Leverage Your Military Experience in College

There are numerous benefits to earning your degree. Along with the sense of accomplishment and family benefits of earning a degree, studies have shown college graduates have more financial opportunities and a potential advantage in helping fill the gaps in today’s workforce. As a military servicemember earning your degree could mean leveraging your military training and experience.

How to Get College Credits from Military Experience

For many military students, earning a degree is an opportunity to translate their military training and experience into actual college credits. Combined with the knowledge they learn from the classroom, these college graduates leverage a real advantage in today’s competitive work field.

“The response most military members give for seeking a degree is that it will give them a leg up in seeking employment beyond their service obligation.  The degree either compliments current job skills or allows for the opportunity to enter a completely new career field.” – Gordon Yowell, Education Service Officer Sector in North Carolina.

Here are steps to follow to figure out which college credits are available based on your experience:

• Connect with places like the American Council on Education (ACE.) ACE reviews your military experience and background to find relevant college classes.
• Research schools and programs to determine the best fits. Be sure to consider your desired career opportunities.
• Contact these schools and ask which college credits they offer.

For Thomas Gonzales, going to school while active duty for the Army National Guard was a decision he felt good about. While earning his master’s degree had always been a goal for him, he also felt this step helped him bring further security for him and his family, especially after retirement. “You never know what may happen. An education prepares [you] for the next chapter.” He adds, “No one can ever take your education from you.”

ConAp and Other Military Benefits

National American University works diligently to provide features for military students that can make a direct impact on their educational future. Part of this includes our membership in ConAp, the Concurrent Admissions Program for Army enlistees. ConAP is a partnership between over 1,900 participating colleges, the Army Recruiting Command and Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC).

As a ConAp member, the university has agreed to use good academic practice in accepting courses from other colleges, use the American Council on Education Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services (ACE Guide) to award credit for military courses that fit a student’s curriculum and award credit for at least one nationally-recognized testing program.

How National American University Supports Military Members

NAU offers various other features for military students AND their dependents. These features include:

• Reduced Tuition Rates
• NAU’s Military Readiness
• Transfer Opportunities
• Dedicated Staff

Don’t stop here! Find our more these features and benefits for all branches by visiting our Military pages.