Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) has been ranked as the second best community college in the country for veterans by Military Times magazine.
 
Every year, Military Times compiles a “Best for Vets” feature on college, including separate lists for four-year institutions, two-year schools, online or nontraditional schools, and career and technical colleges. A year ago, NMC achieved third place on the two-year college list. On the just-released 2019 ranking, NMC rose to number two. Central Community College-Nebraska achieved the top rank.
 
Military Times evaluates five different factors in determining its “Best for Vets” college rankings, including culture, student support, cost and financial aid, policies, and academic quality. The publication then pulls data from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, as well as information from three federal education sources, to determine its rankings. Military Times noted that NMC’s strongest category – and the top reason for its high rank – was its vet-friendly culture.
 
In 2012, NMC established the Office of Military and Veteran Services, which works “to foster an environment that leads to veteran success” at the school. The office has helped spearhead numerous investments and initiatives that caught the eye of Military Times and pushed NMC into the ranking, including:
 
·      Veteran-specific applications, orientation sessions, and campus tours
·      An on-campus veterans lounge
·      An active chapter of Student Veterans of America
·      In-state tuition rates for all veterans, regardless of their state of residence
·      A Veteran Lending Library to reduce textbook costs for vets
·      An annual “Hiring Our Heroes” veteran job fair
·      Professional development training for faculty, staff, and advisors, to teach them how to work with veterans
·      Opportunities to convert military service into college credit