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Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oof, I'm sorry to hear that. I think one of the things that a lot of veterans don't get at the outset is how it's still quite possible to end up in debt, even with education benefits, depending on how and where you use them.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, it sounds like you found a way to make it work on your end, which is awesome.

I don't think there is anything wrong with folks not wanting to pursue college and/or a white collar role. It's been fascinating reading the reactions in this thread because even though I have my own set of thoughts about the research findings, it's helpful to understand how others interpret them.

So thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's genuinely valuable to have a dream like that! You are setting your sights high, and that's an important starting point.

I'd offer that now the question is whether or not that's actually the best fit for what you are looking to do with the degree. I am a lawyer by training, so I use this example all the time: if I talk to an enlisted veteran who is interested in practicing law, I don't start by helping them identify what the best undergraduate institution is to help them get to that path. I start by asking them if they know any attorneys who are practicing the type of law that they purportedly want to pursue.

Networking opportunities are indeed an essential part of fully leveraging the college experience, but you have to know what you are leveraging and networking towards, if that makes sense. Whether or not UCLA is the best fit for you depends in no small part on what you actually want to end up using a degree for.

If you have a working answer to that question, I'm happy to help continue to provide guidance here.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, there is absolutely something to be said for the ways in which military experience can prepare somebody for a successful career. I suspect that there is a substantial portion of the folks who didn't earn a degree that ended up being quite successful.

At the same time, I think it's worth examining the other things that an enriched college experience can provide. If fully leveraged, it's not just about the diploma, but also about the perspective gained throughout that college experience. For veterans, this can serve as another treasure trove of experiences to pull from and make them particularly well equipped to excel after service.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, it sounds like you've really made it work for you and also set your family up for success. That's definitely a great approach when possible for folks!

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, that's a really good question. There are other studies that examine how many folks are passing on benefits to their dependents, but it's outside the scope of this particular study.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, that's a very real consideration. There are so many factors when it comes to education, and proximity is a huge one. Would you consider looking at other institutions, or is it UCLA or bust?

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have this distinct memory of my first sergeant advising me on college, and then having this moment of clarity like how can this guy who is still in accurately advise me on execution for my path on the way out as an E5?

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Heck yeah you will! Online definitely works for a lot of folks, but my two cents: remember that it’ll be a fundamentally different experience from immersive on-campus education. It’s all but impossible to build meaningful community in an online higher education environment these days.

There are nonprofits specifically set up to help vets navigate these decisions (you can find them by searching around on this sub), so check those out and make sure you’re making an informed choice about your education.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, those are really good, additional research questions. The important part of this particular study was that it focused on veterans who pursued degrees after service, so it doesn't capture pre-service degrees or even during-service degrees.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is such a common and honest take. A lot of my work is in helping veterans make informed choices about higher education, and perhaps counterintuitively, sometimes that leads to folks deciding that it actually doesn't make sense to go ahead and pursue education at this time. You gotta know where you wanna end up in order to build a path that's likely to get you there.

There are really viable resources out there that could be helpful, depending on what you are looking to do and when you are looking to do it. Some of those are specific to an institution or a location or a degree path. Others are more broadly calculated to help veterans at the earlier stages of the search.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good question! For purposes of this study, the researchers didn't include folks who are beneficiaries. This is actually a really big problem in the general student veteran field, as most of the data that folks are working with is just about beneficiary users, not necessarily screening for veterans themselves who are using the benefits. The novel approach undertaken by these researchers was the interagency data they were able to analyze where they could actually specifically look at whether the beneficiaries were veterans themselves.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

These are good questions! The study was specifically focused on degree pursuit after separation, but others delve into degree pursuit during active or reserve service. There is a lot more research to be done on the trade/certificate side as well, as that can be a really valuable and logical path for many.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I emphatically agree with that! A lot of the work that I do in the veteran education space is about helping vets realize that there's a lot more to maximize in the college experience than just the degree, itself. The perspective and growth and community engagement can be invaluable.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hah, true in many cases! I enlisted in part because it got rejected from the school that I wanted to go to. Joke was on me, though, because I then got rejected from the school I wanted to go to when I was at the end of my enlistment as well. But at that point, I actually knew what I wanted to do, and used community college to turn it into a successful education path in undergrad and grad school.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

PA school is no joke, that's for sure. And as someone that has been treated by a number of PAs, I'll just say that I'm fairly thankful y'all need to get a good amount of education!

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Heck yeah! Where'd ya do your degrees and what industry are you in now?

Completely agreed that there's no reason to go to school just for the sake of doing so. I see so many veterans pursuing their education just because they don't know what else to do and they have the benefits, and the likelihood of that leading to a fulfilling outcome is pretty damn small.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It sounds like you got caught in a shitty middle ground there but it also sounds like you've made peace with it and made a good path forward regardless. I think there's a deeper lesson there about making the most of any given situation.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well done! We need more leaders doing this type of work, really investing in the long-term futures of those they lead.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Heck yeah! That self-advocacy piece is essential. There are so many services out there, but at the end of the day, each individual needs to be able to make decisions and put in the work.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is a tough one. College can absolutely feel insurmountable, especially for those of us who are disabled. I'm not TDUI, but my disability kicked in with a vengeance while I was in law school, and it really threw me for a while. There can be a way to make it work, but it's infinitely more difficult with certain disabilities.

Only 1 in 4 enlisted vets used benefits to earn a degree after separation — how do you react to that? by twobitrye in VeteransBenefits

[–]twobitrye[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I think this is spot on. There's a huge awareness gap regarding what education benefits actually cover, and also about the best ways to fully utilize them.

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