Anyone have any educational advice?

2018-06-16T20:18:53-04:00

My plan is to start college classes as soon as possible. I only have one more month until I am eligible for the MGI Bill. I am hoping to take the minimum amount of classes required due to the training schedule. But I really want to get all of the general ed classes out of the way, so when my contract is over I can transfer to a university and be a student full time while still in the reserves and take ROTC. What I am in need of is some advice and what I can do make my plan more guaranteed. Does anybody have any advice or suggestions for me? Anything will help!

Response by SPC Joseph Wojcik made Jun 16 at 2018 8:26 PM

2018-06-16T20:26:28-04:00

Are you competent in your multiple choice test taking skills? Then take CLEP for your gen eds.

Response by SFC Marc W. made Jun 16 at 2018 8:33 PM

2018-06-16T20:33:40-04:00

First and foremost, leave your GI bill alone while you're serving. You have access to Tuition Assistance which offers you up to $250 per credit hour, up to $4500 a year. Second, I would recommend online schooling if you're responsible enough to work on your own outside of the online requirements. Third, go see the education center on post and see what your options are for the second recommendation as well as other options if you can't handle it.

I got my bachelors done online through ASU, having done all my upper division while an active duty infantry NCO and using tuition assistance. It can be done if you're dedicated enough.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 16 at 2018 8:51 PM

2018-06-16T20:51:06-04:00

SPC Private RallyPoint Member - Use tuition assistance. Go see the folks at the Ed Center and they can assist. My advice would be to not get into massive amounts of student loan debts. Use TA often. https://www.goarmyed.com/public/facility_pages/Fort_Bliss_Education_Center/default.asp

I'd also research Texas A&M and see if they have a satellite branch at Bliss like they do at Fort Hood.

GoArmyEd : Ft Bliss Education Center

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Jun 16 at 2018 10:25 PM

2018-06-16T22:25:04-04:00

See if your base has CCAF. I recommend you work first for an associates/community college degree. Once you have your associates, your 64 credits are locked in and can't expire.
http://www.airuniversity.af.mil/Barnes/CCAF/

Community College of the Air Force

The Community College of the Air Force isa federally-chartered degree-granting institution that serves the United States Air Force's enlistedtotal force. We partner with over 108 affiliated Air

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jun 16 at 2018 10:48 PM

2018-06-16T22:48:13-04:00

Set a specific education goal so you don’t waste time taking classes you don’t need or won’t count for graduation. Consider taking classes through on-Post universities. Many of these schools have extensions at several installations so you won’t have to worry about transferring credits when you move around.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 16 at 2018 10:58 PM

2018-06-16T22:58:40-04:00

I would suggest enrolling in an associate's degree at Coastline Community College. They will give you a lot of credit for your military schools, and they were super easy to work with when I attended their school.
Then, when you finished your Associates you can transfer that into a Bachelors.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Jun 16 at 2018 11:00 PM

2018-06-16T23:00:22-04:00

If you are active duty do not use your GI Bill. Use Tuition Assistance. Save your GI Bill for later.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 16 at 2018 11:07 PM

2018-06-16T23:07:31-04:00

Does tuition assistance cover 100%?

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 16 at 2018 11:22 PM

2018-06-16T23:22:01-04:00

Do NOT get some local girl pregnant. Nothing makes education more difficult to complete than having children.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Jun 17 at 2018 12:43 AM

2018-06-17T00:43:23-04:00

The Service is not here for your Education will on AD- it will be damn hard to go to school and train- but it is possible depending on your unit- just don't count on racking up a lot of credit hrs per year.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2018 12:45 AM

2018-06-17T00:45:34-04:00

Aside from what I posted below, make sure the college you attend is Regionally Accredited, otherwise you might have a significantly hard time transferring those earned credits to a university after you ETS. The last thing you want is to have to re-do a bunch of general education courses (I cringed just thinking about it). . .

https://www.geteducated.com/regional-vs-national-accreditation-which-is-better-for-online-colleges

regional-vs-national-accreditation-which-is-better-for-online-colleges

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2018 2:08 AM

2018-06-17T02:08:35-04:00

First of all: Time management! Second, you might be able to take classes on the weekends. I invested my Saturdays to take a few classes, UMUC used to offer them on post when I was going for my AA. On that note, do an AA in general studies, that way you have that paper that means more than just a few credits. Leave the GI bill for after the service. As a scout, you will be busy, but if you do your due diligance, you can see the long range schedule and plan classes around it. I was doing five classes at one time as a combat engineer squad leader. Is all about time management.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 3:32 AM

