Impact of Military Service on College Credits

Hey everyone, I was wondering - does anyone know if my military service can give me some college credits? I've heard some talk about this, but I'm not sure how it works or how beneficial it could be. Any information would be appreciated!

Absolutely, your military service can indeed grant you college credit. This varies from institution to institution, but many colleges and universities do acknowledge and value the training and experience that comes from military service. They often award some kind of academic credit for it—usually elective credits.

The first step to turn your military experience into college credits is obtaining a copy of your Joint Services Transcript (JST) if you were in the Army, Navy, Marines, or Coast Guard, or your Community College of the Air Force transcript if you were in the Air Force. Your JST provides a detailed record of your military occupational experience and training history, and it also provides American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations for what might translate into college credits.

You'll submit this transcript to the college you're applying to, and they will evaluate it and determine how many credits, if any, they're willing to award for your military experience.

Keep in mind that while some colleges might grant a significant amount of credit for military experience, others may award less, or none at all. The number and type of credits (electives, general education requirements, etc.) will greatly depend on the college's policies and how they align with your specific military experience and training.

So, while this can be quite beneficial, it's also important to have a conversation with the admissions employees or a veteran's liaison at the specific schools you're considering to get a clearer picture of how your military experience might translate into college credits in their particular program.