A: In many cases, your military training, courses, occupational specialties, and traditional education can be converted to college credit, allowing you to complete your degree faster.

In order to effectively evaluate this past experience, you need to first obtain your military transcripts. Military transcripts contain a record of your Military courses completed, military experience, college level test scores and other learning experiences. Once you select a university, your transcripts will be reviewed for college transfer credit. The evaluation will list the total number of hours you've earned. Subsequently, a degree plan will be developed to show how your credits will be applied to your preferred degree program.

You should review a copy of your personal transcript before requesting that it’s sent to your university. This will allow you to make sure that your university is being provided with the most accurate information. You can obtain official and unofficial copies of your military transcript using the appropriate links below:

**Please note that some branches allow you to request transcripts online; others must be requested in writing.

Military Transcript Links

Army and Reserve Personnel
Army/A.C.E. Registry Transcript Service (AARTS)
Personal Online Transcript Request
Official Online Transcript Request
Students must mail or fax a completed form to AARTS in order to have an official transcript sent to a particular institution. The AARTS transcript is provided free of charge


Sailor and Marine Personnel
Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART)
View Your Navy/Marine Transcript Online
Order An Official Copy of Your Navy/Marine Transcript Online

Air Force Personnel
Request An Official Copy of Your Air Force Transcript in Writing, Visit an Air Force education center, or go to a military computer.

Coast Guard Personnel
Request An Official Copy of Your Coast Guard Transcript in Writing

Correspondence Course Links
You may have completed correspondence courses or other training that can be used for college credit. Review the links to sites containing course/transcript information by military branch.

Army and Reserve Personnel
The Army Distance Learning Program
Army Command and General Staff College

Marine Personnel
Marine Corps Institute Online

Navy Personnel
Navy e-Learning

Air Force Personnel
Air Force Programs and Services

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A: The American Council on Education (ACE) is an organization that ultimately helps individuals by evaluating and recommending institutional, and some non-traditional education and training, allowing accredited educational bodies to accept credit recommendations.

It is common for universities to use ACE recommendations to award you transfer credit for your experience and training. In fact, for more than half a century, ACE has published a guide that has been the standard reference for evaluating military learning and training acquired during military service.

American Council on Education (ACE) Military Credit Reference Guide

American Council on Education main website

Source: Ace Website, www.acenet.edu

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A: Based on a survey conducted by the American Council on Education (ACE), the average number of academic credits awarded from an AARTS transcript for 1998 was 14 semester hours. This saves tuition dollars and classroom time.

Source: AARTS website

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A: Based on a survey conducted by the American Council on Education (ACE), the average number of academic credits awarded from an AARTS transcript for 1998 was 14 semester hours. This saves tuition dollars and classroom time.

Source: AARTS website

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A: College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP)
The CLEP program offers exams to earn college credit for what has already been learned from independent study, training or military experience. General education requirements in Math, English, Business, Science, Foreign Languages and many others can often be met through successful completion of CLEP exams.

Approximately 2,900 colleges grant credit or advanced standing for CLEP exams. The cost of a CLEP test is free for military personnel and veterans and usually $60 for traditional students. Many people take CLEP exams to earn college credits faster. To learn more about the program or to get study guides and practice tests, visit the College Board website.

Advanced Placement® Program
The AP Program offers high school students the opportunity to experience college-level academic studies. Thousands of colleges award credit or advanced placement to students who receive qualifying grades on the AP exam. The cost of the test is about $80, and a qualifying grade can make you eligible for advanced standing at over 1,400 institutions across the United States. For more information, visit College Board website.

DSST Exams
Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) sponsors a variety of programs to help qualifying individuals meet their educational goals. The exams are given on more than 560 military installations by the DANTES Test Control Officer (TCO). Dantes Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs) were originally designed for the military, but they are now available to civilian students as well. The DSST program allows you to obtain college credit for what you have learned in non-traditional ways by demonstrating your knowledge in commonly taught college courses such as Business, Physical Science, Humanities, Social Science and Applied Technology. College credits are awarded based upon test scores. Visit www.getcollegecredit.com for more information.

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A: Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) is a consortium of approximately 1700 colleges and universities that award associate and bachelor’s degrees. The purpose of the network is to universally accept each other’s transfer credits. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard have access to the SOC. For more information, please visit Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges.

Source: Servicemembers Opportunity College

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A: Many military financial aid programs are available such as the Veterans Program, Military Tuition Assistance, DANTES and Title IV Federal Aid Programs.

Several Universities have Financial Aid Specialists that regularly work with military personnel and veterans, who are ready to assist you in obtaining all the financial resources you need.

