
Driving More Military Student Enrollment Through Community Engagement
Drive military student enrollment by moving beyond digital ads. Learn how top schools build organic pipelines through community engagement and partnerships.
The future of your campus is defined by your students. This is your resource for strategic guidance, proven methodologies, and new perspectives on how to attract, support, and retain a higher caliber of student.

Drive military student enrollment by moving beyond digital ads. Learn how top schools build organic pipelines through community engagement and partnerships.

See how top schools are revamping their campus’ to attract more students. Watch the webinar replay for more info on what a Military Friendly® campus looks like.

Stop losing credibility with bad stock photos. Learn authentic marketing strategies for recruiting military students in our latest webinar replay.
If you look at the marketing materials of most colleges and universities today, you will see a sea of sameness. Every institution claims to be “military-friendly,” creating a lack of differentiation in a highly competitive market. For transitioning service members trying to navigate their future, these superficial claims are no

In higher education marketing, waiting for applicants to find your institution is no longer a viable strategy. To effectively recruit veteran students, schools must reach service members where they live, work, and search online, long before they ever hang up their uniforms. Many institutions suffer from a critical blind spot:

With traditional enrollment pipelines shrinking and competition for dedicated students at an all-time high, institutions are struggling to find reliable, high-performing enrollees. However, many schools are overlooking the most tested, resilient candidate pool in the nation: transitioning military service members. While the financial backing of tuition assistance (like the GI
Military life is defined by disruption. Between sudden PCS moves, training rotations, and deployments, a military-connected student’s schedule can change overnight. As a result, Flexibility is your new currency.
For a military student transitioning to higher education, the greatest barrier to entry isn’t academic rigor. It’s financial bureaucracy. Navigating the GI Bill, Tuition Assistance, and VR&E benefits can be overwhelming. If an institution does not proactively establish financial trust, students will withdraw before classes even begin.
In our latest Military Friendly® webinar, we decode the Three Pillars of Retention required to build a sustainable military enrollment ecosystem: Financial Trust, Operational Agility, and Infrastructure.

In our recent high-level webinar featuring Mark Handy (Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer and Admissions Manager at CIAT) and the Military Friendly® leadership team revealed that one student demographic is not only surviving this environment but thriving: the military-connected student.

Discover the 3 critical roles that help Military Friendly® better support their military-connected students.

The New Mandate: Being “Military Friendly” isn’t just about being kind to veterans; it is about curating a richer intellectual environment.

One of the most trusted resources guiding post-service decisions is the annual Hot Degrees for Veterans issue of G.I. Jobs.

Veterans and military spouses bring a wealth of experience, leadership, and resilience to higher education. Yet, their success on campus often hinges on the effectiveness of staff communication. Misunderstandings, assumptions, or a lack of awareness can hinder student engagement, retention, and academic outcomes. Military Friendly® schools understand this challenge and

From service to school. Discover the strategic best practices that transform veteran support from an obligation into a competitive advantage.

Our “How Military Friendly Schools Rise Above Their Peers” webinar highlighted the importance of effective strategies for attracting and engaging military students. With approximately 250,000 individuals transitioning from military service annually, schools have a significant opportunity to serve this population. Our data shows that schools with strategic outreach programs see

Transitioning from military service to higher education can be challenging. Many veteran students arrive on campus with skills, leadership, and discipline, but they also bring unique needs that require understanding and guidance. Schools often face a common challenge. Gaps in staff training on veteran support. Without training staff to support

Imagine a prospect with a scholarship worth over $80,000 in their hand, yet they still struggle to connect that funding to your institution to complete their enrollment. This is the reality for many military-connected students and their families navigating the complex web of Veteran education benefits, such as the Post-9/11

Demographic decline, evolving student expectations, declining higher ed enrollment, and institutional financial stress. They are here, and they are real.

Military students contribute leadership, discipline, and problem-solving skills that elevate your campus culture.

Optimize veteran programs, improve enrollment, drive campus growth, and enhance student outcomes.

Transitioning from military service to college life is a journey filled with both opportunities and unique challenges. That’s why Military Friendly® exists. Military-connected students bring maturity, resilience, and real-world skills, but they also face hurdles that traditional students rarely encounter. Relocations, deployments, navigating complex benefits, and balancing family responsibilities all

In the halls of academia, there is a common phrase that you’ve probably heard. “The enrollment cliff is real.” The traditional higher education model is facing a demographic shift, and many schools are scrambling to find a solution. In this environment, a student’s financial stability and their ability to pay

Learn about the transparent, data-driven methodology that shows how Military Friendly® designation is earned.

The Modern Admissions Playbook: A Guide to Recruiting Military-Connected Students For years, the standard playbook for student recruitment has relied on a predictable set of channels and demographics. But in today’s landscape, that approach isn’t just inefficient…it’s broken. With a shrinking pool of traditional high school graduates and a new

Every university is looking for a competitive edge. It’s a constant race to attract top talent, stand out in a crowded market, and build a reputation for forward-thinking excellence. But in the search for the next big thing, many institutions are overlooking a powerful source of innovation already in their

Improve retention with military-connected students by building a campus culture of holistic support, from admissions to graduation.

Schools need to establish a school brand that not only attracts potential students but also accurately represents their current campus and student body.

Attracting military students is a smart move for any school. The value that student veterans bring to a campus (or online classroom) is seen in their graduation rates, grade point averages, and their leadership qualities. But how do you go about doing that? Recruiting military students is not necessarily the same

An often overlooked demographic that can help colleges and universities in creating more diverse and inclusive environments is targeting the military community.

Schools need to have a strategic approach to student recruitment. One important step in developing your strategy is creating student recruitment personas.

It’s about time colleges and universities recognize the value that nontraditional students bring to a campus, classroom, and student body.

A new, underutilized demographic of students is here. Learn why non-traditional students are a strategic lifeline for your campus now, and for the long term.

Up against the enrollment crisis? Learn how a Military Friendly membership builds trust among military students and helps with attracting veteran students.

Admissions not where they need to be? The war for students is here. Discover how a strategic focus on military students can secure your institution’s future.

In our recent event, “How Military Friendly Schools Rise Above Their Peers,” we emphasized that true commitment to the military community goes beyond stated intentions. It is reflected in actions and outcomes. Our data indicates that Military Friendly® Schools have a 15% higher retention rate for military students compared to

Understanding the College Enrollment Crisis The landscape of higher education is undergoing a significant transformation. Recent data reveals a troubling trend: between fall 2019 and fall 2024, undergraduate college enrollment dropped notably, with institutions like the University of Montana announcing the layoff of 42 employees after Congress cut a program’s

Explore the current college enrollment crisis, its impact on higher education institutions, and strategies to stabilize enrollment numbers.

There is a looming enrollment cliff, but military-connected students offer a powerful, renewable solution for higher education institutions.

The Military Friendly® initiative and its recent webinar, “How Military Friendly Schools Rise Above Their Peers,” highlight a fundamental truth: truly serving military students necessitates understanding their unique challenges. Unlike traditional students, military students often face frequent relocations, unpredictable schedules, and the complex transition from military to civilian life. Our
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