Despite Greater Benefits Under New GI Bill, Vets May Still Opt for Trade Schools, Community Colleges
Recently published research from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs indicates that approximately 57 percent of those veterans who used their GI Bill benefits in fiscal year 2007 attended either community colleges or for-profit institutions.
Veterans tend to enroll at these types of schools because they often
cater to veterans’ needs, are more convenient, and in the case of
community colleges, are cheaper than their four-year counterparts,
according to an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education (“Cost,Convenience Drive Veterans’ College Choices,” July 25, 2008).
Even with the new GI Bill giving veterans sufficient benefits to
cover the more expensive four-year colleges in their state, many
educators, legislators, and other experts are skeptical about
whether veterans will actually choose to attend these schools.
Convenience May Win Out Over Added Benefits of New Bill
The current GI Bill only covers 73 percent of a veteran’s tuition,
fees, and room and board at a four-year public college, and only 31
percent of the costs at a private four-year school. Veterans often
choose to attend community colleges, since their GI Bill benefits
cover the costs of these schools in full.
But veterans may choose to attend a particular type of school for
its low costs as well as for its services, according to Keith
Wilson, director of the education service at the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
Most veterans go back to school to build on a particular skill set
gained in the military and are looking for programs that enable them
to balance their studies, with work and family life, Wilson said.
Community colleges near military bases and schools, such as American
InterContinental University, University of Maryland, and Tidewater Community College, do just that. They are set up to more
specifically to address veterans’ needs by extending more academic
credit for military experience, helping veterans access their
federal benefits, and accommodating vets with physical and emotional
disabilities.
Anthony Mabutol, a Navy veteran, told the Chronicle that he began his education at Tidewater for “practical” and “financial” reasons. He said he probably would still select Tidewater, even if he had more generous GI Bill benefits. The only difference, he said, is that the added benefits would allow him to eliminate his part-time job while attending school.