Choosing the right college is difficult enough for the average citizen, but for a member of the military the decision can be even more difficult. To find an appropriate military-friendly school, there are many factors to consider.

First, there’s location. Is the school you would like to attend within sensible distance of your installation? And, is it situated in an area where you can feasibly afford to live? Second, is it a military-friendly school in terms of scheduling, that is, are they more lenient on military members who may have to miss some school due to deployment and other features of the service? Finally, you will want to think about the financial friendliness of the school towards servicemembers. Because one of the benefits of joining the military is the financial advantages toward education, you don’t want to miss out on these opportunities just because a school is unaccommodating. 

After dealing with all of these factors and building a list of your ideal military-friendly universities, it’s time to start reviewing your list of interesting schools to see which fits best with your needs. Location is certainly important when it comes to narrowing down the list; however, some schools offer an online option that many students can take advantage of regardless of where they live or if they are deployed. There are online-only universities where military education rewards can be used, which may help you avoid the hassle of trying to find a nearby brick-and-mortar military-friendly school. Because scheduling is a considerable concern for military members, school choice should be accommodating to the busy and sometimes last-minute schedules of servicemembers. This type of versatility is one benefit of an online education because these programs are intended to work around the schedule of the student.

Finances are a massive factor for many servicemembers. Specifically, servicemembers will want to look for schools that not only honor the military education benefits rewarded to them by the government, but also various other benefits such as tuition reductions or in-state acceptance for military members. Some schools even offer tuition reductions and in-state rewards for military spouses and dependents as well. Many online education programs are accommodating to military members in terms of both scheduling and funds. While researching this info through the school, it would most likely be beneficial to speak with some other military members about their experiences with the school and their program. Word of mouth is good way to figure out which military-friendly schools offer the best service and experience.