There are several misconceptions about military schools. They are sometimes thought of as places where some states house their child criminal populations, sort of a high-security boarding school run in manner similar to a military boarding school. These are, in fact, reform schools and are functionally a combination of school and prison. They attempt to emulate the high standards of established military schools in the hope that a strict structured environment can reform these children. This may or may not be true. However, this should not reflect on the long and distinguished history of military schools which are traditionally institutions of high academic achievement, with solid college preparatory curriculums, schooling in the military arts, and considerably esteemed graduates.

    There are two types of military academies: High school level institutions (up to age 19), and university level institutions.

• The term Military School primarily refers to pre-collegiate institutions (middle school and high school).
• The term Military Academy commonly refers to all pre-collegiate, collegiate, and post-collegiate institutions.

    Military academies can be either private or have government sponsorship from regional or national government.

Pre-Collegiate Institutions

    A Military school teaches various ages (middle school, high school, or both) in a manner that includes military traditions and training in military subjects. Many military schools are also boarding schools, and others are simply magnet schools in a larger school system. Many are privately-run institutions, though some are public and are run by either a public school system (such as the Chicago Public Schools), or by a state.

    Military boarding schools have a long tradition of providing excellent schooling in with an atmosphere structured around military traditions and organization.

College Level Institutions

    A college level military academy is an institute of higher learning of things military. It is part of a larger system of military education and training institutions. The primary educational goal at military academies is in to provide a high quality education that includes significant coursework and training in the fields of military tactics and military strategy. The amount of non-military coursework varies by both the institution and the country, and the amount of practical military experience gained varies as well.

    Military academies may or may not grant university degrees. In the U.S., graduates have a major field of study, earning a Bachelor's degree in that subject just as at other universities. In British academies, however, the graduate does not achieve a university degree, since the whole of the one-year course is dedicated to military training.

    There are two kinds of military academies: public (government-run) and private.

• Government academy graduates are typically commissioned as officers in the country's military. The new officers usually have an obligation to serve for a certain number of years. In some countries (e.g. Britain) all military officers train at the appropriate academy, whereas in others (e.g. the United States) only a percentage do and the academies are seen as prestigious institutions within the forces.
• Private academy graduates have no requirement to join the military after graduation, although some schools may have a high rate of graduate military service.