Keeping Education Affordable for Military Personnel: Know Your Options
Many service members never even consider heading to college because they believe that the education costs are going to be prohibitive.
Luckily, there are quite a few scholarships and financial aid programs available to active personnel, and you could potentially receive a higher education without spending very much of your own money.
Military Scholarships
The average active military member is going to have access to dozens of scholarships, and that assistance could help you cover some or all of your expenses.
In addition to tuition assistance for military personnel, you might also receive scholarships for buying books and other educational expenses that are sure to come up.
To figure out which scholarships you qualify for, you will need to speak with an education officer, a counselor, or another specialist in your branch.
Affordable Online Schools
To cut down on your costs, you might want to consider taking online classes instead of heading to a brick-and-mortar school.
Online college courses are much more affordable than traditional classes, and you won’t have to worry about commuting or buying expensive parking passes.
Once you are enrolled in an online course, you will be able to carry out all of the classwork from anywhere in the world as long as you have internet access.
Government Assistance
Federal assistance programs are another option that all service members should consider.
Military scholarships are a great start, but getting that type of assistance can be incredibly difficult.
With federal assistance programs, you won’t have to worry about competing with tens of thousands of other applicants.
Those programs usually give you a blanket amount for expenses such as books, school supplies, and tuition.
Military Work for Class Credits
Many service members don’t realize that some of their work in the military work could actually turn into college credits.
The American Council on Education (ACE) is now working closely alongside the Department of Defense, and your military service could potentially earn you dozens of college credits in various departments.
That being said, most ACE credits can only be applied to introductory classes and free elective coursework, and that means upper-level students might not get any credits through this system.
While it might be tempting to major in the first subject that you find interesting, you should spend some time considering what courses you are going to focus on.
Service members need to be absolutely sure that their college work is going to improve their military careers and help them land amazing jobs after they are out of the service.
Category: Education
