If you want to research which colleges and universities may be Military Friendly, a quick Google search will give you plenty of options. Safe places to start are the VA’s GI Bill Comparison Tool or the Veterans Education Success, which is an organization dedicated to protecting military-affiliated students and the integrity of higher education with significant victories under its belt. Organizations like this have solid research and political and legal advocacy.
There are a variety of resources available to help you find the college or career service that fits your needs, but as you seek to use your well-earned educational benefits, be sure to invest time in preventative education against fraud and ask questions to gauge how they work with the military student population.
The Role of Colleges and Universities
Colleges and universities should be transparent. This means common inquiries like tuition costs and fees are shared upfront and there is a human you can talk to about your questions.
They should also exhibit clear policies, reporting procedures, financial management, safe security practices, and publicly accessible data. As a prospective student, getting the information you need to make an informed decision should never feel like a daunting task, and you should not have to pay extra fees for basic services. Additionally, you do not want to find out you’ve been provided promises or guarantees inappropriately to make enrollment numbers look great.
You can also do quick research on your school’s reviews, ratings, and testimonials. Additionally, you can easily look up tax filings and audits of nonprofit postsecondary organizations to see how money is being spent and if there are any alarming figures.
The Role of the Federal Trade Commission
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), $15.5M refund payments were sent to more than 42,511 recipients just this past year in March based on Career Step, LLC’s settlement, which targeted military members and spouses with fraudulent marketing. Career Education Corporation paid $28.89 for deceptive recruitment and enrollment practices. DeVry University and the University of Phoenix are a couple of other case examples of misleading advertising that led to millions in settlements. Understanding how fraud occurs and reporting it when it happens is an important step that leads to action and results. It can help other impacted individuals and hold institutions accountable.
As of September this year, $2.39B payments were sent to more than 15 million recipients via the FTC. This information is publicly available at the FTC Refunds to Customers interactive dashboard. For specific military consumer protection, you can stay current using the Military Consumer tool and report fraud at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/. (Please note that there is a current service lapse due to the government shutdown.)
Your Role
Taking time to research and ask questions may save you time and resources down the road. Be careful to protect your personally identifiable information. Here are some sample questions to ask related to your education program and career goal.
- How is your school accredited, and has there been any recent changes to accreditation? Do you have programmatic accreditation for my program? “National accreditation” typically has less rigorous processes and transferability than “regional accreditation” standards.
- Will my academic credits be accepted if I go to “X” school in the future? Always communicate with every school you intend to transfer to about your goal, as you do not want outdated information or misinformation.
- What do your career and workforce readiness programs look like? Do you offer support with job networking or internships?
- What specific support does your school provide to military-connected students? Some examples might include tuition or fee-based waivers, campus engagement programs, and specialized staff.
- Does my program of interest include face-to-face options for Chapter 33 benefits?
- What are the specific rules on credit transfer?
- How does your institution accept JST credits? Is there a cap on electives?
- How are my transfer credits applied specifically to my program?
- Do you have institutional military scholarships or grants?
- Does your college articulate credit for military work experience?
While there are many reputable colleges and universities committed to serving military-connected students, it only takes one to wreak havoc on your life. Invest in yourself and your future, and lean on reputable organizations and agencies available to you to stay informed and receive assistance. Taking the time to ask intentional questions and conduct a bit of research will help you maximize your educational experience and goals.
Also see 5 Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Online University for You and Ask the Right Questions Before Choosing a School.
