Community Colleges Near Military Bases: How to Find?

Hi, I'm a high school junior and my family moves around a lot because of my parent's military service. I'm considering community colleges for affordability and flexibility. Does anyone know how I could find community colleges near major military bases? Or if there's a list somewhere online?

Hello! It's a thoughtful decision to consider community colleges due to their affordability and flexibility, particularly if you move a lot. You have a few approaches to finding community colleges near military bases.

The first method is a straightforward online search. For instance, if your family is stationed in Fort Bragg, you could search "Community Colleges near Fort Bragg." This should populate a list of colleges in the surrounding area.

Another way is to utilize online mapping tools. With Google Maps, for example, enter your current (or anticipated) location. Then, search for 'community colleges' within the search bar. This should populate nearby colleges, which you can research further for program offerings and resources for military families.

Finally, another resource to consider when looking for schools is the Department of Defense's TA DECIDE tool. This database includes information on institutions that have agreed to certain standards of transparency related to cost, graduation rates, and other factors. While it primarily lists four-year institutions, some community colleges may be included as well.

Just remember to look into any military-related assistance programs as some community colleges offer them. These could range from tuition assistance to special advisement and support for families of active-duty military personnel. You may also want to connect with a counselor at each of the community colleges you are interested in, as they would be able to provide specific resources for military families.

Great luck in your search and future studies!