Top Military Universities in the US

Military school is one of the greatest and most rewarding experiences an up-and-coming college student can strive for. Combing physical and mental challenge with academics, these schools develop leadership and time management skills that other colleges only talk about. While ROTC is available at most universities, dedicated military universities exist to greatly enhance the challenges of college.

Academics

Each branch of the United States Armed Forces operates a military academy. Each offers its own challenges as well as a commission as an officer of the relevant branch of service upon graduation. The first of these is the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, the Army's (and thus by extension the Army National Guard's) academy. The Navy and the Marine Corps share the Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD. The Coast Guard operates the Coast Guard Academy at New London, CT. Finally, the Air Force commissions officers through the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, CO.

Senior military colleges

An alternative to the military colleges are the Senior Military Colleges, a group of six schools that have dedicated military training programs but do not require a military commission. Most military commissions occur through ROTC at these schools, meaning that cadets and midshipmen of all branches study and train together. Some of these schools also have a substantial military population. Some examples of these schools are Norwich University in Northfield, VT, Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA and Texas A&M University at College Station, TX.

For prospective college students, the opportunity to attend a military university is one they should definitely consider when applying to colleges. A military commission lies at the end of school, but that is not the only advantage. The training and academics combine to create a challenging curriculum that teaches crucial skills in the military or in the civilian job market. These are elite schools that teach students teamwork, time management and leadership, all while earning a degree and possibly a commission as an officer of the United States Armed Forces.