Transferring Military Service to College Credit

Hey, I've been looking into joining the military after high school and I've heard about veterans being able to transfer some of their military training into college credits. Anyone else heard about this? If so, could you explain how it works?

Absolutely, transferring military training into college credit is indeed a practice observed by many universities and colleges across the United States. This happens through a process called credit for prior learning (CPL), or sometimes referred to as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), or Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).

Here's how it usually works:

1. Evaluating Military Training: The American Council on Education (ACE) provides an educational credit recommendation service for military training. They conduct reviews of military courses and occupations and provide a corresponding college credit recommendation. These recommendations are then listed in the ACE Military Guide.

2. The college reviews ACE recommendations: Once you've applied to a college, you will need to request a military transcript which lists your military courses, occupations, and any ACE recommended credits. The college will then evaluate your transcript in relation to ACE's recommendations and decide which credits, if any, they will accept towards your degree.

3. Conversion to College Credits: The college determines how military training can be applied to your degree program. For example, if you were an army medic, you may receive credits for certain basic health or medicine courses.

Keep in mind, the number of credits you receive can vary greatly depending on the institution as some don't review ACE recommendations in the same way. Therefore, you might want to consider discussing this matter with the registrar's office or a counselor at prospective colleges to see how your specific military training could translate into college credits.

Additionally, it's worth noting that obtaining credits through CPL can potentially save you a significant amount of time and money on your degree, making it a substantial benefit for many veterans.