2018-06-17T03:32:18-04:00

Your question omits a good deal that would be helpful to know, which I quite frequently find to he the case when I see education/career threads. First, what specific interests do you have? What major would you want? Did you do any AP coursework in high school? Have you gotten a military transcript from DANTES or Amer Council on Educ (ACE)? I have to send short and frequently, or I could low what I type, as this tablet tends to conk out a lot....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 3:33 AM

2018-06-17T03:33:35-04:00

Next, wherever ,you're assigned, is the an education office on installatoon? If so, do they have programs they bring in from local schools for coursework to be able to be done on installation?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 3:35 AM

2018-06-17T03:35:37-04:00

Next, ROTC isn't the only means available to you, nor is Green to Gold...there's also USMC Platoon Leaders Course (PLC), if you'd want to look at it, as well...if you have clinical interests, or engineering or health info mgmt (HIM), there's also the USPHS COSTEP, which is analogous to ROTC and PLC, also little known....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 3:35 AM

2018-06-17T03:35:57-04:00

http://www.ocsfoundation.org

Look through this also....

OCS Foundation

SERVICES FOR: Candidates Alumni Officer Families

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 3:37 AM

2018-06-17T03:37:44-04:00

http://www.excelsior.edu

I got a 2nd Bach in !ath through them, they were part of NYS govt, then privatized, afriend got a Bach in math through them, then went Navy OCs, they're regionally accredited, and quite real, very svc friendly....

www.excelsior.edu

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 3:38 AM

2018-06-17T03:38:44-04:00

http://www.tesu.edu

They're in NJ, a state online, being active duty, you should be allowed in state rates, I think, call them and ask them....

College Degrees for Adults at Thomas Edison State University

Thomas Edison State University provides opportunities for adults to earn a college degree. Explore our programs, online courses and flexible transfer credit policies today.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 3:39 AM

2018-06-17T03:39:21-04:00

http://www.charteroak.edu

They're in CT, also state, I think, also real....

www.charteroak.edu

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 3:45 AM

2018-06-17T03:45:13-04:00

http://www.uopeople.edu

This program is DETC accred, not regional, I'm unsure honestly if it'd he accepted by svcs, VA, or industry, I've read good things, they were endorse by Vatican, they have assocs and bach in bus admin, comp sci (CS), and health sci, and an MBA, I think they just started transfer credits, at least undergrad, I don't know about grad level, no tuition, only exam and admin costs, prorated by per capita income of a given country, their offs are in Calif, don't view them as a panacea, I do not, as I'd said, know if the svcs, VA, or industry accept them, I give it Jere for info only, don't do it unless you're absolutely sure, OK?

University of the People Accredited Online American University | University of the People

Welcome to the world’s first non-profit, tuition-free, accredited, online, American university. Follow your dreams. Your career starts here.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 3:51 AM

2018-06-17T03:51:34-04:00

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_College_of_the_Air_Force

I'm unsure if this was opened to other svcs than USAF, I'd read abt efforts to do so, however, others on here tell me it can only be used with a valid USAF AFSC, analogous to an Army MOS...I'd call and ask, I'd expect they've been asked if other svcs could use them, they're assocs only, however, you've got nothing to lose by asking, I should think, in any event....

Community College of the Air Force - Wikipedia

The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) is a federal program offered by the United States Air Force which grants two-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees in association with Air University.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 3:54 AM

2018-06-17T03:54:43-04:00

Do you want a STEM major? Non-STEM? Clinical as I'd asked before? Nonclinical? You need to understand, a bachelors is insufficient to remain in once you'd be warrant of commissioned, the days when a bachelors sufficed are long gone...from day one, as warrant or commissioned, you'd be expected to get a masters, minimum, as well as prof mil edu (PME), both in whichever svc you'd be in, as well as others, I assure you, been there, done that (BTDT)....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 4:00 AM

