Dead End Detour: Working in Higher Ed

2016-01-28T14:28:10-05:00

The Post-9/11 GI Bill has made a profound impact on the lives of countless veterans and their families. If veterans play their cards right, they can knock out a whole degree program with no issue. I’ve seen some enterprising students go as far as to achieve doctoral degrees with the benefit. At some point, however, the GI Bill runs out. The unfortunate fact is that servicemembers and veterans attend an average of seven Higher Ed institutions before arriving at the one which grants them a bachelor’s degree. A number of factors contribute to this statistic, whether its deployment rotations, frequent PCS moves, or degree shopping. The result is that many of us burn through months of entitlement before we get on the right track, and 36 months can go by quickly if you aren’t careful. If you haven’t completed your program or wish to continue your education, then what? Drown yourself in student loan debt?

Indentured servitude? I propose another path forward: work for a college or university that offers tuition remission.

Full disclosure…if you’re all about the Benjamins, working in Higher Ed won’t make it rain. But if you want a job that pays the bills while also providing the opportunity to further your education at little or no cost, Higher Ed could be the industry for you.

Many institutions offer full or partial tuition remission for their benefits eligible employees. Of course, this does entail working full-time and taking classes at night, on the weekends, and/or online. While it may also disrupt the lifestyle to which you’ve grown accustomed, this option is simply a means to an end. A DEBT FREE end, at that.

Thanks to the Post-9/11 GI Bill, attending college has become the transitional employment option for hundreds of thousands of prior servicemembers. However, while our classrooms are home to more and more student veterans, we still need a greater veteran presence among our staff and faculty. On the administrative side, they can help create a welcoming and supportive environment that eases the transition from military to academia. They can help educate their colleagues about military culture.

These efforts truly make a difference in the lives of our fellow veterans. Working in Higher Ed is a way for us to reach our own goals while helping others do the same.

Not to say you can’t find a job within your chosen industry; some employers do offer tuition benefits.

There are other ways to pay for continuing education, too, such as the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program. Working in Higher Ed, however, seems to be a path that not as many veterans have considered. This was the choice I made eight years ago when I wanted to earn my bachelor’s and knew I didn’t have enough GI Bill entitlement left to make it happen. I was fortunate enough to land a position at Northeastern University, and I didn’t pay a cent for the undergraduate degree they conferred on me in 2012. When I do decide to take that next step and go for my master’s, it’s a relief to know that financing it won’t be an issue.

Now how many veterans can say that?

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jan 28 at 2016 2:31 PM

2016-01-28T14:31:00-05:00

SrA Andrew McCarty I am glad that your masters degree will be attainable at least from a funding perspective. Hopefully you will do well from an academic perspective as well :-)

Response by SSgt Robert Marx made Jan 28 at 2016 2:32 PM

2016-01-28T14:32:56-05:00

Higher Ed is a terrific career field but cracking into it is difficult. I have a Masters of Education in administration & supervision and my Bachelors degree is in English & Secondary Education. The local community college used me for one course as an adjunct faculty member about 3 years ago. The outlook is not good because enrollment has dropped and the existence of the school is in jeopardy.

Response by SPC David S. made Jan 28 at 2016 2:35 PM

2016-01-28T14:35:36-05:00

Sage advice I wish I had 20 years ago - While I did earn my Master's much of what you have described I practiced - Still paying off my student loans.

Response by SSgt Dustin Coy made Jan 28 at 2016 3:09 PM

2016-01-28T15:09:20-05:00

SrA Andrew McCarty SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas LTC Stephen F. SSgt Robert Marx SPC David S. Great info guys!

Funny you should mention tuition remission...My wife works for a University in Washington state, and yes, tuition remission is a fabulous benefit. One thing people don't realize is that it not only works for you as an employee but also extends to your spouse and kids, and it also applies at other universities, besides the one you're working at as well.

Our twins graduated from high school in 2013 and one went to a school in Minnesota, and the other went to a school in Montana. The total bill for tuition without the remission benefit, would've been over 75 grand a year for the two of them. So 300,000 for 4 years just in tuition for the two of them without the benefit.

EDIT: With the benefit, their tuition cost comes in at $0.00

Both the kids got jobs when they got to school to cover their own books, part of their room and board and their airfare too and from each year and holiday, so we essentially help out by paying for only part of their room and board. The total cost for my wife and I for the entire 4 years for the two of them, is going to come in just under 10 grand. Not too shabby...If it hadn't been for the tuition remission program, there's no way we could've put them both through school.

You're also right in the fact that jobs at the university typically don't pay super well, but if you have kids that are looking to go to school, you really can't beat the benefits.

EDIT: I should also mention that they'll graduate next summer with no debt for them or us.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 28 at 2016 4:02 PM

2016-01-28T16:02:53-05:00

Good suggestion.

Response by Capt Brandon Charters made Jan 28 at 2016 4:13 PM

2016-01-28T16:13:01-05:00

This is just one reason why SrA Andrew McCarty is one of my all-time favorite Command Post authors: "Full disclosure…if you’re all about the Benjamins, working in Higher Ed won’t make it rain. But if you want a job that pays the bills while also providing the opportunity to further your education at little or no cost, Higher Ed could be the industry for you."

Response by SFC Adam Potter made Jan 28 at 2016 4:20 PM

2016-01-28T16:20:02-05:00

I have posted in the past about the benefits of working at an institution of higher learning. I am currently employed at a Big 10 University, and it has been a great experience. Whether your pursuing a degree, or wanting to work for an institution that typically is going to have great benefits, higher-ed is the path to jump on.

Response by SSgt Sean Horgan made Jan 28 at 2016 9:09 PM

2016-01-28T21:09:15-05:00

Great post Andy!

Response by MSG Patrick Quinn made Jan 28 at 2016 9:34 PM

2016-01-28T21:34:58-05:00

Great advice, and there are a a wide range of opportunities in higher ed, and different paths in the door. I personally made the jump from banking to Bursar, then from community college to large public university.

The Higher Ed Jobs website is good resource, and offers a search agent that will email openings based on criteria you choose. Benefits vary from school to school, such as caps on tuition remission, and not all schools offer dependent tuition waivers. Some say it's tough to get into higher ed without experience in education, but my experience over the years is that hiring managers are looking for an employee who has the knowledge, skills and abilities to get the job done.

I did't get into higher ed until after I completed my MBA, and also had some UOP debt to pay off from my BS, but was able to leverage my education investment and experience to land a management position. I also cringe when I hear of 'drown in loan debt' (or crushing loan debt), since the average student loan debt is under $30K, which is roughly equal to average new car debt. There is a lot of media hype on student loans, the loan bubble and so on. I've actually seen students pay for school with credit cards to avoid Title IV student loans, which have tax credits, low interest and offer strong consumer protections. Financial literacy continues to be a challenge at times.

Response by SPC Kevin Ford made Oct 20 at 2016 8:35 AM

2016-10-20T08:35:26-04:00

For myself, I worked myself into jobs that had tuition reimbursement. It's the slow train to China path but had good results. I was working full time when getting both my bachelors and masters and I've never had any student debt. In fact, there was a point where my company was paying me full reimbursement for the courses and books while I was also pulling benefits from the GI Bill; I was effectively making money to go to College.

Having said that, this path is hard and slow. You end up working full time and going to school when you are not working. When I got my masters I effectively gave up my life for two years. All I did during that time was go to work and go to school. It was like holding two full time jobs.