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Are you Ready to Advance?

Whether you're planning to continue your career in the military or pursue a civilian career, a college education is essential to helping you succeed. The benefits you'll receive from earning an undergraduate or graduate degree are limitless: promotions and special assignments within the military and a higher paying job after your military career has ended. And now earning a college degree while in the military is easier than ever, both logistically and financially.

The Logistics of Earning a Degree While in the Military
Today, more and more colleges and universities are reaching out to servicemembers to help accommodate them in earning a college degree. Military-friendly schools are adapting to your lifestyle to provide degree programs that are flexible to your schedule, affordable, and convenient. The Servicemembers Opportunities Colleges (SOC) Consortium is an association of approximately 1700 colleges and universities that are military-friendly and are committed to helping servicemembers and their families earn college degrees. These schools offer both traditional campus and online learning experiences.

During your search for a college you may find that online learning is a great option to help you earn your degree while keeping up with your busy schedule. The Sloan Consortium found that about ten percent of all institutions with online have offerings that have specifically been designed to serve the U.S. military student. By earning your degree online, you'll be able to continue your education at your pace regardless of where you are stationed.

Whether you earn your degree in a traditional college setting or online, you need to find the right degree program for you. Consider these factors when conducting your search for a military-friendly school:
  • What degree options are available?
  • Is the college accredited?
  • Is the cost affordable?
  • Does the school belong to the Servicemembers Opportunities Colleges (SOC) Consortium? 
  • What is the school's policy on using CLEP and military experience (ACE) credits? 
A benefit of earning your degree during or following your service in the Armed Forces is taking advantage of your military experience. That's right - you may be able to earn academic credit for your military training, even basic training. The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends academic credits for your military experience based on your military transcript, saving you time and money on your road to earning a degree. You also may be able to earn academic credit from your previous courses and experiences through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and the DANTES Subject Standardized tests. Before committing to a school, though, check to see if you be able to earn college credit through these options; not all colleges and universities accept these credit-by-exam tests.

The Financial Benefits of Earning a Degree While in the Military

Because of your service to your country, you are eligible for financial assistance for higher education in several forms. First, the Montgomery GI Bill has helped more than 2 million veterans attend college since 1944. This benefit offers a set monthly payment for your tuition, living expenses, and books. Second, beginning on August 1, 2009, the Post 9/11 GI Bill went into effect. The Bill provides financial assistance in varying amounts for education and living expenses to individuals who served in the military for at least 90 days after September 10, 2001. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs anticipates that the total number of veterans enrolled in college will increase 20 percent because of the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

There are many other ways to help you pay for college. Regardless of how you choose to pay for your education, there have never been more options to help you pay for school. To learn more about the financial assistance available to you through the military, click here.

As you pursue your degree in higher education you'll find that many opportunities are available to you. More than ever, colleges and universities across the country are honoring your service to the military and rewarding you for your efforts. So what are you waiting for? Get set to advance today!

Featured Military Colleges

Abilene Christian University Bethel University Mid-America Christian University

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