Weightings
Military Friendly® Schools designation requires the following:
- Accreditation and federal programs must be in good standing
- Must meet or exceed minimum standards in the Metrical Benchmarks
- Clear of any federal flags or have not been cited in any state or federal law enforcement actions
- No more than five veteran complaints or 5% of the student veteran population, whichever is lower, registered against the school in the VA’s GI Bill comparison tool. Schools exceeding the complaint threshold may request a survey for their Veteran students and receive 20% of the surveys back with a net-promoter score. These institutions are not eligible for an award.
One of the most important components of the Survey is meeting the metrical benchmarks. Many institutions fall short or do not even fill this sections out. An institution must meet 3/6 of the benchmarks below:
– Graduation rate for all students or veteran students alone is 50% or higher
– 1 year retention rate for all students or veteran students alone is 50% or higher
– 2 year retention rate for all students or veteran students alone is 50% or higher
– Loan default rate for all students or veteran students alone is 20% or lower
– Job placement rate for all students or veteran students alone is 50% or higher
– Transfer rate for all students or veteran students alone is 50% or higher
We use public data sources to check that the institution has three or more of the following federal programs in operation and good standing:
- Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill)
- Official commitment to the Eight Keys to Veterans’ Success
- VA’s Principles of Excellence
- Federal Financial Aid Shopping Sheet
- Armed Forces Tuition Assistance (TA) Funding
- DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Tuition Assistance
- Veteran Success on Campus (VSOC) Program
Finally, we use public data sources to check that the institution does not have any federal precautionary flags against it, such as those listed below.
- The number of veteran student complaints reported by the VA is greater than or equal to 5% of total enrolled veterans at the school.
- The institution is currently or was under one or more federal precautionary flags within the last 12 months.
- The institution’s accreditation has not been suspended.
- The institution’s federal programs have not been suspended.
Understand Your Designation
Understanding where you need to improve is important. We are here to help.
We are here to help.
Every institution dedicates itself to the military and veteran community when they participate in the Military Friendly® Schools Survey. Understanding where you need to improve is important. We are here to help. Click on your designation below to find out more.
Click below to access designation and award information for your school.
Click on Your Current Status
There is a multitude of reason why your designation my have dropped or you are ranked lower this year than last. This section will go over some of the reasons why your status may be lower this year.
- More schools took the survey in your scoring category
- This is the most common reason why institutions drop in rank or award level. The more scores in your category, the more possibility your score will be adjusted regardless of change in performance.
- This adjustment is a result of how we rank institutions. To understand how institutions get ranks please go to our Awards & Categories section.
- Your Metrical Benchmarks are lower this year than last:
- Metrical Benchmarks play a pivotal role in your designation. To learn more about these benchmarks please see our Methodology Section.
- Your Metrical Benchmarks and Data points did not improve this year compared to last;
- In order to encourage institutions to continuously improve their military programs, our algorithm accounts for continued progression and advancement of your metrics.
Find out how to expand and improve your military program and ensure you meet requirements of the survey.
Here are the most common reasons why institutions receive the not-friendly designation:
- Incomplete
- Countless institutions do not complete their survey. Make sure you submit the survey and if you want confirmation, send the Survey Team an email! Extensions will not be accepted under any circumstances. If you find yourself stuck on a section, just go to militaryfriendly.com/support and we will be happy to help.
- Metrical benchmarks
- One of the most important components of the Survey is meeting the metrical benchmarks. Many institutions fall short or do not even fill this sections out. An institution must meet 3/6 of the benchmarks below:
– Graduation rate for all students or veteran students alone is 50% or higher
– 1 year retention rate for all students or veteran students alone is 50% or higher
– 2 year retention rate for all students or veteran students alone is 50% or higher
– Loan default rate for all students or veteran students alone is 20% or lower
– Job placement rate for all students or veteran students alone is 50% or higher
– Transfer rate for all students or veteran students alone is 50% or higher
- One of the most important components of the Survey is meeting the metrical benchmarks. Many institutions fall short or do not even fill this sections out. An institution must meet 3/6 of the benchmarks below:
- Federal Caution Flags
- Federal Caution Flags are found via public databases. You can see if your institution is flagged on https://www.vets.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool. If you do not believe that your institution should have these flags, contact the VA directly.
– Heightened Cash Monitoring (F/S Late/Missing)
– Heightened Cash Monitoring (Audit Late/Missing)
– Heightened Cash Monitoring (Financial Responsibility)
– Flight Program – Suspended for 85/15 violation
– Heightened Cash Monitoring (Administrative Capability)
You can also find if you are on the HCM list via the Dept. of Education here: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/data-center/school/hcm
- Federal Caution Flags are found via public databases. You can see if your institution is flagged on https://www.vets.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool. If you do not believe that your institution should have these flags, contact the VA directly.
- Academic Accreditation on Probation
- Institution will not be designated Military Friendly® if it has their accreditation on probation, regardless of reason.
- Any present Caution flags or DOD Alerts present through the VA, DOD, DOE, or an additional recognized agency.
Here is a list of the possible reasons your institution could end up on the Bad Actors List. If you have any questions about this, please reach out to the Survey Support Team.
- Department of Education
- Violations of Dept. of Education laws and regulations regarding Veterans, the GI Bill, or any other action (That may not involve Veterans) that the DoE considers negative.
- Department of Veteran Affairs
- Violations of Dept. of Veteran Affairs laws and regulations regarding Veterans, the GI Bill, or any other action that the VA considers negative.
- Accreditation
- Accreditation issues or loss of Accreditation on any level due to findings of the Dept. of Education.
- Predatory Practices
- For-Profit entity or any institution that takes advantage of students with predatory practices.
- Federal Flag, Title IV Violations, Student Complaints
- Falsification of statistics, metrics, or information
Awards & Categories
Scoring Categories
- Graduate School
- Large Community College
- Large Public
- Non-Traditional/Online / Vocational
- Private not offering Doctorate
- Private Offering Doctorate
- Small Community College
- Small Public
- Tier 1 Research
- Tier 2 Research
Awards
Our Military Friendly® Awards provide a more competitive view of how an organization is performing compared with similar organizations.
An organization can be awarded:
Award Categories
Top Ten
Gold – fell within the point bracket representing 27% and above in comparison to an arrogate of Top Scores within the aggregate scores from leading institutions trailing 3 years.
Top Ten
Gold – fell within the point bracket representing 27% and above in comparison to an arrogate of Top Scores within the aggregate scores from leading institutions trailing 3 years.
Silver – fell within the point bracket representing 28%-40% and above in comparison to an arrogate of Top Scores within the aggregate scores from leading institutions trailing 3 years.
Designated – Scores met and exceeded the minimal benchmarks for qualification.
Designated – Scores met and exceeded the minimal benchmarks for qualification.
We group Military Friendly®-designated organizations into award categories based on revenue (for companies) or enrollment size and type (for colleges). An organization may earn one or several awards, or they may simply meet the standard and be designated Military Friendly® with no award.
Resources
Logos, PDF of the survey, Plaques, Profile Needs, Press Releases, and more.
Get a PDF of the Military Friendly® Schools Survey.
Order Plaques
Order your plaque and display your dedication to the Military / Veteran Community.
Press Kit
Logo Guidelines and Usage
Click to download our logo guidelines for use and publishing
Logos
Get your logo to share your designation with the nation and show everyone you earned the honor of being labeled a Military Friendly® School.
Press Release Standards and Boilerplate
Click to download the press Boilerplate and standard verbiage.