Thursday, March 28, 2024

Can You Be In The Army And Go To College

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Q What Are Some Tips For Student Success While Trying To Balance Serving With Getting An Education

Can You Go To College While in The Military? (United States Army)

Make a schedule for yourself. If you don’t have a planner or a calendar, get one. They are so inexpensive, and they will help you keep your head on straight. Second to that, another important tip would be to have a clear understanding of why you’re doing what you’re doing. I find it helpful to write down what motivates me and what pushes me to do better. Make a list of short-term and long-term goals, and try to chip away at them every day.

Can You Skip Ranks In The Army

Can you skip ranks in the army? A battlefield promotion is an advancement in military rank that occurs while deployed in combat. A standard field promotion is advancement from current rank to the next higher rank a jump-step promotion allows the recipient to advance by two ranks.

Considering this, Can you join the Army with college credits?

Using College Credits

One of the most common ways of entering the Army at a higher rank is to earn college credits. If you have at least 24 semester hours from an accredited college or university, you can start as an E-2 youll still be a private, but youll be making more money.

Subsequently How much do E2 make in the Army? Rank

Rank

Jan 30, 2019

What rank do you start out in the Army with a college degree?

You may earn an initial enlistment rank of E-1, E-2 or E-3 with 20 or more semester hours of credit from a degree-granting college or university. You may opt to earn a college degree first, then join as an officer.

Become A Stronger More Effective Leader To Advance In Rank Or Move Into An Officer Position In The Military

If you intend to stay in the armed forces for the foreseeable future, earning a college degree can greatly benefit you in helping to open doors to advancement. To become a commissioned officer in most of the branches, active-duty military personnel are required to have a four-year college degree. This designation can help you increase your salary, job responsibilities, and future opportunities within your branch and upon entering the civilian workforce.

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The Benefits Of Furthering Your Education While Serving

Whether you plan to stay in the military after your expiration-term of service or go into civilian life, pursuing an education while you are still serving can make a lot of sense. Here are five reasons to pursue education now.

  • If you stay in the military, you are more likely to get promoted. Taking courses in your MOS can develop your skills faster than just getting military training. That means you will be a more desirable candidate for a promotion within your specialty area.
  • The military gives promotion points for each college credit you earn. So, no matter what you study, you can rank up faster.
  • If you aspire to be an officer, you will most likely need a four-year degree. Just because you didn’t start your career on a track to become an officer doesn’t mean you can’t do so now. The most common way that enlisted service members become officers is to enroll in an officer training program. To get accepted, you need a four-year degree.
  • If you decide to transition to civilian life, you’ll have a head start. It’s easy to feel like you are “behind” when entering the civilian world after serving in the military. You may be surrounded by people your age who already have degrees or are well into their careers. However, when you earn a diploma or degree while you are in the service, you essentially “make up time”– you don’t have to start at square one after leaving the military.
  • Benefits Of Joining Rotc

    Army. Be All You Can Be. The Army College Fund Vintage ...

    While not all students receive scholarships through ROTC, many do, and the awards are often significant in many cases, you wont have to contribute to your college tuition at all or cover any additional expenses, such as housing. This can be an enormous relief for students who are concerned about their ability to pay for their education.

    Youll also enjoy a complete college experience alongside your ROTC training. Like other students, youll attend your academic classes, participate in clubs and extracurriculars, and live in dorms. In other words, being a cadet wont make you miss out on a typical college experienceyoull just have your ROTC commitment, usually one or two classes, alongside it.

    One of the most significant advantages to joining ROTC is that you will receive extensive training that will allow you to serve at an officer level upon graduation. This means youll have an enormous head start on a military career. Youll also be able to apply other skills and specialties you learned in college, such as technology, to your service.

    Also keep in mind that ROTC is a very prestigious program, and its considered an honor to participate in it. Youll gain numerous important qualities, including leadership skills, discipline, and maturity. Plus, youll have no trouble staying active and healthy.

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    Why Get A Degree When You Are Active Duty

    Going for your degree as an active duty service member is a good idea.

    Not only will you be taking advantage of the VA benefits you receive from joining the military but you can be working towards a successful future at the same time.

    For some, going to school is the road they have to take to become an officer. For others, going to school will help them after they ETS and start a new career.

    Keep Up With Military News And Updates

    Tailored to each military branch, our Veteran Insiders and Active Duty Insiders keep you current on service-specific headlines and issues. Each week we send you images, stories, and updates on pay, career, benefits, and human interest stories personalized to each service division. to receive updates on all military related news and benefits, delivered directly to your inbox.

