University of Phoenix Awarded Military Friendly Schools Title from Victory Media Inc.

PHOENIX, Oct. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Victory Media, the premier media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life, has named University of Phoenix® to the coveted Military Friendly Schools® list for the fourth consecutive year. The 2013 Military Friendly Schools® list honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country that are doing the most to embrace America's military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus.

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"Inclusion on the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools® shows University of Phoenix's commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students," said Sean Collins, Director for G.I. Jobs and Vice President at Victory Media. "As interest in education grows, we are thrilled to provide the military community with transparent, world-class resources to assist in their search for schools."

The Military Friendly Schools® website, found at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com, features the list, interactive tools and search functionality to help military students find the best school to suit their unique needs and preferences. The 1,739 colleges, universities and trade schools on this year's list exhibit leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience. These schools have world-class programs and policies for student support on campus, academic accreditation, credit policies, flexibility and other services to those who served.

"University of Phoenix is proud to serve America's active duty service members, their families and veterans by granting them accessible education resources and removing barriers for them to complete their educational goals," said University of Phoenix Associate Regional Vice President for the Military Division Garland Williams, Ph.D., USA Colonel (ret). "The University's Military Division is comprised of employees with previous military experience, who know first-hand the challenges military students face because of frequent deployments, relocations and rigorous training schedules. We are proud to be recognized by G.I. Jobs and will continue providing and refining our education programs and resources to better serve our military students."

Now in its fourth year, the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools® was compiled through extensive research and a data-driven survey of more than 12,000 VA-approved schools nationwide. The survey results that comprise the 2013 list were independently tested by Ernst & Young LLP based upon the weightings and methodology established by G.I. Jobs. Each year schools taking the survey are held to a higher standard than the previous year via improved methodology, criteria and weightings developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board consisting of educators from schools across the country.

ABOUT Victory Media Inc.

Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business founded in 2001. Victory's free, data-driven, Military Friendly® lists can be found at www.gijobs.com/2012Top100 www.militaryfriendlyschools.com and www.militaryfranchising.com. Victory's lists are also published in G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, Vetrepreneur magazines, republished in national and local periodicals and are frequently cited on national and local TV stations.

About University of Phoenix Military Division  
University of Phoenix® Military Division works directly with active military members, their spouses, and veterans to help them balance frequent deployments, relocations, and training schedules while obtaining their degrees. University of Phoenix Military Division students can access classes online or at more than 200 University of Phoenix locations, giving military students an opportunity to choose the learning environment that is most conducive to their educational success. Active duty military members and spouses stationed or deployed overseas can earn either a Master of Business Administration or Master of Arts in Education degree at campus locations throughout Europe and Asia. More information can be found at http://www.phoenix.edu/military.

About University of Phoenix 
University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help students balance education and life in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, challenging courses and interactive learning can help students pursue personal and career aspirations without putting their lives on hold. As the flagship university of  Apollo Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: APOL), University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit http://www.phoenix.edu.

SOURCE University of Phoenix