What happens when you use all of your GI Bill benefits?

PFC Kyle Corcoran — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 10:29:21 -0500

I have been using my Post 9/11 GI Bill to earn my AA degree and to work on my Bachelors. I have changed my major multiple times and have attended multiple institutions. I have tried different courses and classes trying to find my passion outside of the military. By the time my GI Bill benefits expire, I will still have 2 semesters of schooling before earning my Bachelors degree. I've considered paying for the rest out of pocket which would be fine but are there other options? Is there a trusted company who offers student loans specifically for veterans? I appreciate any and all help. Thank you.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Feb 3 at 2020 10:45 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 10:45:45 -0500

PFC Kyle Corcoran As a reply; how many aptitude tests have you taken in your search for a ‘passion’?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2020 10:56 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 10:56:13 -0500

You'll get your $1200 you paid into your MGIB back once you exhaust your benefits. Hopefully that will help some.

Response by SGT Robert Pryor made Feb 3 at 2020 11:58 AM

SGT Robert Pryor — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 11:58:28 -0500

The chances aren't too good, but they exist. If you have, or can establish, a service connected disability rated at 20% disabling or higher, BEFORE you exhaust your Post 9/11 GI Bill explore switching to Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation benefits. A Voc Rehab Specialist with VA can explore those possibilities with you. Voc Rehab is far more flexible than other education programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2020 12:00 PM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 12:00:36 -0500

You're out of cash. Seriously, I don't know because I paid in $1200 before retiring and never used it. Good on you for doing this while young. I'm 62 and still haven't figured out what I want to be if/when I grow up. Have to settle for PFC (Proud F'in Civilian) I guess. Life's a journey, not a destination. Good luck and keep at it.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2020 11:51 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 23:51:48 -0500

You could try for pell grants to pay for your last 2 semesters. Try filling out a free application for federal student aid form. Don’t go with private student loans if at all possible.
https://studentaid.gov/

What is your major now? What keeps prompting you to change fields? Too many times young people are looking for their “passion” and are disappointed when they don’t find it. Set your self an easier to achieve goal. Find a career that you don’t hate that you wouldn't mind doing for the next 30 years that pays the bills. If it is your passion, great. If it isn’t but you aren’t totally miserable that is great too. True happiness is exceedingly hard to find. Most people really have moments of happiness, moments of pain and then most of the time are meh. Just try and make your moments of happiness exceed your moments of pain and the meh will just fill in with a basically content state. My husband has a job that is not his passion. I was able to find one (engineering) that fits perfectly with who I am as a person so I have more job satisfaction than he does. Is it my passion? It’s hard to say. i am content with what I do, feel like I make a difference and am satisfied where I am in life. He struggles more than I do because of this. He is good at his job and successful but doesn’t have the contentment that I do. Where I am one of those people who live to work he is one of those that work to live. I cannot tell you which is the correct way of being. Both ways have god and bad points. You will have to decide that for yourself. Just find something and be a good, decent, productive member of society. Live your life to leave at least a small piece of the world a bit better. Then at the end of it all you can look back with satisfaction on a life well lived.

Federal Student Aid

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 4 at 2020 8:57 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 08:57:57 -0500

Check with your State. For example: Texas offers the Hazelwood act; which covers over 120 in state credit hours.

Response by PFC Kyle Corcoran made Feb 4 at 2020 10:16 AM

PFC Kyle Corcoran — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 10:16:18 -0500

Maybe "finding my passion" wasn't the right terminology. I think I have taken so much time to earn my degree because of the luxury and flexibility of the GI Bill. To have your education paid for and to be paid to be a student is a blessing. I'm very thankful for it. I'm just going to pay for the last 2 semesters out of pocket. Only seems right. I just wanted to reach out to the Rally Point community and see what others had to say. Thank you!

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Feb 4 at 2020 11:09 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 11:09:32 -0500

If you use all of you GI Bill benefits, then you're done as far as I know. I squeezed two Masters Degrees our of my GI Bill.

You need to visit two offices at the school you're attending: guidance and financial aid.
The counseling office should be have some testing available for no or low cost that will help guide your future. I took the "Strong Interest Survey" as part of my guidance counseling degree. It showed the job categories that most closely matched my interests. I was already an Air Force pilot at the time. The Survey said my interests most closely matched chef/cook, Naval Officer, teacher. Pilot was quite a ways down the list. I do enjoy cooking.
Financial Aid should help you with applying for scholarships, grants, and loans to finance your education.

Please, keep skilled trades in mind as you go through the "what do I do next" process. There is high demand for people with training and skills such as mechanics, machinists, welders, electricians, plumbers, IT technicians, and many others. Many of these trades have paid apprenticeships leading to journeyman salaries in excess of $70K/yr.

Response by CPL Sarah Stilwell made Feb 4 at 2020 4:54 PM

CPL Sarah Stilwell — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 16:54:23 -0500

If you were on the Montgomery GI bill than you can file for an additional 12-18 months under the post 9/11. Otherwise you can apply for the pell grant if you are over the age of 24 (just fill out a fasfa) and you'll get around $6k per year till you earn your first bachelor's degree

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 4 at 2020 6:25 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 18:25:00 -0500

Wasn't this addressed by the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship with the new changes of the Forever GI Bill? Unless you're not a STEM major, then forget everything I said. You can always apply for other types of scholarships, and most schools have a merit based one that involves keeping a certain GPA. Some banks also have a community service scholarship. There is free money out there, you just need to look and it's better than paying for 1 year (or 2 semesters) of school if you can avoid it.

Response by SSG Karl Hillway made May 26 at 2020 5:01 PM

SSG Karl Hillway — Tue, 26 May 2020 17:01:46 -0400

Some companies offer tuition assistance programs as a benefit and is generally available after you have completed one year of employment with the organization. They may have a requirement that the degree program / classes are related to your position or the business that the company conducts. Otherwise you will need to find scholarships, many of which are Veteran specific, pay out of pocket, or use government grants and student loans.

Response by Sgt Dale Briggs made Jan 24 at 2021 8:34 PM

Sgt Dale Briggs — Sun, 24 Jan 2021 20:34:55 -0500

My nephew served 4 in the Marines, out as a Cpl, went to school, upon graduation he’s going into the Army with a commission to do the last 16. Paid his tuition and money to live on so he could concentrate on school. Physical Therapy Major. Surprised the Marines didn’t work out, he said the recruiters he worked with were dicks, and the Army wasn’t a hassle at all.