Virginia Military Institute · Lexington, VA United States

The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is the nation's oldest state military college. It was established in 1839, three years before the founding of the South Carolina Military Academy, now known as The Citadel. The 134-acre campus, known as The Post, was the site of an arsenal set up after the War of 1812. VMI offers bachelor's degrees in majors such as engineering, science, and the humanities. It has about 1,300 cadets and 145 faculty members. The US Supreme Court in 1996 ordered the school to accept women as students. All students must take classes in one of the four Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs (Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines). About 50% of graduates go on to serve in the military. To read the full description, subscribe now.