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Summary
Virginia Military Institute is a public institution that was founded in 1839. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,605, its setting is city, and the campus size is 200 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Virginia Military Institute's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 70. Its in-state tuition and fees are $13,901 (2012-13); out-of-state tuition and fees are $33,811 (2012-13).
Located in Lexington, Va., the Virginia Military Institute is the oldest state-supported military college in the United States. Students admitted to the college are known as military cadets and are required to participate in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). Unlike the federal service academies, Virginia Military Institute cadets are not required to serve in the military upon graduation. Cadets have about 80 academic, professional, and social clubs and organizations to choose from upon entering the college. Freshmen admitted to the Institute are immediately exposed to the Ratline, which is a system designed to remove wealth and former status in life to create equality among all cadets. This is done through a series of team-building exercises as well as with the assistance of upperclassmen. The housing situation is much different from most universities’ campuses. Known as the Barracks, cadets live modestly, with limited space and multiple occupants, and are expected to maintain cleanliness and order at all times. The Virginia Military Institute Keydets fields 14 NCAADivision I athletic programs and is a member of the Big South Conference, Southern Conference, and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
Students that have been accepted to the Institute have the opportunity to take part in the Summer Transition Program, which is designed to prepare incoming cadets both academically and physically. This program takes place during the last four weeks of the college’s second summer session term. The Institute follows an honor code and strictly enforces its practices upon its cadets. When cadets first arrive on campus, they are issued their first cadet haircut at the VMI barbershop. Notable alumni of the Institute include former Nobel Peace Prize recipient and U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall; one of the founders of the historic Pony Express, Benjamin Franklin Ficklin; , and actor and comedian Fred Willard.
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VMI is a challenging curricular and co-curricular undergraduate experience, producing educated and honorable men and women who will be leaders in all walks of life. Its 1,600 cadets pursue BA and BS degrees in 14 disciplines in the fields of engineering, science, and liberal arts. VMI combines a full college curriculum within a regimen of military discipline that emphasizes the qualities of honor, integrity, and responsibility. The undergirding in all aspects of cadet life is the VMI Honor Code, to which all cadets subscribe. |
General Information
| School type | public, coed college |
| Year founded | 1839 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | city |
| 2011 Endowment | $326,648,311 |
Applying
When applying to Virginia Military Institute, it's important to note the application deadline is February 1, and the early decision deadline is November 15. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due May 1. The application fee at Virginia Military Institute is $40. It is selective, with an acceptance rate of 46.2 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 46.3% |
| Application deadline | February 1 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | May 1 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Virginia Military Institute is 12:1, and the school has 66.7 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Virginia Military Institute include: International Relations and Affairs; History, General; Economics, General; Mechanical Engineering; and Psychology, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 85.2 percent.
Student Life
Virginia Military Institute has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,605, with a gender distribution of 90.3 percent male students and 9.7 percent female students. Virginia Military Institute is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 1,605 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Virginia Military Institute offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring and health service. Virginia Military Institute also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Virginia Military Institute, 14 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is not permitted for students of legal age at Virginia Military Institute.
| Students who have cars on campus | 14% |
| Health insurance offered | No |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Virginia Military Institute, 50.8 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $10,342.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| In-state tuition and fees | $13,901 (2012-13) |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $33,811 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $7,733 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
