One of the first challenges veterans face upon completing their active duty relates to education, as additional skills and accreditations will need to be gathered to make the jump into the private sector. Although plenty of service members have the necessary credentials to get a job, more advanced learning will increase their stock in the job pool.
Unfortunately, this has been a turbulent subject in the veteran community. For example, the federal government recently filed charges against a man who tricked veterans into thinking they were getting an education from an accredited university when they were not, levying $35 million from the victims, Inside Higher Ed reported. Another report pointed to the need for better and more thorough support of veterans looking to attend a university.
Data quality issues
Military Times recently reported that while new software and technology are being developed to assist high school students in deciding on a college, there is an immense lack of similar services available to veterans. The news provider stated that federal agencies have tried their hands at developing solutions that specifically help veterans through their unique path toward earning a graduate or undergraduate degree after service, but with relatively poor results.
It does not appear as though the situation will improve any time soon.
"I think we're still far away from having the kind of reliable information that people can base good decisions on," American Association of State Colleges and Universities Director of Federal Policy Barmak Nassirian explained. "These [tools] are works in progress, and at the end of the day, you really do need to do your own due diligence."
Better data and more personalized approaches to application development will need to be priorities among agencies working on these tools should they hope to make a positive difference in the fight to educate veterans.
Opportunities are available
Several organizations, as well as the U.S. Department of Education, offer services to veterans who are looking to decide upon a college to attend following their service. Some are even specialized in accordance with unique needs, such as the Association on Higher Education and Disability. Veterans can search for other opportunities to navigate the complex process of choosing a college through local universities, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and elsewhere.
Soon, though, the tools discussed above will likely streamline the college selection process among American veterans.