Balancing College and Military Service

Hi all! I'm considering joining the military but have always hoped to attend college as well. Is it possible to do both simultaneously? If anyone's done this before, could you share how you made it work?

Absolutely, balancing college and military service can be done! There are a couple of main routes you might consider.

First, the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program offers scholarships to students who commit to serving in the military after college. You would attend college as a normal student, but also participate in military training and classes through the ROTC program at your school.

Alternatively, consider serving in the National Guard or Reserves. This option allows you to serve in the military part-time while attending college. The training typically includes one weekend per month and two weeks per year. The National Guard and Reserves also offer tuition assistance and other benefits to help you pay for college.

If you think you want to dedicate more of your time to military service, for active duty service-members, many colleges offer online classes and degree programs to accommodate their schedule. In certain cases, the military may also allow for time to attend school in-person, but this is not the norm and would need to be arranged with your chain of command.

Also, in some cases military service itself can count as college credit. Many colleges recognize the training and experiences military members have had and will award college credit based on those experiences. In this instance, though, you'd likely be serving first, and then enrolling in college after fulfilling your military commitments.

Remember, communication is key when juggling these commitments. Be open with both your military recruiter and college advisor about all your obligations, so they can help you to manage your time and expectations effectively.

Finally, look into the different educational benefits offered by the military, like the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which can pay for tuition, housing, and books once you complete your service. The military offers many resources to those who wish to attend college at some point, so spend some time researching which option would be best for you - it's possible it's not doing both at the same time.

Balancing college with military service definitely requires a high level of discipline and organization, but it's also quite feasible and many people do it successfully. Good luck!