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Question about college application process: I left school and enlisted in the Navy about 5 years ago (my bad). This means I'll have to apply as a transfer student. Every school wants a "College Official's Report" in which the dean/advisor discloses disciplinary problems and gives an evaluation. It's been 5 years... did schools still make you guys submit this form? If yes, what is the process? Do I just mail the form to my previous school's dean and hope he will fill it out for me 5 different times?
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Aug 23, 2011 06:49
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| # ¿ May 22, 2024 13:07 |
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I'm applying to a few private universities for the Fall 2012 semester. Part of choosing which school to attend will be dependent upon willingness to give me the extra money under the Yellow Ribbon program. Some of the schools state that they give the award to X number of undergraduates... My question is, what kind of timeline or process can I expect in determining if I'm selected for Yellow Ribbon?
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Aug 24, 2011 11:07
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I am active duty until March 15th, and have applied as a 2012 Fall transfer applicant to a few schools that fund the Yellow Ribbon program. I'm also super anxious about getting my VA benefits lined up as quickly as possible, because most schools state that their Yellow Ribbon money is 'first-come, first-serve.' Is it possible to use the VA e-benefits site prior to receiving my DD214 (March 15th)? I would like to sign up for the 9/11 GI Bill as soon as possible - even if it is still a bit early. Also: Anyone know of schools in the northeast that will waive application fees for veterans? The University of New Hampshire will waive your fee, and they use the Common App, so I was able to drop an application for free. Waiting to find out what schools I'll get into is even more nerve-wracking than it was during HS, especially since schools don't start notifying transfer applicants until around my EAS date.
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Nov 30, 2011 11:06
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I had my first interaction with the VA today. I submitted my education benefits form on November 10th, and hadn't heard anything yet (obviously). I wasn't doing anything at work so I said 'gently caress it' and gave them a call. The woman talking to me was actually very helpful and reassuring. I am fairly well spun-up on my benefits so I could tell she knew what she was talking about. I'm hoping to be submit my Certificate of Eligibility to my school of choice as soon as I am admitted in February (if I get in). I'm paranoid that my school will run out of slots for the Yellow Ribbon program and the savings I've built up over five years will become quick chump-change.
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Dec 1, 2011 20:26
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Vasudus, where's the next edition of the Education Benefits Thread!? I literally do nothing all day for the military except sit around and day dream about the GI Bill... God speed, Vasudus.
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Dec 6, 2011 23:40
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baseness posted:I've been out of the Air Force for four years now and just finished my BS degree. Does anyone here have experience with the HPSP scholarship? Or life as say, a military dentist? I wouldn't enlist again but if they can bribe me with enough cash i'll consider becoming an officer. I thought about doing HPSP for years, but my dislike of the military has gradually eclipsed any amount of money they could throw at me. However, I was always looking into the physician side of the program-- I don't know whether it's a good deal for dentists. Most of the physicians I've talked to that took HSPS seemed to regret it. You should cruise the internet for some dental forums. The forum I'm linking has a subsection about military dentistry and lots of HSPS talk. From there you should also be able to find out what the typical job of a military dentist consists of, and figure out if that's something you want to commit to. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=178
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Dec 16, 2011 02:28
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I was accepted to my first-choice school yesterday-- I played up the vet angle and just asked for an admission decision two months early, and they were happy to provide one. Feels good... now I just need to officially get the gently caress out of the military.
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Dec 30, 2011 14:49
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These questions are going to seem kind of 'spergy, considering I'm not even in school yet, but... 1) What is the process that schools use to Pro-Rate my BAH each month? For example, the school I will be going to has a 3 day break in October; will the school's certifying official subtract those days from my BAH, or do they ignore such a small break? Also, is my BAH rated through the entirety of scheduled Exam Week, or is it only to MY final exam. I'm trying to figure out what kind of BAH money I can be expecting next year with the pro-rating calculated in. 2) Let's say I finish my undergraduate degree in 36 months and have 3 benefit days left, due to holiday breaks, time off, etc. What benefits do I get when I go graduate school? (This is just an extreme example, but I think it would clear things up for me) What can I anticipate for BAH, tuition, book fees? Edit: Roving Reporter provided the answer earlier in the thread-- Roving Reporter posted:It means that of your 36 months of benefits, only the time you are enrolled is deducted from the total. Say your semester is from Oct. 1 to Dec. 15th and doesn't start again till January 2nd. You only have 2 months and 15 days deducted from the total vs 3 months. Previously, if you went to school in both Fall and the Spring, you would get paid the full BAH for December and you would have used 3 months of benefits. Now, you get pro-rated BAH(less money) between semesters, but you save more time. sharkbomb fucked around with this message at 19:11 on Jan 14, 2012 |
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Jan 14, 2012 18:37
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How does the GI Bill affect merit scholarships? Will schools see that you're getting crazy funding from the VA and steer those scholarships elsewhere, or does it just turn into a financial bonanza? Just wondering if any of you had merit scholarships in your financial aid packages.
