Following the grand opening of the MTSU Veterans and Military Family Center, the university has received another military-related honor — its third in a row from the Military Times.

Military Times again recognized MTSU in its sixth annual “Best for Vets: Colleges 2016” listing announced Nov. 10. The university was also recognized in 2014 and 2015.

The rankings factor in the results of Military Times’ annual survey, billed as the most comprehensive school-by-school assessment of veteran and military student services and rates of academic achievement.

MTSU ranks 65th out of 125 four-year colleges and universities, the highest of the only two Tennessee universities on the list. Austin Peay State University ranked 106th.

The University of Nebraska-Omaha topped the list.

Dr. Hilary Miller

“Hopefully, the veterans and prospective student-veterans will find this useful to them and recognize that it shows we care deeply for them,” said Dr. Hilary Miller, director of the MTSU center.

As with all Best for Vets rankings, Best for Vets: Colleges 2016 is an editorially independent news project that evaluates the many factors that help make colleges and universities a good fit for service members, military veterans and their families.

More than 600 colleges took part in this year’s detailed survey.

“It’s been amazing to witness how colleges all across higher education have embraced service members and their families,” said Amanda Miller, editor of Military Times’ Best for Vets rankings and special editions.

“Over the past six years of our surveys, we’ve seen so many schools first begin to foster — through new policies, services and dedicated facilities — and then nurture these wonderful communities.”

Military Times’ annual Best for Vets: Colleges survey asks colleges and universities to document an array of services, special rules, accommodations and financial incentives offered to students with military ties and to describe many aspects of veteran culture on a campus.

Military Times also factors in data from the Veterans Affairs and Defense Departments, as well as three Education Department sources.

“We award the Best for Vets designation to the very best — the colleges that really are setting the example,” Amanda Miller said.

For the full Best for Vets: Colleges 2016 rankings, visit www.militarytimes.com/bestforvets-colleges2016.

The rankings are published in full in the issues of Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corps Times on newsstands the week of Nov. 9 and online at MilitaryTimes.com, as well as ArmyTimes.com, NavyTimes.com, AirForceTimes.com and MarineCorpsTimes.com.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)