Hey, y'all. I'm a high school rising senior in a military family, and I was wondering if there are any benefits I should be aware of - admissions, scholarships, etc. Do colleges take into account that you're a military dependent during the admissions process? Thanks so much!
Absolutely, as a military dependent, you may have several opportunities available to you. In terms of admissions, colleges appreciate the resilience often demonstrated by military dependents due to the unique circumstances of having a parent in the military—such as often having to move and adjusting to new environments. However, it's important to note that being a military dependent alone will not significantly change your college admission outcome. It can help provide context for your application but it's not a factor considered in isolation.
For financial benefits, the Department of Defense and each branch of the military provide scholarships for dependents of active-duty service members. For example, the Dependent’s Educational Assistance program offers education benefits to sons and daughters of certain types of veterans.
Colleges and universities also often offer scholarships specifically for military dependents. There are also many third-party scholarships specifically for military dependents, so I'd recommend doing a scholarship search to identify these.
A popular benefit is the in-state tuition benefit. The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which all 50 states and the District of Columbia have adopted, provides for dependents of active-duty military personnel to receive in-state tuition rates even if they aren’t current residents of the state where they are applying for admission.
In addition, certain states have their own programs, such as the California College Fee Waiver, which waives tuition at any California state school for dependents of Veteran parents who have a service-connected disability, or who have died as a result of service-related causes.
Lastly, the GI Bill can also be transferred to dependents, which can cover a significant portion of your school costs depending on your parent's service.
Be sure to take these into account when considering financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Remember to communicate with your prospective schools’ financial aid offices and check their websites to see if they offer any specific programs or scholarships for military dependents.
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