American Heroes Scholarship Recipients Illustrate Diverse Career Interests of Today’s Veterans

Denver, CO -- (SBWire) -- 02/16/2012 --Veritas Prep, a leading GMAT prep and graduate school admissions consulting firm, in partnership with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, announced today that it has awarded American Heroes Scholarships to 50 IAVA Member Veterans. These test preparation and admissions consulting scholarships will allow U.S. Military Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan to pursue a wide variety of interests including business, environmental science, history, law, medicine, museum studies, nutrition, psychology and public administration.

“Everyone at Veritas Prep feels honored to award the inaugural American Heroes Scholarships to 50 deserving IAVA Member Veterans. It is our privilege to help these exceptional men and women as they begin their journey to earn the professional degree they need to advance in the military or excel in a civilian career,” said Chad Troutwine, co-founder and CEO of Veritas Prep. “The recipients exemplify the diverse career interests of today’s U.S. Military Veterans. Their inspiring stories remind us that military service and graduate education are a potent combination that can lead to success in many fields. We look forward to furthering our partnership with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America to create life-changing opportunities for service members and veterans.”

“Veritas Prep is a national leader in supporting new veterans and has stepped up in a big way to show veterans that they have our backs. They understand the immense potential of this New Greatest Generation. These scholarships will provide valuable opportunities so new veterans can be at their very best throughout the graduate school admissions process. Education and employment are two of our top priorities at IAVA, so this partnership with Veritas Prep is especially exciting,” said IAVA Founder and Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff.

“Since separating from the Army, I’ve decided that I’d like to put the experience and skills I gained in the military to use in a career in business. While military service helped me develop leadership skills, to become a business leader I need the management skills that an MBA would provide,” said Shahriar Chowdhury, former Captain, U.S. Army. “My goal is to go to a good business school, but to do that I need to score well on the GMAT. I’d wanted to take a prep course, but held off because of the cost. I’m extremely grateful to the Veritas Prep scholarship program because now I can better prepare for the GMAT and hopefully achieve the score I need to get into a top program.”

“The four years I spent on active duty as an army medic introduced me to the everyday and often extreme demands of what being a healthcare provider entails. From these experiences, I found my calling to become a physician and scientist, and now wish to delve into the challenging, yet inspiring, world of research and medicine,” said Cameron Waites, former Sergeant in the U.S. Army and current National Institutes of Health research fellow. “But before this dream has any chance of becoming a reality, one particularly important challenge remains on my horizon - getting accepted into medical school. Fortunately, the scholarship from Veritas Prep will provide expert guidance and support, helping me to prepare a strong application."

Of the 50 scholarships awarded, 31 IAVA Member Veterans will receive a free Veritas Prep GMAT prep course, either in-person or online, and Veritas Prep’s full suite of 15 GMAT course books and extensive resources; 19 will receive six hours of graduate school admissions consulting with a Veritas Prep admissions expert related to the graduate program of their choice. In addition to the scholarships announced today, Veritas Prep is extending discounts to all qualified IAVA Member Veterans; offering 50 percent off Veritas Prep GMAT courses and 25 percent off admissions consulting services.

For more information about Veritas Prep, visit http://www.veritasprep.com. To learn more about Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America or to sign up for a free membership, visit http://www.iava.org.

About Veritas Prep
Veritas Prep is the world’s largest privately-owned GMAT preparation and admissions consulting provider, offering industry-leading programs to help applicants improve their test scores and gain admission to the world’s best graduate schools. Founded in 2002 by graduates of the Yale School of Management, Veritas Prep now offers live GMAT prep instruction in more than 80 cities worldwide, as well as interactive online courses available everywhere. Additionally, Veritas Prep offers industry-leading admissions consulting services for applicants seeking admission to the most competitive business schools, law schools, and medical schools in the world. For more information visit http://www.veritasprep.com.

About Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
IAVA is the country’s first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 200,000 Member Veterans and civilian supporters nationwide. For more information visit http://www.iava.org.