I've seen some colleges list themselves as 'military-friendly'. What does this mean and what does a college have to do to get this status? Just curious, any insight would be appreciated!
The term "military-friendly" in the context of colleges generally refers to institutions that go above and beyond to accommodate the unique needs of military service members, veterans, and their families. These institutions actively create an environment conducive to the success of these students by offering tailored resources and support systems.
1. Scholarships and Financial Assistance: Typical military-friendly schools participate in programs like the Yellow Ribbon Program, which provides additional funding for veterans whose GI Bill benefits do not cover the total cost of tuition. They might also offer tuition reductions or scholarships specifically for service members and veterans.
2. Program Flexibility: The nature of military service can often make the attending traditional, face-to-face classes challenging. Therefore, many military-friendly colleges offer online courses and programs with flexible scheduling to accommodate deployments or training.
3. Credit for Military Training: Military-friendly institutions usually accept transfer credits for military training and experiences, as evaluated and recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE).
4. Support Services: These colleges typically have dedicated staff to help military affiliated students navigate their benefits and other resources. They also provide tailored career services, counseling and other forms of support.
5. Participation in SOC (Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges) Consortium: This is a network of colleges that have agreed to limit academic residency requirements for active-duty service members and recognize ACE credit recommendations.
6. Commitment to Retaining Military Students: These institutions strive to minimize bureaucratic hassles and have policies in place to protect students who may have to withdraw due to service requirements.
While any institution can label themselves "military-friendly", there are several publications that annually rate and rank schools on their military-friendliness based on a range of factors like those mentioned above. Potential military-affiliated students should research these rankings, and more importantly, the individual school's resources and services, to verify if a school's "military-friendly" claim aligns with their specific needs and goals.
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