College Planning and Assistance
Planning your educational goals and objectives can be a daunting task. To get started, download your Joint Services Transcript (JST), and then contact your State Education Services Officer (ESO) for further assistance.
ESOs help Soldiers by:
- Providing advice and counsel on individual education and career goals
- Determining cost-effectiveness of Tuition Assistance and other resources
- Providing information on school accreditation and recommending course options and methods of study
- Providing guidance, information and advocacy to maximize college credit for military training and experience
Not a member of the ARNG yet?
- If you haven’t decided on your MOS yet, keep in mind that completion of MOS training can lead to college credit.
- To find out how much college credit is recommended for the MOS you’re considering, view the American Council on Education (ACE) Military Guide.
- Once on the ACE website, click Occupational Search.
- Under Occupation, select "Army Enlisted," and under Occupational Designator, type in the MOS you’re considering (e.g., 42B, 92A).
- Keep in mind, this is the amount of college credit recommended by ACE, and each college has different rules on the amount of credit they will award for military training experience.
Narrowing down a field of study can be difficult, especially with so many different possible career paths to choose from. Below are a few free resources that can help you research your desired career and field of study:
Choosing a school is a difficult task. Below are a few web sites to help Soldiers make informed choices on available schools and programs:
There are numerous federal, state and local education programs and services available to ARNG Soldiers. Programs include GI Bill®, Federal Tuition Assistance, State Tuition Assistance (if applicable), Testing Services, Financial Aid, Scholarships and more. The rules governing these programs can be complicated. To ensure you are receiving everything you may be entitled to, contact these offices:
- ARNG Education Office – to obtain information on ARNG education benefits including GI Bill programs, federal TA testing services and state-level programs.
- School financial aid office – to obtain information on various programs available to students attending an educational institution.
- Department of Veterans Affairs – to obtain information about various veterans' education benefits.
Submit all applications according to the required submission deadlines. Keep your State ESO and School Certifying Official informed of any changes in your enrollment status. Be advised specific grade point averages (GPA) are required for certain programs.
Upon completion of your program/course, provide an official transcript to your State Education Services Office to ensure your personnel records are up to date.
For More Information, contact your State Education Office: