Am I the only one who thinks that our state governments should make it mandatory for public institutions of higher learning to accept military credits? I spent 5 years active duty in the Navy and recently decided to go active reserves. While in the Navy, I attended Old Dominion University and later Tidewater Community College. I never attempted to get credit for my military training at ODU but TCC did give me credit for physical education, health education, and college success skills which, when added together, was a grand total of 3 credits. Since my seperation, I've been attending Hudson County Community College in New Jersey where none of my ODU, TCC, or Military credits have been accepted. I'm up for graduation after next semester and it appears my diploma may be withheld because of a 1 credit course called College Success Skills. After speaking with my advisor and the dean's secretary, apparently students can't speak to the dean directly, it became evident that no one really cares about military training because they think it is nothing more than boot camp and are unaware of the training we receive for our rates or mos. Last time I checked, much of the training we receive is accredited by the Department of Education and supposedly equivalent to college courses so why is it that most school don't even give it a second look? Am I wrong in thinking that my service alone should be worth 1 credit?
Not to slam the schools of Higher Learning, but most all of them (not all mind you, but most) are where the liberals of our society went to hide. The hate the military and almost all it stands for. They are there to mold minds into what they believe, nothing else. One will get an education as long as one retains what they want you to think. From my own experience, if someone disagrees with the mush being forced into one's head they will come down on you very hard. And if one's point of view is anywhere near what they think is a conservetive point of view....oh, man! The only way I made it through was to learn early on to simply give back the point of view they gave out. They do not want anyone to think/believe anything different. I recently heard of one private university that suspended a young man then told him if he wanted to come back that he must undergo a mental health program of their choosing. His crime? He advocated the carrying of state licensed concealed weapons (for those that wanted to) on campus as a means to defend against the recent increase in school shootings. Not saying I do or don’t agree with him, but do you think having such an opinion should result in the school ordering him suspended and requiring him to undergo a regiment of psychiatrist visits? Just another way they use to shape the minds of those who attend. Guess what I’m saying is that it’s ok to have one’s own beliefs, it is just best to keep them to one’s self. If they differ from the school’s “party line” one will be given a very hard time. I know this doesn't help you, just wanted you to know why you do not get any respect as a former/current service member.
The first three schools I wanted to attend refused to accept any of my military credits....so I walked. I found American Military University (www.amu.apus.edu) who accepted everything. I finished my BS through them and now have a degree from a fully accredited university. I'm using that to go to a brick and morter graduate school.
I don't advocate the government forcing universities to accept credit. If enough of us, as consumers, choose to stay away from the universities who are ignorant about our service, then maybe they'll change their tune. If not, well, there are other alternatives than more (excessive) government regulation.
Any school that recieves federal funding has to accept credits from college courses you took in the military, or DANTES tests. They might jerk you around if the courses don't fit in your major.
The thing that burned me about it is that the schools charge you for the credits transferred at their rate. They call it an administrative fee to get around federal laws concerning military credits.
7428271 You might want to check with your local education office on post/base (if one is near you). They should have a book listing what college credits are typically available for the different types of military training. If no base/post is around you, check your local library, or even try e-mailing an Ed Office and asking them.
But, on the flip side, not all military training will fit into every college diploma plan. If you already have all your electives filled, don't expect to get extra credit for PE based on military physical fitness training.
14379459, don't make such shotgun blast statements. Yes there are liberals in some colleges, just as there are conservatives in some others. Stating that all liberals "hate the military and what it stands for..." is a hard point to prove.
I am an associate professor at a university, retired military, and yes - a liberal. A liberal, like Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, FDR.
Both as a student and as faculty, I find that most former military members get a great deal of respect on campus - if they are there to study and if they display the self-discipline and courtesy for others one gains while in the military. There are others, the ones that think they know it all and are entitled to special treatment, but they don't last more than acouple of semesters. They confuse college with liberty in Subic or trading lies at the local VFW.
Remember recruit training? It was a vetting process to determine whether you were suitable for military service. Remember the promotion system? It was also a vetting process to determine who was the best qualified for advancement. Undergraduate education is the same -- it is a four year vetting process to decide whether you should be awarded a college degree in the discipline you chose as your major. You'll get the respect your performance and behavior indicates you deserve.
You'll also get credit for your military experience, based upon the university's evaluation of that experience - remember they are the one granting the college degree, not your former branch of service, it's the university's name on the degree. Again, remember you decided what your major would be. If you were an embarkation specialist in the military but in college you want to major in poultry science, there probably isn't much cross-over between your military experience and training and your undergraduate requirements. Most university's will be happy to award you that 48 semester hours (or whatever) ACE suggests your military service is woth, but in will be in courses that don't count towards your degree. That was your choice.
