If earning a college degree has been your lifelong dream, being a military spouse doesn’t have to stand in the way of your fulfilling it. Thanks to the internet, military partnerships with traditional colleges and universities, and the development of distance education programs, the challenges of a military lifestyle are no longer an obstacle to earning your degree.
Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) are a consortium of over 1,800 colleges and universities that have pledged to support the higher education needs of military families. How does this help you? All credit you earn at a SOC school is transferable to any other SOC institution, which means no more losing credits or repeating classes just because you have to change schools.
But maybe your obstacle isn’t changing schools—with the demands of home and small children—maybe the challenge is just getting there in the first place. No problem! With distance education programs now available at many colleges and universities, you can finish your entire degree sitting in front of your computer in your favorite bunny slippers. Sound too good to be true? It isn’t.
Some schools, including the University of Maryland University College, Excelsior College, and American Military University, have programs specifically geared to the military community. One caveat on distance education, however—watch out for diploma mills—those so-called colleges that award a “degree” in a matter of weeks based on life experience. While there are certainly schools that give legitimate credit for your previous training and experience, be wary of any institution that promises a degree while requiring little or nothing from you. Do your homework and make sure your potential school is accredited by proper Department of Education agencies.
Is lack of money holding you back from reaching for your educational goals? Visit FAFSA online, the government resource for grant money and student loans. You can complete your entire application on the web and FAFSA will share the results with the schools of your choice. While you’re at it, don’t overlook the vast number of scholarships available for military spouses, and don’t assume they’re out of your reach. Thousands of dollars in scholarship monies go un-awarded each year simply for lack of applicants.
Whether you’re seeking to enhance your job skills or just gain personal growth, there has never been a better or easier time to go back to school. Visit your base education center for further information on programs suited to your individual needs and goals.