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    National University Seeks Motivated Students

    Advisors at NU look for military students who are motivated, focused, and want to do better in life. These students may not have been successful in the classroom before entering the military. But military service can change all that.

    A lot of students go to different schools and dont do well because they dont know how to balance military commitments, Spittler says. But she explains when theyve been in the military for a while, theyve learned discipline and accountability, and have developed the motivation to move up in rank. So all of this makes a difference when they decide to return to the classroom. In the application process, their high school grade point average is not as important as their current level of motivation, according to Spittler.

    While a student with a low high school GPA may be embarrassed when they first approach an advisor, Spittler says she and her colleagues are understanding and will ask: What is different now?

    In an interview process, the advisor gathers information and asks questions that help the student determine their reason for seeking more education, and to help understand if they are ready.

    She finds that, most often, prospective military students are usually ready and prepared for the challenge of college after serving in the military for a year or two. Additionally, the educational benefits theyve earned help ease the decision.

    With all that lined up, Spittler adds, So why shouldnt they go to school?

    Lower Your Payments With Income

    Can you go to college as Active Duty?

    Apply for an income-driven repayment plan while youre on active duty so that you wont pay more than necessary in comparison to your income. These plans could bring your payments down to as little as $0 per month.

    The Heroes Act Waiver is also there to help, because youre not required to submit proof of income while in active duty. That means you can maintain low payments even if your income increases.

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    Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty Scholarship

    The GRFD Scholarship is for individuals with prior military service and those who would like to obtain a commission in the Army Reserve. If you receive a GRFD, youre required to enroll in an ROTC course and enlist in the Army Reserve in the Simultaneous Membership Program if youre not currently a member. Upon graduation, you must accept a commission, complete the Officer Basic Course, and serve six years in the Army Reserve.Benefits include:

    • Full tuition paid
    • Annual book allowance of $1,200
    • ROTC monthly stipend of $350 to $500
    • Montgomery GI Bill
    • The Simultaneous Membership Program Kicker of $350 a month

    Best Degrees For Military Officers

    Learn to lead among the ranks as a military officer or prepare for life after service.

    Civilian and military careers alike reward individuals who work hard and achieve a high level of training and expertise. In competitive fields, you will be more desirable to employers if you have a proven track record of accomplishing goals and standards set by the employer. Choosing one of the 2021 best degrees for military officers will put you on the path to success and future career growth by teaching you the skills you need to advance your career and prepare you for careers outside the military. By earning a degree, it shows on paper your qualifications to rise in the ranks and your readiness for your next promotion.

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    Public Service Loan Forgiveness For Military

    The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is a little-known benefit that can help you pay off your student loans. You can have your federal student loans forgiven after 120 qualifying payments and there are no limits on the amount that can be forgiven.

    Military service qualifies under the qualifying employment guidelines.

    How to Apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness:

    You can fill out the employment certification formor access our free assessment to see if you qualify.

    Increase Your Chances Of Post

    Be All That You Can Be In The Army commercial 1982

    Many companies across a number of industries often consider military veterans for positions over applicants without military service. But if you also add a college degree to your resume, this combination of service in the military and college education can be tough for prospective employers to pass up.

    Thats why you can increase your chances of finding gainful employment in a field you will enjoy. To further this point, the number of job interviews youll have to do should also be a bit less than what it might be for those without a college degree.

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    College Costs For Medical Professionals

    Some of the best financial incentives to joining the military exist for healthcare professionals.

    With 4-year medical school costs ranging from $150,000 to almost $400,000, it is no surprise that newly graduated medical professionals are looking for programs the help pay their medical school loans while providing rewarding and challenging experiences.

    Spouse Education And Career Opportunities

    Through the Spouse Education & Career Opportunities program, eligible military spouses can receive funding support for education, licensing and credentials, career counseling services, and employment readiness tools and resources to assist them no matter where they find themselves in their career.

    This program is available to spouses of all active-duty service members, including Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers called to active-duty status.

    BENEFITS OF THE SPOUSE EDUCATION & CAREER OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM

    • Use of the Military OneSource SECO Career Center, where certified career counselors provide comprehensive counseling services at no cost
    • The My Career Advancement Account Scholarship, which is a workforce development program that provides up to a $4,000 scholarship for education, training, and licensing to eligible military spouses
    • The Military Spouse Employment Partnership , which is an employment and career partnership connecting military spouses with more than 270 corporate partner employers who have pledged to recruit, hire, promote, and retain military spouses in portable careers

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    Are You Ready To Discover Your College Program

    As a military service member, you’ve confronted plenty of challenges. Transitioning to college is a different kind of test.

