Virginia Military Institute (VMI)
Lexington, VA
"In Pace Decus, In Bello Praesidium"
At a Glance
Founded
1839
Enrollment
1,560
Acceptance
82%
Service
Multiple Services
The Verdict
VMI is the crucible that forged George Marshall's generation and continues to produce warrior-scholars nearly two centuries later. As America's oldest state-supported military college, VMI's legendary Rat Line—a seven-month ordeal of physical and mental hardship for first-year cadets—separates pretenders from leaders.
The single-sanction Honor Code ("A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate those who do") creates an atmosphere of absolute integrity, while the citizen-soldier tradition ensures graduates are prepared to lead in uniform or in civilian life. VMI degrees serve as a springboard to admission to prestigious graduate schools, and the Institute has won the AMCSUS Leadership Award for excellence among military colleges.
Campus & Cadet Life
About
Virginia Military Institute (VMI), founded 1839 in Lexington, is the oldest public senior military college in the U.S. — coed since 1997, about 1,560 cadets, 14 majors.
Tuition & Costs
2026-2027 RatesIn-State
$33,974
Out-of-State
$66,514
Endowment
$775.2 million
*COA includes tuition, fees, room/board. 89% receive financial aid. ~50% commission into U.S. Armed Forces.
View official tuition pageAdmissions & Selectivity
Admissions Philosophy
selective
Key Requirements
- High school diploma with college preparatory curriculum
- SAT or ACT scores required
- Minimum 16 units including 4 English, 3 Math, 2 Lab Science, 2 Social Studies
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal essay
- Physical fitness assessment
- Medical examination and vision standards
Admitted Student Profile
82%
Acceptance Rate
3.70
Avg GPA
1200
Avg SAT
Location
Campus & Facilities
Campus Size
200 acres
Housing
Barracks
Enrollment
1,560
Student:Teacher
10:1
Barracks Life
Housing Type
barracks
Daily Schedule
0600: Wake up/Personal Hygiene; 0700-0750: Breakfast Roll Call; 0800-1550: Academic Time; 1100-1300: Dinner Roll Call; 1600-1830: NCAA, Club Sport, or Rat Challenge; 1830-2000: Supper Roll Call; 2000-2325: Dean's Evening Study Period; 2230: Lights Out and Optional Late Study; 2230: Taps; 0130: Cadets Must Return to Their Own Rooms. First-year cadets ('Rats') endure the Rat Line—an intense indoctrination period lasting from August to Breakout in March, characterized by bracing, running in the barracks, memorizing the 'Rat Bible,' and constant upperclass scrutiny.
Discipline Model
VMI enforces the strictest honor system in American higher education: a single-sanction code where any violation results in dismissal. The class system (Rat, Third, Second, First) governs cadet interactions. The Commandant's Office, supported by cadet officers in the Regimental Staff, enforces the Blue Book regulations. The Rat Line, unique among military colleges, strips away ego and builds unbreakable class bonds through shared adversity.
Academics & Outcomes
College Matriculation
N/A (4-year degree-granting institution)
Scholarships Earned
N/A
Where Graduates Go
N/A (VMI is a commissioning source; approximately 50% of graduates commission into the U.S. Armed Forces through Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps ROTC)
Hall of Fame
George C. Marshall
General of the Army, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Nobel Peace Prize winner (1953), architect of the Marshall Plan
George S. Patton Jr.
General, legendary WWII commander of the Third Army, known for aggressive tank warfare tactics
Jonathan M. Daniels
Civil rights martyr, Episcopal seminarian killed protecting a young Black woman during the Voting Rights Movement (1965)
John Mercer Brooke
Naval officer and scientist, designed the ironclad CSS Virginia (Merrimack)
Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr.
20th Commandant of the Marine Corps, WWII Pacific campaign hero
George Patton IV
Major General, son of WWII general, decorated Vietnam War commander
Thomas T. Munford
Confederate Major General, cavalry commander under J.E.B. Stuart
William E. Gruber
Vice Admiral, Commander of U.S. Naval Air Forces, Pacific Fleet
James H. Binford Peay III
General, Commander of U.S. Central Command, 24th Superintendent of VMI
Athletics & Physical Training
Varsity Sports
Mandatory PT
All cadets must participate in intercollegiate athletics, club sports, or intramurals—there are no spectators at VMI. The Corps PT program includes regular runs, obstacle courses, and the grueling Ranger Challenge competition. First-year cadets complete additional physical training during the Rat Line, including the infamous 'sweat parties' in barracks.
Facilities
Cameron Hall (5,000-seat arena), Alumni Memorial Field at Foster Stadium, Cocke Hall natatorium with VMI Aquatic Center, Cormack Fieldhouse with Cormack Weight Room, Corps Physical Training Facility, Luck Weight Room, Parade Ground (Drill Field), and multiple athletic fields including Fiorini Field, Lamore Field at Gray-Minor Stadium, and Patchin Field. The Post's 200-acre campus is a National Historic Landmark, featuring the iconic barracks and Marshall Arch.
External Ratings
We don't collect or moderate reviews. Links point to trusted third-party sources.
Federal Outcomes Data
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
82%
Graduation Rate
84%
Retention Rate
(1st to 2nd year)
$77,369
Median Earnings
(10 years after entry)
$18,849
Avg. Net Cost
(after financial aid)
$12,186
Avg. Grant
(institutional aid)
88% / 12%
Male / Female
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2026-01)
View on College ScorecardOfficial Federal Data Sources
Verify information directly from U.S. Department of Education databases:
NCES consumer portal with costs, programs, and retention data
Comprehensive institutional data from the IPEDS survey
Department of Education outcomes and cost data
Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs
Photo Gallery
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