Checking Out Veteran Schools

By Debbie Gregory.

Veteran schools and veteran colleges offer all types of educational options for veterans who are transitioning from the military.   Many veterans choose to go back to school instead of trying to obtain veteran employment in this challenging job market.   In fact education and the GI Bill are one of the three pillars of the new mandatory Transition GPS program for veterans.

Veteran unemployment is improving but is still higher than it should be especially for Post 9/11 Veterans.   Veteran Job Seekers realize that they can obtain better veteran jobs with additional education and specialized training.  The Post 9/11 GI Bill has been a huge revenue generator for schools offering veteran education programs.  There are all types of degrees and programs for veterans. It is important to choose an excellent veteran school, veteran college or veteran education program.

We encourage all veterans to look before they leap or enroll in any veteran school whether it be a brick and mortar veteran school or an online veteran school.  Many schools are aggressively marketing to military and veteran students.  It is important to distinguish the facts from the hype and make the best choice.

Select a school that offers a degree, license or certification that is recognized and respected in the industry you want to enter.  Many schools offer programs that are not accredited.    Make sure the veteran school or veteran college you are looking at is fully accredited.  Otherwise, you will be wasting the valuable veteran education benefits you have earned.

Veterans should also check out the completion rates at the schools they are researching.  High veteran completion rates will show that the school is the real deal and they are not just collecting tuition from veterans but want their veteran students to succeed and finish.   Also check out how many veterans attend the schools you are researching and if they recognize the special needs of veteran students and offer counseling.  See if they have a student veteran organization on campus with other veterans as mentors.  No one understands a veteran better than another veteran.  Sometimes it is challenging to adapt from  the disciplines of military  life to the more laid back environment of academia.

Make sure that you education benefits will cover the full cost of you’re the school of your choice and you won’t have to go into debt with loans.  We also encourage veterans to look at the placement rates at the veteran schools they are considering.  See what resources these veteran schools, veteran colleges or veteran vocational programs offer in finding valuable jobs.   Do your homework before enrolling in any veteran school.