Norwich University The Military College of Vermont, the oldest senior military college and the "Birthplace of
ROTC",
Norwich University is a
private university located in
Northfield, Vermont. Founded in 1819 at
Norwich, Vermont, as the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy, it is the oldest of the non-federal Military Academies and currently the only private military college in the United States. It is home to both a corps of cadets and a traditional civilian student population.
University of North Georgia The University of North Georgia (UNG), also known as The Military College of Georgia, is located in
Dahlonega, Georgia. Since its creation in 1873 as North Georgia Agricultural College, the college required undergraduate resident males to participate in the Corps of Cadets (the corps was optional for resident undergraduate females and all commuting or graduate students). North Georgia was also the first SMC to admit women into the Corps of Cadets. The school has a large
United States Army ROTC program and is the only senior military college without Navy/Marine Corps and Air Force programs. Students are no longer required to enroll in the military program.
Texas A&M University Texas A&M University was established under the
Morrill Act of 1862, and cadets began classes in 1876. During World War II, Texas A&M produced 20,229 students who served in combat. Of those, 14,123 served as officers: more than the combined total of the
United States Naval Academy and the
United States Military Academy. Texas A&M has grown rapidly since the 20th century and is now one of the largest universities by enrollment in the United States, with an enrollment of 64,961 students, of which approximately 2,560 are
cadets. In 2018, more than 220 cadets were commissioned as officers.
The Citadel The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, is a
state-supported, comprehensive college located in
Charleston, South Carolina, which was established in 1842. The Citadel enrolls approximately 2,250 cadets in the South Carolina Corps of Cadets and another 2,000 civilian graduate and undergraduate students in The Citadel Graduate College. The Citadel also offers 8 online degree programs. In 2017, for the seventh consecutive year,
U.S. News & World Report ranked The Citadel as the No. 1 regional public college in the South among those that offer master's degrees. Members of the Cadet Corps are required to be enrolled in ROTC and approximately one third are commissioned into the six military services. Active duty Marine and Navy personnel also attend cadet classes as part of the MECEP (
Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program) and
Seaman to Admiral (STA-21) programs which commission highly qualified NCOs; the MECEP program originated at The Citadel in 1973.
Virginia Military Institute Founded in 1839 in
Lexington, Virginia, the
Virginia Military Institute is the oldest state military college in the United States. VMI has been called the "
West Point of the South" because of its role during the
Civil War and unlike any other senior military college in the United States, VMI enrolls military cadets only and awards bachelor degrees exclusively. Next to West Point, VMI has graduated more Army generals than any other college or university in the United States of America. In addition to the accomplishments of its graduates in civilian endeavors, VMI is the only military college in the United States to graduate the highest ranking four-star generals across three services: Two Marine Corps Commandants,
Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr. and
Randolph M. Pate, and Chiefs of Staff of the Army,
George C. Marshall and the Air Force,
John P. Jumper. VMI is also the only SMC in the United States to graduate a five-star general:
General of the Army George C. Marshall.
Virginia Tech Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), located in
Blacksburg, Virginia, is one of only two major public universities to host a senior military college as part of a larger civilian university. The Corps of Cadets has existed since Virginia Tech's 1872 founding; membership was mandatory for all male students during their entire term at the school until 1924 when the requirement was reduced to two years. After World War II, prior-service students were not required to enter the Corps, and in 1964 Corps membership was made voluntary for all non-ROTC students. In 1973, Virginia Tech was the first military college to admit women into their Corps of Cadets, even before the service academies. Members of the Corps may participate in one of two tracks: the Military-Leader Track in one of the three nationally distinguished
ROTC programs leading to an
officer's commission or the Citizen-Leader Track to serve in the public or private sectors after graduation. On average, Virginia Tech has the highest commissioning numbers amongst its senior military college counterparts, regularly commissioning 80 percent or higher of its graduating class into the active duty military each year. The Citizen-Leader Track also sees 80 to 85 percent of its graduates receive job offers or graduate school admittance before commencement ceremonies each May. ==U.S. Coast Guard Direct Commission Selective Schools (DCSS)==