College of Lake County (CLC) was named the number five best overall Military Friendly® School in the Large Community College category for the 2024-2025 academic year. This is the highest ranking CLC has earned. CLC has been named to the list nearly every year since 2014-15.

CLC also earned the military spouse friendly award for the first time.

Daniel Gil is a CLC student who served in the army from 2018 to 2021. He appreciates having help every step of the way, with everything from finances to registering for classes. One highlight for him is the weekly veterans club.

“We meet up and just hang out,” Gil said. “We talk about our experiences or any benefits. If we have any questions, there’s always someone right there to help.”

Mariah Vargas-Lopez's father served in the military, and she’s a beneficiary as his dependent. She learned about the benefits available to her while she was applying to CLC.

“I’ve been receiving help my entire time at CLC,” she said. “The benefits can be difficult, but I have a lot of help figuring it all out.”

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2024-2025 survey with 537 earning special awards for going above the standard.

“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process,” said Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®. “Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages Institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard.”

About Military Friendly® Schools:

The Military Friendly® Schools list is created each year based on extensive research using public data sources from more than 8,800 schools nationwide, input from student veterans, and responses to the proprietary, data-driven Military Friendly® Schools survey from participating institutions. The survey questions, methodology, criteria and weighting were developed with the assistance of an independent research firm and an advisory council of educators and employers. The survey is administered for free and is open to all postsecondary schools that wish to participate. Criteria for consideration can be found at www.militaryfriendly.com

About Viqtory:

Founded in 2001, VIQTORY is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities through its G.I. Jobs® and Military Friendly® brands. VIQTORY and its brands are not a part of or endorsed by the U.S. Dept of Defense or any federal government entity. Learn more about VIQTORY at www.viqtory.com