Online colleges and
universities are great resources for both active-duty military members and
veterans. These colleges and universities can also offer different types of
class formats for those who would like options in their education. Hybrid
courses are available for those who would enjoy an online experience while
occasionally visiting the physical campus on designated days, while fully
online programs offer the same quality of education as those attending campus
full-time. Active-duty members have the flexibility of completing their
schoolwork while maintaining the active-duty military requirements. As
veterans’ transition from military to civilian life, online colleges and
universities also provide a flexible schedule between work and family.
Military members and their families exploring and choosing online colleges and
universities should be aware that not all online colleges and universities are
equal. Multiple online colleges will accept military members. However, there
are some online
colleges for military
that are specifically “military-friendly”.
Military-friendly colleges provide special programs, financial assistance, and
family aid to military members and veterans. These programs include the Active
Duty GI Bill, Post 9/11 GI Bill, Forever GI Bill, Military Spouse Career
Advancement Accounts Program, Yellow Ribbon School Programs, and more. Specific
colleges and universities even provide a veteran or active-duty member as a counselor
for military member students. Each of these military-friendly colleges or
universities provides added assistance to military members going back to
school. These added benefits are not limited to government assisted bills.
Military-friendly online schools can offer further financial assistance with
tuition, room, and board. They are also able to use previous military training
and apply them as credits toward a degree and help transfer credits from
previous schooling or military experience.
There are many online resources available for veterans and active-duty military
members looking to apply with online schools. A great resource is websites that
include lists of colleges that are military friendly. These lists are further
broken down with a synopsis of the university or college’s programs, and the
potential programs offered for military members. Best Colleges provides an outstanding and comprehensive list full of
resources and guides for military members looking for online schooling. Guide to Online Schools also does a fantastic job laying out
military-friendly accredited schools. Their list includes the annual tuition
for each university, and also has a “Military-Friendly Scores”. The
“Military-Friendly Scores” are calculated using 15 different data points
from the GI Bills Comparison Tool, which is produced by the US Dept of Veteran
Affairs. The site Military Benefits has a very comprehensive list of
military-friendly online colleges and universities and breaks them down
state-by-state. This perk may be very beneficial for veterans and their
families who would like to be able to visit colleges and universities that are
local to their current location, and especially for those who may be interested
in hybrid courses.
Military members and their families have a lot to consider when choosing an
online university or college. There are many benefits available to them above
and beyond the bills provided by the military, and online colleges and
universities are offering added benefits.