I recently learned about ACE college credits that the military can earn - I'm a bit confused, though. How exactly does the ACE credit system work? Can the credits I earn from military courses be transferred to any college or university, or only specific ones?
The American Council on Education (ACE) recognizes the educational experiences of individuals in the military, assigning equivalent college credit recommendations for those experiences. Here's a rough guideline of how the ACE college credit system works:
- Military training, duties, and coursework are evaluated by ACE and given a certain number of recommended college credit equivalents.
- These recommendations are compiled in the Military Guide, a comprehensive database available online.
- Service members can generate a Joint Service Transcript (JST), which includes their ACE credit recommendations. This transcript can then be sent to colleges or universities.
However, it's essential to know that acceptance of the credits is entirely up to the institution. ACE credit recommendations aren't guaranteed to be accepted by every college or university. While many institutions have policies to accept these credits, particularly those that cater to veteran and military students, it's always best to check with individual school's admissions or registrar office to understand their policy regarding military training and coursework credits.
Example: If you took a logistics course in the military, ACE might recommend that it's worth 3 semester hours of college credit. But whether a college would actually grant you those 3 semester hours based on your military training depend on their policies.
So, if you're considering furthering your education after military service, be sure to reach out to each institution you're interested in, provide them with your JST, and see how they might apply those credits towards your degree program. Being thorough in this step can potentially save you both time and money towards your degree completion.
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