How is military experience evaluated for college credit?

Hello all. I've done some time in the military and I am considering college now. Wondering how that experience is evaluated for potential college credit. Does anyone know which factors are considered in this evaluation?

Sure, that's a great question! Colleges and universities vary in how they assess and grant credit for military experience, so it's important to check with your particular institution regarding their policies. But to give you a general idea, most schools evaluate military training and experience based on American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations as a starting point.

ACE conducts a course-by-course evaluation of military training and occupations, providing colleges with unbiased guidelines to consider when determining how much if any, college-level credit can be awarded. They assess the content, structure, scope, rigor, and assessment methods of a course or occupation, and also consider things like learning outcomes and comparability to a college-level curriculum.

Typically, you'll submit documentation such as your Joint Services Transcript (JST) for Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps servicemembers, or your Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript if you've served in the Air Force. These documents provide a detailed report of your military occupational experience and training history, including ACE credit recommendations.

From there, it's up to your college's registrar or prior learning assessment department to decide how many credits to award and how they apply to your degree plan. It's really important to keep in mind that just because training is recommended for credit, it doesn't guarantee that credit will be awarded. Some schools may accept more or fewer credits, or choose to apply them differently (as elective credits versus major-specific credits, for example).

I would recommend reaching out directly to the colleges you're interested in and perhaps setting up a meeting with a college advisor or registrar to discuss this in more detail. They'll be able to walk you through their process and give you a clearer picture of what it might look like for your particular circumstances.

Keep in mind that, in addition to college credit for military training, veteran education benefits can help cover the cost of your education. Be sure to explore options like the GI Bill to see how they might be able to offset some of your expenses.