Tips for Military Spouses Seeking to Further Their Education

As a military spouse, expanding your education can be beneficial to your family in plenty of ways. Financially, it can surely enhance your earning power and help fetch career opportunities. Personally, getting a higher education can bring a feeling of fulfillment that lets you feel more confident about yourself and your future. Here are tips for you to consider:

Think about your general personal and career goals.

Focus on something that stimulates your personal and professional interests. Build a career that offers desirable pay, a stable work-life balance, and overall satisfaction.

Research your chosen field’s job market.

Are there good and readily available opportunities? Is the profession or field less lucrative in certain parts of the country? If opportunities are restrictive, it may not be worth your while – or your money – to obtain a degree or certification.

Take advantage of financial assistance such as military spouse scholarship programs.

There are plenty of programs that military spouses will find useful as they further their education. For instance, the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) can take care of up to $4000 worth of costs for military spouses who want to obtain a license, credential or associate degree. Several state colleges and universities offer in-state tuition rates, whatever the period of residence. There are also a whole variety of army spouse training scholarship programs that utilize different systems when providing financial aid, including federal loans with very cheap interest. The military also gives financial assistance to those who live in the United States while their spouses are stationed in a foreign country.

Look into online education for military spouses.

Because military families usually have to relocate, completing local education programs can be difficult. Online Career Training Programs come with flexibility that benefits military families.

Work for your transfer credits.

If you have credits from your previous college and your prospective military spouse school refuses to accept them, don’t hesitate to challenge their decision. Schools generally have a process for this, and your advisor or counselor must be able to extend assistance. More information, such as a course syllabus, is often requested. Challenges are normally successful as long as you can present more details with regard to your hard-earned grades in your past school. If you end up with most of your credits still unaccepted, you can consider other schools which may be more consistent with your old school when it comes to accreditation and curriculum, and probably have transfer agreements in place (for example, junior colleges with local universities).

Observe good timing.

Having to juggle a family and work while performing the responsibilities of a student can be quite overwhelming. However, with proper planning, you won’t have to compromise or sacrifice any of these areas of your life.