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Feb 23, 2012 18:58
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Usually you are required to have enlisted in that state (ie Illinois) in order to get the tuition benefits-- I remember researching changing my state of residency to Illinois while I was at a training command near Chicago, just so I could get crazy PAID when I got out (this was before the 9/11 Gi Bill came about).
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Feb 27, 2012 03:51
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Rrail posted:Right on. The rest of my day is spoken for but I have tomorrow off so I'll spend some of it on the phone. Just some words of encouragement - don't be anxious about calling admissions. Just think how relatively easy your phone call is compared to all these parents they probably get calling about little Jane/Johnny. I was on the phone with my top choice school SO MUCH because my various waivers were glitching their system and my application wasn't getting considered. I was polite to them and the dude told me he marked me in my application how patient and considerate I was (maybe that was bullshit, but he sounded sincere). A week later I e-mailed and asked for an early look at my application and they gave me a decision right then, 4 months early. But yeah, good luck, you'll be fine.
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Mar 9, 2012 01:57
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Thanks man.
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BITCHTITS posted:SO does any live with roommates while going to school? Do you guys prefer to have your own place or save money and roll the dice on living with a furry? I'm getting a roommate, but I've known her for a while so I don't have any concerns about it being a bad fit. But it's a good question... I would never gamble on a stranger for a roommate; I did that poo poo for too many years in the military. The combined rent lets you get a nicer place, but you have to wear pants more often. Pick your priorities.
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Mar 30, 2012 18:46
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Just received my financial aid information. It looks like I'll be getting the maximum pell grant and Tuition Assistance Program (NY) scholarship possible. This seems very clear-cut, but... really?! Hopeful. "Veteran's Benefits and Financial Aid: Veteran's Benefits and Financial Aid: The combination of your federal and institutional financial aid may exceed your estimated cost of attendance for the upcoming academic year. You are entitled to receive your federal and Post 9/11 GI grant funding as well as -SCHOOL'S- Yellow Ribbon Award. Your financial aid will not be adjusted below your cost of attendance."
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Apr 11, 2012 07:53
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General question concerning financial aid: People always talk about banking their surplus Pell grant money, but what is the basic coordination of how that happens? Will my grant money be deposited into my personal account, or does the school keep it as a credit on my tuition bill? I just don't understand how the whole process works.
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Apr 11, 2012 19:04
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Fuzzeh posted:It may depend on the school. Where I go, the money shows up on my school account as a positive balance. After a few weeks, the money is sent to my personal account. I had to manually add my account to my school account to get this to work. If I owed the school money it would pay them before kicking it back to me. So you could apply your Pell grants to the random expenses like health center fees and meal plans? My school's website states "All Undergraduate students given permission to live at home or off campus may select any meal plan option with a minimum requirement of the Commuter Declining Plan." It's $500/semester.
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Apr 11, 2012 19:28
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Can someone give me a sense of what happens next? I've been admitted to my school, received a financial aid package, and paid the deposit. I'll be an undergrad. When would I be picking classes and all of that? Obviously it's dependent upon the school, but how did it go for all of you?
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Apr 23, 2012 16:36
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So maybe around May or June I'll start the process of getting an advisor? I understand classes are still in session right now so they probably don't want to deal with the incoming freshmen class at the moment.
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Apr 23, 2012 17:24
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I'm not starting until the Fall semester... I was thinking sometime in May when the spring semester is done to start rolling up into school trying to figure out what the gently caress is going on.