We have provided the following links to help you acquire more information about various financial aid options that are available to military personnel:

Military Personnel Active Duty
Active Duty military may be eligible for military tuition assistance either through the GI Billand/or the Top-Up program .

Veterans
Veterans may be eligible for the GI Bill through the Veterans Educational Assistance Program. (VEAP)

The Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty, called "MGIB" for short, provides up to 36 months of education benefits to eligible veterans. Veterans are eligible when they meet certain requirements

For a complete list of Veterans Benefits, visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits Form Page.

Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard
The Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) program may be available to you if you are a member of the Selected Reserve. This program entitles you to up to 36 months of education benefits.

Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits.

Source: GI Bill website

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A: Members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Army Reserve Students, Air Force and Air National Guide are able to get a portion of their tuition paid through DANTES. DANTES provides tuition assistance for online learning programs that are more than 24 weeks in length.

DANTES is affiliated with nearly 150 institutions that provide undergraduate and graduate academic courses. Learn more about DANTES Tuition Assistance.

Tuition Assistance Management Program for Students
Visit this page, which is designed to give students an understanding of the DANTES tuition assistance payment process.

Source: DANTES website

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A: In some cases, yes. Institutions understand that military personnel are constantly deployed and transferred. For this reason, online learning programs are ideal for you because your classes can travel with you since they are accessible as long as you can connect to the Internet.

If you are unsure or know that you will not be able to continue your coursework for the length of your deployment or while enroute to your new assignment, speak with a representative from the university; you may be able to get a leave of absence.

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A: Online Learning is great for military personnel since your classes can travel with you, provided you have Internet connectivity.

Online Learners have several characteristics in common. First, successful eLearners are comfortable with computers and know how to navigate the Internet. For some Universities, it is helpful if you are familiar with real-time Internet chat, eMail, computer based CD-Roms, and word processing software – and have access to a computer and modem.

Next, successful eLearners are self-motivated, good time- and energy-managers, and know how to communicate clearly through writing.

Lastly, for some online learning programs, eLearners must be willing to commit 10 to 15 hours per week to studying and believe that high quality learning can take place without going to a traditional classroom. If this sounds like you, you’re probably a good candidate for eLearning.

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A: At some online universities, you can listen to your professors lecture during live classes. Some courses require students to login at specific times and other classes allow you to view archived lectures for later viewing at your convenience.

Outside of class, you may be able to confer with professors during designated office hours or via eMail.

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A: Online universities can be the perfect choice for military students. Many degree programs have been designed to help you graduate faster than at a traditional college. Additionally, your classes can travel with you as long as you have Internet access.

Research comparing distance education to face-to-face schooling seems to show that studying at a distance can be as effective as traditional instruction, when there is student-to-student interaction, and when there is good teacher-to-student feedback. Based on your academic experiences, you should realize how important being proactive about this type of interaction can be.

The course content at most accredited online universities is very similar to that at brick and mortar colleges. Many online universities boast instructors with advanced degrees and prominence in their fields. Some would argue that there are more hands-on learning opportunities and real-world application in online classes than the large lecture halls of traditional schools.

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A: In general, course content is comparable—not more or less difficult. But there are other factors that go into the ‘difficulty’ perception.

One is involvement. Today’s eLearning can be pretty exciting with multi-media courses, real-time group interaction, and dynamic, online tutorials. Outside of class, students may interact on group projects through eMail, message boards, chat rooms and conferencing.

Like traditional college courses, some of the learning takes place during class experiences and some takes place studying on your own. Many students feel that they can achieve better focus online because the material (or exercise) is on the screen, right in front of them, without the distraction of a room full of other students.

Another issue is the pace at which learning takes place. Online courses may run for 5 to 16 weeks, depending on the institution. A five week course may seem like a quicker timeline than some courses, but in some cases, you’ll be taking just one course at a time. And, you can view most class lectures at your own pace—even stopping and restarting when you need to—and studying when and where it’s most convenient.

When one-on-one interaction with an instructor is what you need, take advantage of more technologically advanced universities regularly scheduled ‘live’ office hours. And, get to know the online resources that your university provides. Some universities have extensive research and study resources including research links that save time and effort. Free programs may even be available to make you a better writer or even a stronger student!

While the courses aren’t more difficult, the learning process is certainly different than traditional classroom learning. For many, online learning fits like a glove. So, be honest with yourself about your learning style and preferences. How much do you get out of the social aspects of being physically present in a classroom? Or, how focused and motivated can you be on your own?

If you’re a self-driven individual, committed to getting your degree on your own terms, you should be right at home with the eLearning lifestyle!

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