If you serve or have served in the military, you have performed a great service for your country. As a result, you are entitled to specific benefits. In many cases, this will include federal education benefits. However, you should be aware that not all colleges are as military-friendly or as legitimate as you might hope. More often than not, these are institutions that are not fully accredited or that are operating under a for-profit model. In other instances, a college may simply be less welcoming to military personnel or less likely to work with them. With a little research and effort, you can find a military-friendly online college.
A High Retention Rate
One common hallmark of a military-friendly school is that it has a high student retention rate. A high rate means that a large number of the school's students who enrolled in the school one year and also enrolled in it in the next.
While a lot of factors can affect retention rate, a very low retention rate may signify that there are problems or issues with the school and that students experience dissatisfaction with it.
As a military member or veteran, pay careful attention to how these rates reflect upon enlisted or veteran students. A good school will gladly provide this data to you upon your request or may even make it publicly available. If you find that students serving in the military or who are veterans have an especially low retention rate, this is even more cause for concern. It may signify that the school does not work well with military students. You will either need to probe further into this issue or choose a different school with better, more promising statistics.
Flexibility
If you are currently active in the military, your schedule may be somewhat unpredictable. If this is a concern for you, ask the school about its policies. What will it do if you need to transfer unexpectedly? Are you able to take your courses online if needed? Is there flexibility in terms of absences and missed due dates for assignments?
This is all information you need to find out upfront. Bear in mind that the more flexible a school is, the more likely it is to be considered military-friendly.
A High Graduation Rate
When you enroll in an educational program, your goal, of course, is to successfully complete it.
Thus, pay attention to the graduation rate of any institution you are thinking of attending. Just like with student retention, a lot of factors are at play. In general, a high graduation rate, especially among active military personnel and veterans, is a good sign that a school is military-friendly.
Ultimately, you deserve an excellent education. To ensure you get one, research schools and any indications that they may or may not work for you and your military or previous military lifestyle and benefits. If you can do that, then you should be able to enroll in a great school that will set you up for success.
