Thinking about earning a college or advanced degree? Here are some of the variables that you will need to consider as you put together your plan (because you always need to start with a plan!) (on a side note, although some of these resources are just for transitioning Soldiers, the process is the same whether you are a Soldier, Veteran, or MilSpouse):
- What do you want to do when you grow up?
- Deciding what to study is a tough one, because you may absolutely want to continue what you were doing when you were in the military or you may want to do something else. Think about what you love doing and what your career goals are as you get started. Here are some tips from College Board and Best Colleges to help get those mental juices flowing.
- Also use resources like DoD’s Career Path DECIDE and DANTES to help you narrow down your choices.
- What college should you chose?
- There are a lot of great tools out there to help you choose your school, including the DoD’s TA Decide, the College Navigator, and CollegeBoard’s BigFuture.
- How can you prepare for college entrance exams or skills tests?
- If you need to take college entrance exams like the ACT, SAT, or GMAT, DANTES can help you figure out what you need and how to prepare.
- DANTES can also help you get information about tests you can take to get credit for skills and knowledge you already have, like College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests.
- And speaking of getting credit for what you already know…
- Your Joint Services Transcript converts your military experience into civilian college credit, providing documented evidence to colleges and universities of professional military education, training, and occupation experiences.
We will cover funding for college (and the other education options) in the Paying for Your Education tab.
Disclaimer: The resources and links listed above are provided to assist you in pursuit of your education goals. The organizations listed are not an endorsement or partnership of the U.S. Army or Soldier For Life program.
