After really thinking about my life, it occurred to me that I wasn't exactly where I wanted to be. I was still living in my parent's basement, and it seemed like I was never going to get to leave. One of the things that was holding me back was the type of job that I had, and so I started thinking about what to do to get out of that situation. I began working really hard to head back to college, and I found a place that was accepting new students. After enrolling, I felt like I was making progress. Read more about heading back to class as an adult.
Even though service members and veterans who want to go back to school don't have to choose specific colleges, choosing a college that is military-friendly is wise. These are some of the things that you can look for when determining whether or not a school is military-friendly.
1. It Offers Online Classes
Many schools offer online classes nowadays, but not all of them do. If you're actively serving in the military, then going to school on campus might be very hard for you to do. An online school, on the other hand, will be flexible enough that you can go to school while continuing your military career. Even if you're a veteran, you might be busy with your post-military job, doctor's appointments or other things. Again, choosing a school that offers online classes might be helpful for you as well.
2. It Helps with the Financial Aspect
Paying for school is a big concern for students from just about any walk of life, including those who are in the military. Good military-friendly online colleges will help with your specific concerns as a service member or veteran, though. For example, it might offer military discounts, it might accept grants and loans that are designed for service members and veterans, and more.
3. It Offers Credits for Military Service
As someone who is currently serving in the military or who might have served in the military in the past, you probably have a lot of experience in a lot of things. You might have gone through a lot of training, and it might seem strange and disheartening to start from scratch when going to school after you've learned so much. There are some colleges that understand that service members often have a lot of training and experience, and these colleges are often willing to give them credit for it. A good, military-friendly college may offer you some college credit for some of the training that you have already received, even if you received it through the military rather than in a traditional classroom setting.
If you're a service member or someone who served in the military in the past, you might have decided that you would like to focus on your education. If you're looking for a good college, make sure that you look for a college that has these three traits. Then, you'll know that you have chosen a school that is military-friendly.