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Apr 23, 2012 20:42
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BITCHTITS posted:Hey for anyone doing VA work study in a hospital, do you get to do actual patient interaction? I'm going for something in the medical field and I need clinical experience. I'd be sweet if I could get paid and knock those hours at the same time. I was wondering the same thing. I'm a former Navy corpsman (thus no actual civilian certifications) and will be going to school for a career in the medical field. If I could get hospital/clinic experience while also using VA work study that would be great...
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May 17, 2012 11:19
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In the next iteration of this thread, maybe we could list schools that we've discovered that are providing DOPE veterans benefits (yellow ribbon, etc). I'm going to a private university in the Fall that does Yellow Ribbon, but they have a scholarship for all veterans that guarantees full tuition coverage. I know this has been covered a thousand times, but what else should I do this summer to make sure all benefits are locked on for the Fall? I feel like I haven't really done anything at all. I mailed in my Certificate of Eligibility and my DD214 to Financial Aid, but do I need to do anything else? Did anyone have trouble maintaining full-time status during the summer? A lot of schools have degree plans on their websites, but they're assuming you're going to take the summer off. I have a meeting with my major adviser next month but I was wondering if any of you had run into issues.
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May 24, 2012 11:11
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I spoke with my school's certifying official for the first time today-- she seems to have everything on point. She told me she pre-certified me at 12 credits until I actually pick classes and gave me her direct line - excited about that. I let her rattle on about the aid/money I should be expecting, even though I was already familiar with all of it from this thread, just so I could get a sense of how well-read on the GI Bill she was. She nailed it, so that's cool. When are Pell Grants disbursed?
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Jun 1, 2012 22:04
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HeyEng posted:Two questions: do most decent state schools take in account veteran status when looking over admissions and am I hosed at all with applying to schools two credits short of a CCAF? My school definitely took into account veteran status. Any time I called admissions, I just made sure to plug the "I'm a veteran using the GI Bill" line and it clued them in that my circumstances were very different from the typical applicant. I even asked them for an admissions decision a couple months early and they gave it to me. Call them for any request/question you have, you'll be surprised. Somewhere on your school's admissions website they'll spell out exactly what qualifies you as a transfer student vs freshman: "If you have graduated from high school, enrolled in a college, and received more than eight college credits, you are considered a transfer applicant." Check in the FAQ or common questions section. I had about 40 transfer credits, but only a handful of them are actually useful for fulfilling my degree requirements. I'll basically be a freshman, but with more flexibility because an occasional course will already be fulfilled. Unless you're transferring credits from one program into an identical program, they're not going to fit as nicely as you might like.
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Jun 8, 2012 02:46
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General college enrollment question: I need to complete a form called "Health History and Immunization Report." It is asking me to submit dates for the vaccinations I received while I was in the military. Unfortunately, I do not have a copy of my medical record. Also, there's a line asking for the signature of a health-care provider to verify the information. How should I proceed? Do I need to contact my old unit and mail this form to the medical officer? I'm hoping one of you has some kind of shortcut. Can I take it to the local VA hospital and get the dates/signature on the vaccinations?
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Jun 12, 2012 22:17
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I registered for my fall semester (first semester) yesterday. What are some tips you all have for purchasing books and supplies? When I was in school in 2005, I just bought directly from the school bookstore... but now money is an actual thing I worry about so I'm trying not to give it away. Just wondering if you all had some websites/services you swear by.
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Jun 19, 2012 10:49
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My balance from the bursar is showing me a $5,700 credit, but about $3,000 is from federal loans that I'm declining. Still, getting paid $2,000 a semester is amazing, considering the school is expensive as gently caress.
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Aug 21, 2012 12:02
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I was offered Federal Direct Subsidized Loans worth $2,250. With my GI Bill, I don't really need that money. Should I still take it and just keep it in my savings account? I plan on going to graduate school after I get my bachelors, so I'm going to be able to defer paying back the principal for AT LEAST 5 years. If I decide to take the subsidized loan, do I have to get it through a private bank or does it come directly from the Federal government as the name implies? Is there anything faulty with this reasoning? I'm very unfamiliar with this process...
