Military-Friendly Colleges: How to Find the Best Fit for Your Service Member
Getting a college education as an active service member comes with a unique set of challenges. Unlike civilian college students, service members have military obligations to worry about and unpredictable schedules to contend with. They may be deployed at a moment’s notice or be assigned to a long training program that could go on for months. These unique challenges require unique solutions, and unfortunately, not all colleges are equipped to offer these unique solutions. This is where military-friendly colleges come in.
What are Military-Friendly Colleges?
Military-friendly colleges are colleges that go above and beyond to support service members, their spouses, and their dependents in achieving their educational goals. These institutions recognize the unique challenges of military life and how they may affect one’s academic pursuits and offer resources, programs, strategies, and additional benefits designed to help them succeed.
Benefits of Military-Friendly Colleges to Look Out For
When looking for military-friendly colleges for your service members, here are a few benefits to look out for:
Flexible Course Formats
Military-friendly colleges typically offer flexible course formats with online, hybrid, and evening class options for individuals unable to meet up with regular classes. This flexible course format accommodates the unpredictability of military life and allows service members to continue their education even while deployed, relocated, or working irregular hours.
Dedicated Military Support Staff
Military-friendly colleges typically have some sort of military affairs office designed to meet the needs of military students. From military liaisons to designated counselors, these schools often have experienced military personnel dedicated to helping military students navigate admissions, benefits, and other academic and even personal needs.
Supportive Campus Culture
Military-friendly colleges would generally have a more military-friendly campus culture where service members and veterans are not just accepted, but also respected. There is so much else these institutions offer. Faculty and staff are typically trained to understand the unique needs of military students and act appropriately. The institutions often have veteran resource centers, student veteran organizations, and peer support networks that help create a sense of community and belonging. Many of these campuses even celebrate military holidays. All in all, these institutions typically recognize service members and veterans in meaningful ways and put systems in place to support and appreciate them.
How to Choose the Best Fit for Your Service Member
With a multitude of military-friendly colleges available to choose from, it is important to know how to find the right one. After all, not all military-friendly colleges offer the same level of support. You’d want to make sure your college of choice meets the level of support your service member needs. Ask yourself the following questions:
Do they offer a decent level of the three benefits mentioned above?
Do they accept Tuition Assistance (TA) and GI Bill benefits?
Are they a Yellow Ribbon Program participant?
Do they offer academic credit for military training?
Is there a dedicated military advisor or veterans’ center on campus?
If the answer to all the above questions is a yes, then that’s a great option for your service member’s military-friendly college.
Useful Resources
List of Military-Friendly Schools - A list of reputable military-friendly schools from militaryfriendly.com
Find a Yellow Ribbon School - The official VA resource for finding Yellow Ribbon schools.
