| Good news for those with military experience who | | | | standardized tests. |
| are pursuing a college degree - service in the U.S. | | | | - The Navy and Marine Corps both use the SMART |
| Armed Forces can earn you academic credits, saving | | | | system which routinely captures your training, |
| tuition dollars and time. | | | | experience and test scores. |
| A number of schools, including many accredited, | | | | - For those serving in the Air Forces, the Community |
| online universities, give military students credit | | | | College of the Air Force (CCAF) automatically records |
| towards a degree based on their training, | | | | your training, experience and test scores. Transcript |
| coursework, and occupational specialty. By applying | | | | information can be accessed using the CCAF web |
| your military experience, you could save as much as | | | | site. |
| $600 and five months on a typical three-credit | | | | - To receive a transcript from the Coast Guard, each |
| college course. | | | | service member must submit documentation of their |
| The American Council on Education (ACE), created in | | | | training to the Coast Guard Institute (CGI), along with |
| 1942 to recognize the educational value of military | | | | an enrollment form. |
| training and experience, continuously evaluates military | | | | - Military Veterans are eligible to use their former |
| schools, correspondence courses and occupations to | | | | service branches transcript program under most |
| accurately assess the amount and level of academic | | | | circumstances. However, if you don't quality for the |
| credit that each should be awarded. Through ACE, | | | | AARTS, SMART, CCAF or CGI systems, you will |
| you can receive credit for the majority of the | | | | need to complete a DD-295 form and provide your |
| training you have received, including Basic Training. | | | | DD-214 Discharge Document to receive credit. An |
| To claim the credits you have earned, you must first | | | | education is beneficial to your military career and |
| request a transcript from your military service branch, | | | | civilian future. Use your military tuition assistance, earn |
| each which has its own recording system: | | | | college credits for your valuable military experience |
| - The Army uses the AARTS system, available to | | | | and pursue your education at an online university |
| enlisted soldiers only, which automatically retrieves | | | | from bases worldwide. |
| your scholastic credits from military training and | | | | |