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Aug 27, 2012 12:32
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The next incarnation of this thread should include a rough timetable of when to expect various benefits/payments from schools and the VA. I start class in two days but am not really sure when I should be expecting my benefits to begin... Can someone give me a rough timetable on when an incoming student should start looking for these benefits to hit the bank? Pell Grants: Federal Direct Subsidized Loans: GI Bill BAH: GI Bill books:
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Aug 28, 2012 14:34
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I haven't received any benefits yet (Pell grants, book allowance, BAH, loans) but I'm a new student so I figure it will take a bit longer to get everything rolling. I have a meeting with financial aid today - I'll ask them what's up with everything, and then I'll call the VA. The thing is, I don't remember giving the VA any bank account information... but it was months ago that I filled out the paperwork, so maybe I did?
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Aug 29, 2012 13:16
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I called the VA (was on hold for an hour and twenty minutes). I haven't received my BAH and book stipend because they don't have a copy of my DD214-- I know for a fact they received it, because I walked into the base personnel office with pre-stamped envelopes for my school and VA and mailed off the DD214 within an hour of receiving it. So I'm resending the DD214 and hoping I get paid sometime before 2015. I'm curious-- what's going on at my school's end? They're telling me everything is set, but if the VA is saying they're missing paperwork, how would the school receive any money? My tuition bill had all of the anticipated VA benefits on it so I'm not being charged anything. This is so frustrating because I called the school and the VA multiple times this summer just to ask "ARE WE COOL?" I guess we weren't.
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Sep 1, 2012 02:16
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I called the VA again today - last week I was told that my BAH and book stipend haven't started because they didn't have my DD214. I mailed a copy of my DD214 last week as they requested. Today, the representative at the VA said that they didn't need my DD214. The actual hold up is my 'enrollment certification,' from the school, which they haven't received yet. The VA rep said that as soon as they receive this enrollment certification they can process my benefits and give me an award letter, although this may take a long time to process. Does this sound right? I will be going to my financial aid office tomorrow to figure out what the hell is going on. I was told many times that all the paperwork was in order, now I'm having to wait X months for my BAH and book stipend. Edit to add: I am a new student, and didn't register for classes until last week. Do you think the certifying official at the school didn't send in my enrollment certification because I wasn't registered yet? sharkbomb fucked around with this message at 00:52 on Sep 5, 2012 |
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Sep 5, 2012 00:44
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My first BAH payment posted! I received two payments from the VA - one of them is exactly what I expected for September, the other is for $750? (2 days of class for August, 500 dollar book stipend, and ?????)
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Sep 28, 2012 12:36
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Here's how I handled the immunization records for school: I called my old Battalion Aid Station (or wherever you received medical care) and got in touch with whoever worked in immunizations. I explained the situation to them, and asked if they could read off the dates - they have access to all of those dates. Then I mailed the form to my old battalion medical officer with a letter explaining what's going on, and asked if he could sign it. I included a pre-addressed/stamped envelope so he could drop it in the mail and send it to the school.
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Nov 14, 2012 01:25
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Looking at when I will finish my undergraduate degree, I figure I'll have about 4 months worth of 9/11 GI Bill benefits left over. I intend on going to graduate school afterwords, but the tuition is covered by the school and I get a yearly stipend. Should I just use those four months of benefits for the BAH, or do you think there is some better way to use them? Also, would I get my MGIB refund after exhausting my 9/11 GI Bill while in grad school? Money's gonna be TIGHT - just trying to figure stuff out.
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Mar 2, 2013 20:11
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You should just directly ask them if you're admitted. When I was applying to schools, I used a story about how my fiance (didn't exist) needed to start looking for a job and housing, and if they could please let me know ASAP if we would be moving to X city. The admissions office had me call them up so they could tell me over the phone that they were planning on admitting me. Worth a shot, and the admissions office may accommodate you as a non-traditional student.
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Jul 9, 2013 21:09
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I remember reading in this thread that the 9/11 GI Bill will reimburse you for various exams, and I was excited because I plan on taking the MCAT in the next year. Luckily I found some of the fine print... https://gibill.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/29 "You will be charged one month of entitlement for each $1,601.69 reimbursed for academic year 2013 (and one month of entitlement for each $1,501.19 reimbursed for academic year 2012). Your entitlement charged is rounded to the nearest non-zero whole month; this means even low-cost tests are charged one month of entitlement per test."
