How are veterans prepared to go back to learn?
Service members considering college are well prepared for the challenge
By Sean-Michael Green, 8/17/09
You may have some questions or hesitations about attending college as a veteran. But veterans have some of the advantages over traditional college students.
Sending transcripts
In addition to your academic records from any previous college and your high school, you have another type of transcript that might be valuable. Every service member receives a military miltranscript that may be worth college credit. Your transcript—called SMART, AARTS or CCAF depending on the branch in which you served—contains academic evaluations of your military training. Your college may or may not award you college credit based on these records, but you should include them in your application.
Getting recommendations
Most colleges ask for academic recommendations, but an additional recommendation from a commanding officer that speaks to your capacity to excel in college would make a positive impression on an admissions committee.
Standardized tests
Not all schools require standardized tests—and some schools have specific exceptions for service members and veterans. The Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES) offers the two major tests, the SAT and the ACT, to military personnel on military posts for free. You can use the tests as a tool to demonstrate your test-taking skills even after being away from the classroom for years.
Writing the essay
You will need to create a statement that showcases your best writing and tells the admissions committee why you want to attend. Your tone should be positive. Avoid acronyms and dense military speak, and be authentic. Share your statement with some people for honest feedback, and be open to making some changes based on their comments. This piece can make you stand out from the crowd!
Paying for college
Perhaps the most famous advantage you will have over other students is the financial advantage.
If you are like 95 percent of the people who enlist in the military, you probably invested in the Montgomery G.I. Bill (MGIB).
If you meet the right criteria (in terms of the type of school you attend, the number of credits you take at the school and the length of your active duty service), you will be eligible to receive more than $1,000 per month while you are in college. This money is paid to you—not your school—and you can use it as you see fit.
Every branch has some mechanism to pay for college courses, and you may be able to go to college at little or no cost while you serve your country.
Succeeding in college
Of course, college requires plenty of work. You will need to identify opportunities and seize them. You will need to dedicate time and energy to your success. You will need to face difficult circumstances.
And that is where you may find the biggest advantage: You are accustomed to difficult circumstances. For many freshmen, college is the challenge of a lifetime. For veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, it is simply another challenge.
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