college programs for military minds
The Military offers a wide variety of programs for pursuing a college education. Here's an overview of some of the programs offered.
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)
ROTC programs are offered by the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. When you graduate from college as an ROTC cadet, you will earn the rank of Second Lieutenant and be ready to start your career in a wide range of different branches and fields. Requirements for ROTC college programs include:
- Taking a full college course load which includes military science courses that provide the proper training needed to be an officer.
- Wearing uniforms once a week during military labs, drills, military science presentations, and other practical training activities.
- Participating in ROTC summer programs that round out a student's military training.
ROTC scholarships are available to students and are awarded based on merit. The main considerations include:
- High school academic record
- SAT or ACT scores
- Extracurricular activities
- Personal interview
Credit Programs
Credit programs help Military service personnel earn credits at schools, colleges, and universities across the country. These programs are offered through:
- Military School Credits. The Military has a network of over 300 schools and 10,000 courses to train members for many different career occupations. Sixty percent of these courses are certified for college credit.
- Servicemember Opportunity Colleges (SOC). SOC is a group of 17,000 schools that agree to transfer credits among themselves for members of the Military and their families. Coursework is done in the classroom, online, or via mail.
- Credits Earned through Testing. Military enlistees can earn college credit at their local Base Education Center by taking the CLEP examination series, the DSST subject series, or the Regents examination series.
- Community College of the Air Force (CCAF). Air Force enlistees may earn an Associate's degree in Applied Science in job-related fields. The degree is offered in: Aircraft and Missile Maintenance, Allied Health, Electronics and Telecommunications, Logistics and Resources, and Public and Support Services.
Tuition Support Programs
There are four Military Tuition Support Programs:
- Tuition Assistance. This program pays for up to 100 percent of the cost of tuition or expenses up to a maximum of $250 per semester hour credit and a maximum of $4,500 per fiscal year. It applies to full-time duty but also applies to selected Reserve and National Guard units where benefits may vary from full-time duty benefits.
- Montgomery G.I. Bill. This program offers up to $37,224 in tuition payments for a commitment to full-time duty for three years. Money may be used for college degree programs, certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeships, on-the-job training, or correspondence courses.
- College Fund Programs. This program awards eligible Armed Services enlistees with up to $70,000 toward college tuition, when combined with the Montgomery G.I. Bill, and upon honorable discharge. Marine Corps or Coast Guard enlistees may receive additional dollars.
- Loan Repayment Programs. With the Army, full-time duty soldiers may qualify for a loan repayment of up to $65,000. For full-time duty Navy enlistees, a $65,000 loan repayment program is also available. For the Air Force, non-prior serviceperson enlistees may receive a repayment maximum of $10,000. For eligibility requirements and more information about the Military College Loan Repayment Program, click here.
Source: TodaysMilitary.com
Posted: 11/14/2007