10 Tips for Going To College After Military Service

Military service can be a long-term career for many people, but it may not be right for everyone. Many military veterans complete their service and begin transitioning back to civilian life. Starting a new career path after military service often requires veterans to go back to school, which can be tricky as military service can affect college admissions.

Vets looking to start a degree program can take advantage of military education benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), find military-friendly colleges, and tap into a vast support system of other military students.

10 Tips for Starting College Post-Military

Leaving the military for higher education is a common process, but multiple best practices can help you navigate the college application process and make enrollment easier. Military members have access to college education benefits, but using military benefits for college isn't always as straightforward as it might seem. These tips can help you start college after your military service ends.

1. Leverage Your Military Benefits

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers multiple programs for college student veterans to pay for tuition, housing, and supplies. These benefits can be used for in-person and online courses from accredited community colleges, universities, and certification programs. Most VA benefits can't be used together, so it's important to choose wisely before making an election.

Post-9/11 GI Bill

The Post-9/11 GI Bill helps service members leave their military experience behind to return to civilian life. This GI Bill provides financial aid to service members who enlisted on or after September 10th, 2001.

Service members must have had at least 90 days of service or at least 30 days of service and an honorable discharge due to injury. Veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill can apply for the Yellow Ribbon program to help cover any gaps in coverage.

Montgomery GI Bill

The Montgomery GI Bill is an older version of the GI Bill benefits that has four categories of eligibility. Veterans must qualify for one of the categories to apply for benefits.

Payments for this GI Bill will vary based on your length of service, the type of college degree or certificate you're working towards, and any additional funds like the Military College Funds or the Buy-Up program.

Tuition Assistance

Each branch of the military offers tuition assistance programs for full-time students. These programs can cover up to 100% of tuition at accredited institutions.

The TA benefit is available to active-duty service members. Taking some courses while you're still in the service can help you get a head start on your post-military career education.

Military College Funds

Each branch has been approved for additional funding to complement the GI Bills called Military College Funds or Kickers. Qualified veterans can receive up to $950 in additional funding each month to be used for education expenses.

Military Scholarships

Military-friendly schools and organizations often offer scholarship opportunities specifically for veterans. These programs allow veterans to apply for additional college funding without taking out loans. Veteran scholarships are also generally less competitive due to their limited applicant pool.

2. Seek Out Support Services

The military is essentially a giant support system that provides aid to enlisted members and officers. You can turn to support services on-campus or offered through VA offices to help navigate benefit packages, using military training as transfer credits, and more.

3. Build a Network

There are support services to help you transition to your civilian college life, but you also might need a network beyond these services. Utilize friends and family, especially civilians, to help with resource and time management. Military life is highly regimented; sometimes the transition can lead to difficulties.

4. Develop a Study Routine

Time management is a skill that sometimes takes first-time college students a while to learn. In the military, time is managed for you, but college students need to manage their own time. Setting studying routines will allow you to meet the deadlines you need without being overwhelmed with a full college credit load.

5. Use Campus Resources

Most campuses offer resources to students like mentors, tutors, and mental health resources that can help all students, especially veterans. These resources are generally free to access for enrolled students.

The admissions office at your school can help you get in contact with resources for non-traditional students and off-campus resources like the local veterans center.

6. Communicate With Professors

Your professors are valuable resources that shouldn't be ignored. Discussing any problems you're having with the coursework or material as soon as possible can get you the help you need. Learn your professor's open office schedule early in the semester to make sure you can get face-to-face help when you need it.

7. Speak With an Academic Advisor

Your time in college should be enjoyed, but you should also use it to work toward larger career goals. Meeting with an academic advisor will allow you to set semester schedules to help you achieve your goals without being overwhelmed.

Additionally, academic advisors can help you make sure you're sticking to your degree program and taking the courses you need to take.

8. Utilize Transfer Credits

Most students view transfer credits as simply college credits earned at another university or community college. This is only one example of transfer credits. Many schools accept military credits for training and experiences; this may qualify you to test out of some courses or count them as credit hours.

Admissions officers and academic advisors will help you determine your eligibility to use your military experience as credit.

9. Explore Career Services

Very few people attend college without a career goal in mind. Speaking with your school's career services representatives can help you identify what life after college can look like. This can also include scheduling internships to gain real-world experience.

10. Seek Counseling

Mental health is just as important as physical health when attending college. If you feel overwhelmed by the courseload or other stresses, pursue on-campus resources or your local veterans center for more specialized treatment.

Is It Harder To Enroll in College After Military Service?

Enrolling in college after military service isn't necessarily harder than enrolling right out of high school. Colleges will still use the same high school criteria, like GPA, SAT or ACT scores, and more to evaluate your admissions, even if there is a gap due to military service.

Students might find it easier to enroll at some schools that perform holistic reviews when evaluating applicants. These reviews often look favorably on military service.

Can Active Duty Service Members Enroll in College?

Active-duty service members can enroll in college and many do. Programs like Military Tuition Assistance are awarded to active-duty service members pursuing voluntary learning. Officer training requires a four-year degree and some active-duty service members earn this degree while enlisted.

The National Guard also has programs that allow you to serve and attend college. Even if you don't complete your program while enlisted, it's a good idea to start earning credits when you can to make your post-service college experience smoother.