Hey guys! I'm currently a junior looking into colleges where I'm eligible to convert any future military experience I might have into college credits. Just wondering how this process works and if there are specific schools that are known for being friendly towards this kind of transfer. Let me know if you can help, thanks!
It's fantastic that you're looking into ways to transition military experience into college credits! The process is generally straightforward.
The first thing to understand is that most colleges and universities follow the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations to convert military experience into academic credit. ACE evaluates military training and experience to determine their equivalency to academic coursework. What this means is that your military experience could translate into some form of academic credit, like elective credits, for example.
Once you have finished your military coursework or training, you can request a military transcript. This transcript records all of your military training, including the ACE recommendations for college credit. The main transcripts are the Joint Services Transcript (JST) for Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard, and the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript for the Air Force.
When you apply to colleges, you submit this transcript just as you would an academic transcript from another college or university. The institution then reviews the transcript and determines how it will award credit based on its policies.
As for colleges that are military-friendly, there are quite a few. Some institutions have generous policies for converting military experience into academic credit, while others have significant support for veterans and active-duty students through resources like Veterans Services Offices.
Several online universities, such as Arizona State University (ASU) and University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), are noted for their comprehensive military services. Traditional brick and mortar institutions, like Georgetown University and University of Southern California (USC), also have robust programs for military students.
Remember to reach out to specific colleges of interest to understand their policies and resources for military students more clearly. This will help you make an informed decision about where to apply and eventually enroll. Best of luck!
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