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Aug 21, 2013 01:17
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I took organic chemistry 1 and 2 over the summer - it was the biggest academic mistake of my life, and that includes the time I dropped out of college to join the Navy. It was miserable, and I don't think I learned as much as I would have in the regular two semester course, but I am glad it's over. Plus I needed that sweet GI Bill money - no way am I working a JOB.
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Oct 9, 2013 23:38
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gleep gloop posted:Subsidized loans are interest free. So you pay back but that's it. Not to be nitpicky, but there is SOME cost to taking out subsidized loans. http://studentaid.ed.gov/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized#other-than-interest "Other than interest, is there a charge for this loan? Yes, there is a 1.051% loan fee on all Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans. The loan fee will be proportionately deducted from each loan disbursement." Each semester, I see how much money is refunded to me (my school covers the full tuition) and set aside the subsidized loan amount into a short-term CD, just in case disaster strikes and I need an infusion of cash. Interest rates are really low but I think I determined that the origination fee would eventually be recovered. If you receive a $2,000 subsidized loan, your school will actually only give you $1,980 (1% is gone for the origination fee) and your loan servicing company shows that you owe $2,000 principal. EDIT: Someone feel free to correct me - I'm getting lost in the weeds trying to figure this poo poo out. sharkbomb fucked around with this message at 03:21 on Oct 11, 2013 |
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Oct 11, 2013 03:11
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Ptolemaeus posted:So, my university forces freshmen to live in the dorms for their first 30 credit hours. Through my fafsa awarded money from the university, my grant and scholarship money should cover the cost of the dorms and meal plan. Will I still receive BAH and can I just pocket it for booze money? Thanks. You should really look into this "rule" a bit further, as it sounds like a blanket statement that your university has targeted towards traditional 18 year old freshmen. You will be taking a large financial hit if you pay for dorm housing and a meal plan. Also, I don't know your age or background, but do you really want to be the old person living among a bunch of kids? This is university-dependent, but you should consider that even if you are only 24 years old your classmates will probably perceive you as being approximately 35. Just make a call to housing and tell them you won't be living in the dorm because you are a regular adult. Edit to add: You will still receive BAH if you live in the dorms, but it's not worth the cost. sharkbomb fucked around with this message at 16:17 on Feb 4, 2015 |
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Feb 4, 2015 16:15
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Cole posted:I'm 27 and my classmates all think I'm in my early 20s. I'm skeptical about that, but I guess it depends on the school environment and the individual veteran -- I started playing intramural soccer this semester and was told I look like I'm 30 (I'm 27). Regardless, living in a dorm is a terrible decision unless someone feels truly compelled to develop a social circle that skews towards the 'can't buy booze yet' demographic and is willing to overpay housing/living costs for it.
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Feb 4, 2015 16:42
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| # ¿ May 22, 2024 13:07 |
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TheQuietWilds posted:Does anybody know how to go about getting the GI Bill to pay for MCAT prep courses? At the very bottom of your link (on page 2) it mentions what forms need to be submitted to the VA. However... I actually looked into this very issue about a year ago, and determined that it is not worthwhile to use GI Bill benefits on the MCAT exam or preparatory courses. I don't know your particular circumstances, nor your finances, but I think you'll find that 30+ days of GI Bills benefits are much more valuable when used for traditional coursework. For example, for 30 days of benefits I will receive about $1400 in housing and easily another $10,000 for a month's tuition benefits from a private university (I don't know the actual tuition cost because it's zeroed out for me with the Yellow Ribbon program - it's probably more). Even one of those over-priced MCAT courses that costs $1,800 are not worth spending GI Bill benefits on. You should be very stingy with your GI Bill benefits because you are looking at AT LEAST four more years of school. You should also think about setting yourself up with your own self-study regime rather than ponying up for Kaplan or Princeton Review - that stuff is a scam. PM me if you have any questions about the veteran --> med school route. I start med school in the fall so I have very recently jumped through all of the same hoops you are looking at. sharkbomb fucked around with this message at 03:37 on Feb 9, 2015 |
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Feb 9, 2015 03:35
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