| Colleges and universities across the country have | | | | schools even extend these benefits to the |
| been or are beginning to place a tremendous amount | | | | dependents of military members. It is becoming more |
| of focus on our military members. A popular term has | | | | and more common to see a military spouse attend |
| developed for these institutions, which is to call them | | | | college due to this generous benefit. |
| "military friendly schools." These schools go the extra | | | | These schools provide a number of other great |
| mile to ensure that all of the service members' needs | | | | benefits to service members, such as college credit |
| are addressed, whether they are active-duty | | | | for military training, fee waivers, and flexible |
| members of the Armed Forces, Reservists, | | | | attendance policies. Considering the challenges that |
| Guardsmen, or Veterans. In fact, some of these | | | | our military members face on a day-to-day basis, any |
| military friendly schools have developed a dedicated | | | | assistance that they receive is greatly appreciated. In |
| staff or, in some cases, a separate department that | | | | addition to the daily burdens faced, many of the |
| focuses solely on the needs of military students. | | | | military members that decide to go back to college |
| These entities help to guide a military student | | | | may not have been in school for several years, so |
| through the entire collegiate process, from the | | | | getting back into an academic frame of mind can be |
| application phase to graduation. A specialist in one of | | | | a difficult task. The additional benefits provided by |
| these departments help military students handle | | | | military friendly schools helps service members |
| many of the various tasks that traditional students | | | | reacclimate to an academic environment. |
| would normally have to complete their own, such as | | | | Military Friendly Schools - How to Select the Right |
| filling out an application and handling financial aid | | | | One |
| paperwork. These military friendly schools have made | | | | One of the most important decisions that a military |
| the effort to understand the busy lifestyles that are | | | | member must make regarding his or her academic |
| led by our members of the military and have | | | | future is to determine which school best suits him or |
| provided ways to make the pursuit of a degree | | | | her. This decision does not come easy; research and |
| easier for them. | | | | deliberation are the keys to determining the right |
| Military Friendly Schools - The Benefits | | | | military friendly school to attend. The first step that a |
| Not only do military friendly schools work hard to | | | | prospective student should take is to narrow down |
| create a receptive atmosphere to service members | | | | the choices by finding the military friendly schools |
| through dedicated resources, but they also make | | | | that have the program of interest. From that point, |
| other benefits available exclusively for them. Many of | | | | the individual should request additional information |
| these colleges and universities have set specific | | | | from each of these institutions and even talk to a |
| tuition rates for members of the military. In certain | | | | representative from each school. Once all of the |
| situations, the amount of the government-provided | | | | information is gathered, the military member has the |
| education funds may not be enough to cover the | | | | ability to compare the military friendly schools and the |
| cost of tuition. A special military tuition rate is meant | | | | programs provided by each. Now, the prospective |
| to lessen the financial burden to a military member so | | | | student has the necessary information to make a |
| that he or she can afford to go to college. Some | | | | final selection. |