As a veteran, your military service makes you unique. Veterans often have unique skills sets, scheduling concerns, and other factors that make choosing the right school very important. If you plan to go to school to earn a degree — you may not want just to select the first college you find. You should instead take your time and perform research. Here are some of the factors to look for.
Veteran-Experienced Staff
The GI Bill process can be a challenge to navigate. If a person doesn't have some level of experience with the process, you will face all sorts of difficulties when enrolling and paying for school. Look for an institution that has some staff members that are either veterans themselves, or have experience dealing directly with students who are like you.
Not only will your enrollment process be easier, but you will also have a sense of community on the campus. You earned your right to take advantage of the GI Bill, so you need to ensure you pair with an institution that will help you to take advantage of the maximum benefit.
Support Services
If you're a veteran who is still actively serving, you need a school with a solid support service team. One of the main challenges veterans face who go to school are scheduling conflicts. For example, in the middle of the semester, you might find out that you'll be deployed soon. You will need to quickly relay this information to the institution in the event you have to drop your classes as a result.
A school with a poor support system can make performing this step hard to do. But a school with a solid system will have several points of contact that you can reach out to when you have a need, to have the problem taken care of.
Career Services
Some veterans earn their degree for the purpose of strengthening their career options in the military. However, some veterans' complete educational programs to open the door to more opportunities in the civilian world. If you're looking to achieve the latter of the two options, you want to find a school that offers a career services department.
Career services can advise you on how to look for a job, and some schools have programs with large employers that allow their graduates to move straight from school to employment.
The above represent just some of the qualities you should look for when choosing a school. But, you should also trust your instinct. Choose a school that makes you feel welcome for the most valuable experience. For more information, contact your local veteran admissions advisors.
