Hey everyone. I'm a soon-to-be-Navy-wife and was wondering how the whole transferring colleges works. I start a county school in Sept. and by the end of the school year I will be moving in with my husband where ever he gets stationed (we'll be married by then). He's a new enlistee and his basic doesn't start for a few months. Can anyone tell me how all this works? Will the military let my credits transfer? I'm so new to this and I really have no idea how the military works at all.. Also, I'm not very familiar with any military terms, (I told you I'm new to this) lol, so if its posible can any terms used be explained?

Thanks

The military doesn't get involved in your school transfer. When you move you need to apply to schools in the area, and the schools you apply to will determine which credits transfer. Some are good about credit transfers, others aren't. The college office on base can help you fill out applications and such, but that is all. They have no sway as far as your acceptance to the schools or which credits get accepted.

To up the chances of your credits being accepted later, you need to check the accredidation of the school you will be attending, and try to stick to core courses (Engl 101, Com 130, college Algebra or Calc, etc) as these are required for every degree and are generally easily transferable. The more specific the course, generally the less likely it will transfer.

Since you're not sure where you're going, or how long you'll be there, you may want to look at accredited online degree programs, so you'll be able to finish schools without transferring 2 or 3 times. When you transfer colleges, there is no guarantee that the school you're going to has to accept all (or any) of your previous credits. Make sure you research carefully so you're not wasting money or time with things that won't be credited.

I used to work at a college office on a Navy base and through that experience I can offer you some input. Catherine0830 made a very good point. The military will have no affiliation with regards to your education. It's completely different for enlisted because they have TA (Tuition Assistance) that is completely separate from the GI Bill benefit that is undergoing alterations. You'll learn the lingo as you go. I've been married for 9 years and I'm still learning things like that, so don't be ashamed!

One thing to keep in mind, college transfer credits do vary from one school to another and it's up to each one individually what they will and won't accept. The advice to look into general courses is sound. The more general the course is, the more applicable it will be towards a transfer credit and basics like English, Math and basic computer skills are required by every college school.

Despite common knowledge, it is better to choose a school with "Regional" Accreditation vs. "National". Regional Accreditation is higher ranking and courses taken at schools with this accreditation are more accepted for transfer credits. It means they have excelled within their region for higher education and therefore can take and transfer credits on a larger scale.

The other advice for online courses is another great idea. Here is a point I must stress. Never, EVER make any serious plans when you're married to someone in the military. Just because your fiance is due to be stationed at a particular base does NOT mean it's a guarantee. Things can change at literally the last minute and you have to be able to adapt to this kind of lifestyle. I always say (it used to be jokingly) that the Navy doesn't know what they're doing until they're almost done doing it! It's happened far too often where something can be set in stone and then on the day of can change so drastically that you don't even have time to acknowledge it all.

For example, we were told we'd be transferred to a base in Maryland (much closer to "home") after DH spoke to a career counselor many months prior and made his requests. Whenever an enlisted is transferred there must be a "billet" for him/her to transfer into that is the same rate and rank that s/he currently holds. (Replacing one for another). Our orders were all set, confirmed and on paper. Only a month prior (after having made all of the arrangements such as housing, moving truck, utility bill shut offs/turn ons, etc.) we were told that our orders were CHANGED to Florida! Another career counselor deliberately made this change without even speaking to DH!! When questioned he actually said "Everyone wants to go to Florida, so I did you a favor!" When DH expressed his utmost disgust at what had been done, and WHY, it was too late to change it. There was NOTHING we could do. So please, learn from this lesson and do not count on making such plans in advance when you're married to someone in the military. Your entire life changes. Based on that, I strongly recommend the online courses. Just keep in mind that most colleges will request a written transcript that is UNOPENED (usually via mail, but in person is also allowed as long as the original seal is intact). This is to verify that the transcript was unaltered and is original from the college. And there is always a maximum number of credits that can be transferred; usually (not always though) it must be less than half of the entire degree program. (Most colleges won't award a degree from their school when you learned more than half of the requirements elsewhere).

There are services offered that you can use such as going to the Navy College Office as previously mentioned. For spouses they can offer advice such as what colleges are local, reputable, etc. although they can't offer specifics as far as education guidance for spouses since they are specifically a benefit for enlisted. There is also Military Spouse Employment Assistance available; but my experience was just a binder full of resume samples to view and I was asked to leave for making copies, after just previously was given permission to do so. That service is supposed to be actual resume assistance, interviewing techniques, etc. to help aide you in obtaining employment. Just some things to keep in mind. As for terminology, you'll learn as you go and can't really learn in advance. Just browse the forums and you'll find some hints and tips for the military lifestyle that should hopefully assist you. Good luck and welcome!

thanks for the advice i'll deifinitly look into the online courses. i'm so happy my fiance told me about this site. i've learned so much just from reading other post. I hope I'm welcome to ask as many stupid obvious questions as i can lol :)kelli90@military.com

Don't be ashamed or embarrassed! I have TONS of stupid questions and although they may be obvious to others, that doesn't always mean the rest of us know the answers! We all have different experiences and that doesn't just vary from one branch of service to the next; we all go through different things in life. For the most part, everyone I've come in contact with has been very helpful and above all--- understanding. Just because you don't know the answer doesn't make you stupid. You're not limited in any way to how often you can browse or post on these forums. That's what they're created for! Even if it sounds stupid to me, I always ask questions. Never feel embarrassed because you may not know something. Like I said, we've all had different life experiences and we're all supposed to help each other.