Information Overload
Don’t let selecting a college overwhelm you. We’ll show you how to start your research.
By Andrea Downing Peck

How to begin the process of selecting a college may be the biggest question facing service members who, upon leaving the military, have a smorgasbord of higher education options.

They need to wade through financial aid alternatives available under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Yellow Ribbon Program, and the Montgomery GI Bill, as well as make more routine decisions regarding school size, location, and academic major or program.

Older than your average college student, veterans often have family considerations to weigh when setting education and career goals.

“By definition, veterans are nontraditional students,” said Elizabeth O’Herrin, associate director of the American Council on Education. “They are older than the typical population. A lot of them have families to consider. They may have to consider additional factors like class schedules that the typical 18-year-old wouldn’t have to think about.”

Web You Way
Online resources are one way to begin gathering information. There are numerous websites that can help veterans learn what they need to consider when comparing institutions, outline potential career paths, and compare higher education options, from distance learning to graduate school.

Each branch of the military also provides information online about how service members can achieve their higher education goals.

Visit Your ESO
Once they have an idea of the education and financial aid choices available to them, service members may want to visit their on-base Educational Support Office (ESO), where counselors can help them determine the type of degree or civilian career field they want to pursue.  Education centers also offer interest inventory testing, SAT-ACT prep software, and credit by exam testing that may allow service members to obtain college credit for military training.

A Good Place to Start
Frank Roberts, military liaison officer at San Diego State University, often suggests veterans start their college careers at community colleges, where they can enjoy smaller classes and lower costs while completing introductory work.

“Even though they are on the GI Bill, they are going to pay less money and get back into the academic environment,” Roberts said. “They can finalize all their lower division requirements and then transfer to us later.”

During his final two years on active duty, Navy veteran David Salsone, now a student at Brown University in Rhode Island, began taking college classes that fulfilled general requirements. He advises other service members to do the same.

“It was a matter of finding the time or making the time, I guess” Salsone said. “It is something that anyone who is serious about going to college should try to do.”  

You Probably Already Know This But...

Start Here
These websites are a great place to begin researching your higher education:

• www.militaryfriendlyschools.com (G.I. Jobs)
• www.TodaysGIBill.com (American Council on Education)
• www.gibill.va.gov (Department of Veterans Affairs)
• www.studentveterans.org (Student Veterans of America)