2018-06-17T04:00:17-04:00

You need to do the DANTES and CLEP exam programs, as well as possibly the grad record exam (GRE) subject tests, not the genl test, the subject tests, those are rough, they used to be allowed for blocks of either 24 or 30 pass fail undergrad credits, half assocs level, half Bach level...also, normal assocs programs are around 60 credits minimum if regionally accred, Bach are 120 credits, many external, online distance programs also allow a 2nd assocs, or a 2nd Bach like the one I got...further, I don't know if the GRE subject tests can be used that way any longer, that might've been stopped, however, you could certainly do the DANTES or CLEP exams, maybe through your on installation ed ctr, which, if you've got one, you should basically view as a second home, honest....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 4:01 AM

2018-06-17T04:01:55-04:00

Also, are there local schools near your installation? Sometimes, contractors near an installation have schools in for undergrad or grad coursework from local colleges or universities, where I was had such grad level coursework fairly close by that I did try to make use of....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 4:04 AM

2018-06-17T04:04:07-04:00

Online can be dome, however, of tales extraordinary self discipline, as well as highly developed study skills to do it right...also, if you can go for in person classom lectures I would...never sell textbooks, and your notes should be done on engineering pads, they're sold by Staples, they're far superior for taking notes, I assure you....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 4:12 AM

2018-06-17T04:12:31-04:00

Try to do a detailed bio sketch, it'd help us help you, interests, hobbies, reading, sports, martial arts, if any...also, any interest in flight? Would youmwamt warrant, e.g. Army WOCS for helicopters, as the Army high school to flight school program only needs high school, as the title saysz though I'd expect college would help, certainly...USCG also has its own scholarship programs, there's also a new program I just read of for WO1 for cyber in Navy, Army goes cyber by direct commission, USCG also has a separate direct commission engineer program....look also at the NOAA Commissioned Copra, which has an OCS, called the BOTC, as a tenamt unit at USMMA Kong's Point...their are also the USMA, USNA, and USAFA prep schools, of you'd want to try for an academy...at my installation, one airmain did get USAFA directly without the prep schollsz so it can be done...there's also USCGA, that:s by exam, not nomination, also, ROTC faculty heads, PMS, PNS, and PAS, for each svc, can nominate to their own academies, I was Army ROTC before going USAF OTS, my ROTC unit trained a good deal at West Point, I hadn't known about that rule, of have tired for it had I known, I think...look also at the state maritime colleges, which all have NROTC, as well as VMI and the Citadel, my best friend in USAF was VMI....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jun 17 at 2018 4:14 AM

2018-06-17T04:14:33-04:00

You camchange svc, when I was at USAF OTS, many others I knew in the program were prior enlisted in other svcs, one guy even had enlisted Navy dolphins, so it can be done, I assure you, if you'd want to chat further, just ask, OK? I can explain !ore, however, as I'd said, I'd need to know more, to help you more effectively, OK?

Response by MSgt Steve Sweeney made Jun 17 at 2018 8:54 AM

2018-06-17T08:54:48-04:00

Use tuition assistance while on active duty. Save your GI Bill for after you get out of the service.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2018 10:14 AM

2018-06-17T10:14:42-04:00

I can’t add to the excellent advice you received here for the nuts and bolts of what you need to do, this is all great stuff… so I will go in the opposite direction: Follow you heart and look at the income you can receive from the education/time you are investing. Sometimes you can’t do both. The most successful people I know like what they do “and” are able to make a good living at it. The life of a starving artist isn’t for everybody. That being said enjoy your adventure! Once gone you will never get these times back, but you will remember them for the rest of your life.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2018 2:28 PM

2018-06-17T14:28:29-04:00

Get credit for military classes, find out if you can CLEP any subjects, pick a major that has future value when you complete, keep a 3.0 avg or better, read, read, read...

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2018 2:38 PM

2018-06-17T14:38:24-04:00

P.S. STAY AWAY from student loans of ANY kind... “period”!!

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Jun 18 at 2018 10:33 AM

2018-06-18T10:33:42-04:00

Check with your future university with ROTC to confirm credits from other school will transfer over.

Some soldiers enroll in for-profit schools whose credits do not transfer. I did Green-to-Gold for ROTC commissioning way back and made sure that my classes as an enlisted member would be recognized.