JohnPaulJones
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2013
- Messages
- 80
Can anyone give me any insight into the differences, if any, between the Citadel and VMI?
Besides The Citadel being named the #1 college in the country for commissioning ROTC officers? Not much
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Sir Ernest Benn
Quality over Quantity
"Give me an army of Citadel graduates and I'll win a battle, give me a handful of VMI men and I'll win a war." - Gen. George S. Patton
Number one how so? In sheer numbers?
Yes: last year, 40% of The Citadel's graduating class commissioned. More than any other non-SA school, both in percentages and actual number of graduates.
Down here in Texas, the Aggies claim that Patton quote for themselves over USMA. Which way did Patton really say it?
And counting OCS and the god-awful amounts that go SCARNG after graduation, I promise we commission more.
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Sir Ernest Benn
You guys are speaking in percentages... according to each school's website...
VMI has an enrollment of 1569 and Citadel has 2,272. According to the Citadel site it says 468 students graduated in 2013. I couldn't find (I didn't look very hard) a stat for 2013 for VMI but an article referenced "about 300." So I will use 300 for this.
40% of 468 is roughly 187 graduates who commissioned from Citadel. I am guessing Citadel probably has a certain percentage who commissions via OCS after graduating also, but that number was not given in previous threads.
60% of 300 it is 180 graduates who commissioned. An additional 5% is 15 or 6 graduates (depends on which way I do the math... 15 if 5% of total student population or 6 if only factoring in remaining grads who did not directly commission).
So based upon this... it appears each school commissions about the same number of grads. Percentage wise, VMI commissions more of its graduating class, but Citadel looks to lead the numbers once we add in the additional OCS grads. But then again none of this math is legit or based upon validated data.
As stated above... if possible visit both. The answer will work its way out. Money could also be a huge factor in selection for a school... apply and see what shakes out. Both a good options, one will just feel more like home.
All rivalries aside-the real differences between VMI and The Citadel are fairly minor in the scheme of things. The location is certainly different - both are in pretty nice places- just a difference of small urban versus small college town and more Winter vs more Hot. They have different traditions and life in the barracks seems to feel a little different. They offer some different majors and The Citadel offers a few more. Beyond those general things- these are very similar colleges and less a few folks here and there- the Alums tend to band together except when in direct competition with each other. What's similar?- 24 hours a day in uniform, really mentally and physically challenging, small, personal class sizes- similar academic reputations and lots of fiercely devoted alumni. This is one of those questions that is best answered by visiting each, spending a night during visitation week and getting a feel for the schools yourself.
Yes: last year, 40% of The Citadel's graduating class commissioned. More than any other non-SA school, both in percentages and actual number of graduates.
To 18'er's comment, I've seen that quote in regards to several schools. I've also heard it was never even actually said.
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Sir Ernest Benn