    The skills that you’ve honed during your servicediscipline, organization, time management, attentivenessgive you an edge as a student. However, the academic, social, and cultural realities of college life will likely require some adjustment on your part.

    Fortunately, with the expanded opportunities created by the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and the Forever GI Bill®, more than 1.7 million military veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere can access college educations.

    Colleges, veteran’s groups, and student-run organizations also provide support systems to help you make this transition, offering academic counseling, financial aid, and mental health resources. But it will be up to you to take advantage of these resources and make the most of your college experience.

    The first step is to determine what benefits that you’re eligible for under the GI Bill® and then choose a school that matches your benefits, needs, and interests. For instructions on how to access your benefits, please read our GI Bill® guide.

    If you’ve already taken these steps, read on for tips on how to find the support you need to successfully transition from the military into the classroom.

    Benefits And Eligibility For The Post

    Go to College or Join the Military? | Military vs College

    The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides up to 3 years of education benefits. If your release from active duty was before January 1, 2013, then you must use the benefits within 15 years. If your discharge date was on or after January 1, 2013, the time limitation has been removed.

    There are higher education programs that participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program that may make additional funds available to you without a charge to what youre entitled to with the GI Bill. You may also receive payments for a monthly housing allowance, annual books and supplies stipend, and a one-time rural benefit payment. If youre attending a private or foreign school, then tuition and fees are capped at the national maximum rate.

    The Montgomery GI Bill extends educational benefits to any active duty member of the military who served for at least 2 years of active duty. This also extends to veterans of any branch of the military. You receive up to $1,857 each month for educational expenses, as long as youre enrolled full-time. You cannot transfer these benefits. If youre in the Selected Reserve, then you receive up to $368 per month in exchange for a 6-year obligation of service to the reserves.

    The two programs under the Montgomery GI Bill are as follows:

    You can apply by filling out an Application for Education Benefits.

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    Apply For Financial Aid

    Though veterans are eligible for generous educational benefits through the Post-9/11 GI Bill, they do have limits. Sometimes, veterans may find themselves unable to fully cover the cost of college with these benefits alone, and they should be aware of the options available to help them pay for college.

    That is why all veterans who apply for college should submit the free FAFSA application to determine what federal and state financial aid they may be entitled to in addition to their GI benefits. Grants and scholarships can be especially helpful, as they do not need to be repaid.

    Financing your education isnt something you should worry about after youve enrolled at an institution, just like you shouldnt drive off the lot in a brand new car that you clearly cant afford, says McCarty.

    He suggests veterans ask questions like:

    • Does the school participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program? If so, do they offer limited or unlimited contributions?
    • Do they have grants or scholarships specifically for veterans?
    • What will my out of pocket costs be ?
    • Will I have to incur any education debt, either through federal or private loans, in order to obtain my degree?
    • If so, what is my plan for repaying those loans?

    Remember that any debt you incur now will be repaid later with interest, he says. What kind of a lifestyle will you have when this debt is added to any other financial obligations you have?

    Paying For College As Active Military

    Active-duty service members can pursue many options to help finance a college degree. Tuition assistance programs, the GI Bill, and private scholarship opportunities can make college an affordable investment. Eligibility criteria vary, but the list below features some financial aid programs for service members. Learners should consult their prospective school’s financial aid counselors for more information.

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    What Obstacles Do Active

    Active duty servicemembers always face the chance of deployment. What if a student starts classes and then gets deployment orders, orders to go to training, or are temporarily assigned elsewhere? Spittler says NU has military-friendly policies in place to help their students navigate such issues.

    Active-duty servicemembers also may have irregular schedules that make even online education difficult to sustain, such as 24-hour shifts, followed by an immediate call back to work.

    Not all military work is from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., which are typical military hours, she says. Advisors are available when these students need options and solutions. Sometimes military students need to drop a class, but again, the four-week monthly start format of National classes provides many opportunities for students to jump back in when they are ready. Other students may need to drop classes for a period of time when their annual Tuition Assistance runs out or when they cant afford the books required for a class.

    Spittler says that advisors will tell students in this situation, Thats OK, well check in with you in a couple of months. You can let me know where youre at.

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