Is veteran status a big plus for admissions? I'm getting a lot of fee waivers from schools I would consider above my scores.

I'm an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran and I have a 166 and 3.46 GPA. I've gotten a fee waiver from NYU and Columbia in the past few days and I figured those schools were out of my league with my scores. Is veteran status sought after by schools? I assume they would only waive the fees if I had a chance, although maybe they do that to pad their acceptance rate?