Hey, I'm planning on joining the military after high school. But, I also want to go to college. So, I'm curious, can I earn any college credits from military service? Thanks in advance!
Yes, you can! Many colleges and universities in the U.S. accept military training and experience as academic credit. First, the American Council on Education (ACE) reviews military training and occupations and provides recommended credit equivalencies which many schools consider. This means that some of the technical training, job skills, and leadership experiences you acquire during your military service could be applied as credit towards your degree.
This evaluation will depend on the university's policy and the relevance of your military training to your chosen degree. Typically, the credits may go towards your Elective requirements, and in some cases, specific course requirements.
The military also offers tuition assistance programs while you're serving and the GI Bill for after your service, which can pay for your college, graduate school, vocational training, certifications, and more.
One thing to keep in mind is that you'll likely need to provide a Joint Services Transcript (JST) to your college or university. The JST is an official document that lists the ACE-recommended credit for each of your training courses and occupations. This can be a great resource for you to use when applying your military service toward college credits.
Each school will have its nuances surrounding this topic, so it would be beneficial to set up meetings with an admission officer or academic advisor at the colleges you're interested in to discuss the possibility of transferring military service credits.
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