Outside US & Canada?
Civilian Education for Military Through Online Learning
By Melody GoughQuestion
I'm in the Navy. Due to the nature of my job, I have been finding it difficult to write essays that will get me into a university. I'm a computer operator, but I'd like to further my education by going to a university or any higher education institution. I'm 27 years old, and I think I don't have much time to be getting a first degree. Please, I need your advice!
Answer
Like other enlisted personnel, you're probably finding it difficult to balance your job duties with earning a degree. The good news is that the GI Bill will cover over $1,000 per month in tuition and education expenses for up to three years after you leave the service. The bad news, as you've figured out, is that it's hard to gain acceptance to a campus-based degree program while you're still serving overseas.
Fortunately, online programs and distance learning courses can help you get a head start on that degree. Many online college degree programs are designed for working adults, so the admission requirements are a little more forgiving than for campus-based programs. Some will even give you a discount if you're active military and allow some of your military training to count for some of your credit requirements.
If your application requires an essay, I encourage you to write from the heart about the experiences that you've had while serving your country. What seems commonplace to you may sound extraordinary to a college admissions officer.
In addition, experienced computer operators and programmers are in extremely high demand. With your military experience, you may be able to find an employer who's willing to let you carve out some work time to complete your degree. Between an employer's tuition reimbursement program and the GI Bill, you might not have to pay a penny of your own money to earn your undergraduate degree.
University of Nevada Reno professor Melody Gough is here to answer your questions every week. Professor Gough has taught poetry in both online and community college classrooms for almost a decade and has also taught English composition at the local university for the past five years. In addition to advising her students and inspiring them with witty classroom exercises, Professor Gough writes both poetry and memoir. Her Master of Arts in Teaching English is from the University of Nevada, Reno.
