Will ACE College Credits Earned From Military Service Be Accepted by Most Colleges?

I've been thinking about enlisting after high school. I've heard about this thing called ACE college credits that you can earn from military service. But will most colleges accept these credits? Just trying to plan for the future. Thanks!

The ACE (American Council on Education) provides a valuable service in translating military training and experience into college credits through their Military Guide. Each individual institution, however, will decide whether to accept these credits or not. It's a bit case-to-case, because universities have different policies when it comes to transfer credits.

Private and selective universities might have stricter policies, and they could accept fewer credits. Community colleges and public universities, on the other hand, are often more likely to accept them.

I'd recommend you research the credit transfer policy of the schools you're interested in. You could check their websites or contact their admissions offices directly. Remember, it's not just about whether they'll accept the credits, but also how they'll count towards their degree requirements - for example, will you receive credit outright, or simply be placed into a higher level of a course?

You could also consider colleges and universities that participate in "Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges" (SOC) consortium, which are institutions committed to recognizing and using ACE credits.

One additional tip: once you've completed your military service, make sure to request your Joint Services Transcript (JST). The JST will document all your military coursework, occupations, and tests scores that have ACE recommended credits. This will be something you can submit alongside your college application, to streamline things once you arrive on campus.

Good luck!