Hello everyone, I'm planning to join the military after high school, and I heard that some colleges count military experience as college credits. Anyone knows how that works?
Yes, it's absolutely possible to convert military experience into college credits. Many colleges and universities value the experiences and skills gained during military service and translate those into academic credits. The translation of military service into college credit is largely dependent on the nature of your military training and the regulations of the institution you plan to attend. The American Council on Education (ACE) partners with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to translate military training and experiences into college credits. The ACE Military Guide contains the descriptions of all evaluated military experiences, along with the equivalent college credits recommended by ACE. Specifically, ACE evaluates military training courses and occupational classification, provides a transcript for these experiences, and then recommends equivalent college credits. You can gain access to your Joint Services Transcript (JST), which documents all of your military coursework and occupations as well as the corresponding ACE college credit recommendations. Once you have your JST, you can submit it to colleges as part of the admissions process. It's important to note that the acceptance of military experience as college credit is dependent on school policy. Some institutions may fully accept these recommendations, while others may award partial credit or none at all.
Therefore, as you research potential colleges/universities, ensure to ask them about their policy for awarding college credits for military experience. It can be a real advantage when transitioning from military service to pursuing higher education.
As you embark on your military journey, consider enrolling in professional military education and training programs whenever possible. This can further expand your range of experiences and potentially lead to more college credit opportunities.
Best of luck in your military service and future academic endeavors!
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