Military college benefits are one of the most overlooked and under-utilized ways to get your college education paid for.

You not only get a good education, completely paid for – you also have a guaranteed job after graduation, and no – they are not all in the ‘war zone’! The military offers employment in everything from computer sciences to the medical field.

The top military academies can also be very difficult to qualify for, and in some cases, actually require a recommendation from your local Congressman to get an ‘appointment’.

 There are several academies in locations around the country: West Point (The United States Military Academy at West Point), New York (Army), the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO  and the Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD. The Naval Academy also trains Marine Corps officers.

When you graduate from one of the academies, you are automatically an Officer in the ‘regular’ corp, rather than a reserve Officer. Depending on the branch, you will be a commissioned officer for 3 to 8 years of active duty after graduation.

Not only do academy students receive a full scholarship, you also receive a salary while attending school.

There are also six senior military schools: South Carolina’ The Citadel, the Virginia Military Institute, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, North Georgia College, and Norwich University in Vermont. As with the Academy, graduates become become “regular” rather than “reserve” officers, although these programs are classified as ROTC programs.

ROTC stands for Reserve Officer’s Training Program. ROTC programs account for 56 percent of the Army’s officer corps, 41 percent of the Air Force’s corps, 20 percent of the Navy’s corps of officers and 11 percent of the Marine Corps officers.

ROTC scholarships often provide a full scholarship plus a small stipend to cover living expenses, but it does come with a military commitment as well, although it is usually a reserve officer commitment rather than ‘regular’ military service.

Another way to get your college paid for is to join the military after graduation as certain fields are so needed that the military will pay off your student loans to entice you to enlist.

Law and health related students and graduates may qualify for expense coverage by serving in the JAG or MASH units. 

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Filed under: Scholarships For College

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