John Nerison ⋅ Boise, ID Retired from POWER Engineers, Inc. www.powereng.com ⋅ 40 years experience

Not sure what major you are going to pursue. In the engineering field, I am aware of two really good programs. Arizona State University and University of North Dakota. Let me know if I can provide any information or assistance.

todd moore ⋅ Terre Haute, IN U.S. Army, Specialist ⋅ 4 years served

First thing you need to look at is whether or not the college is regionally accredited. Some scam schools will market to veterans(i.e. ITT tech, which is now bankrupt) but provide nothing of value. The first thing is to always make sure the college is accredited.

Carl Warren ⋅ Holland, OH U.S. Marine Corps, Sergeant ⋅ 10 years served

I received my two degrees from ECPI which is very military friendly. Once I received my first degree from them so many doors opened up. I had all the experience in the world but could never break the barrier of having a career versus a job. It was literally got my degree on a Friday, called for an salary position interview the following week and got hired the week after that. I had applied to this company before, but they didn't consider me until I got my degree. Hope this helps

J J Nemitz ⋅ Traverse City, MI Central Michigan University ⋅ 45 years experience

Hi Eric,
There are some excellent schools out there that are military friendly. Many have personed educational centers on base or close to a base where you can actually meet a real person.
Online education is a good alternative, but make sure those schools offer support in and outside the computer classroom. Do they have a resonsive VA officer? Do they have advising? Who do I call when I can’t navigate the bureaucracy of higher ed. Can someone help me with my books and syllabus? Any peer support? How do I check my computer to see if I can even log in to my online class and I have compatible programs to do my course?
You can also search schools that have centers near you. I know CMU Central Michigan University has one and Mary Pat Mabus would be happy to even just chat.
Best to you and feel free to contact me if you have other questions.
Regard,
JJ

Jon Jackson ⋅ Alexandria, VA U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 19 years served

Thomas Edison State University (Teaneck, NJ) has a few online degree programs.

Dr. Scena Webb ⋅ Auburn, WA Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) ⋅ 15 years experience

Indiana Wesleyan University has a very nice program for Public Administration. I teach as an Adjunct professor in this degree program so I can share from the inside that they really do care. https://www.indwes.edu/

However, the goal should be, what can you do with the degree? Looking around at the jobs that seem to be a fit for your future should help you. I am willing to chat with you about education. Here are some of the schools I have first-hand knowledge about.

Saint Leo University = my associate and bachelor's degrees
Troy State University = my masters degree
University of Phoenix = my doctorate
Capella University - my post doctorate masters
Grand Canyon University = dissertation committee member

Scena

Robert Jurasek ⋅ Hollywood, FL Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ⋅ 45 years experience

Dear Erik,

You might be interested in Thomas Edison State University (www.tesc.edu), Trenton NJ, as they have several programs designed for Veterans.

The university also is very good about granting credit for previous experience and military training.

Good luck with your degree, and thank you for your Service!

Sincerely,
Bob Jurasek

Duke Khadan Sawh ⋅ Keyport, NJ CECOM, Department of Defense ⋅ 25 years experience

Hi Erik,

The American Military University maintains programs which are veteran friendly. https://www.apus.edu. American Public University System - Official Site - 877-755-2787.
I did my Graduate Program there and found it to be most rewarding.

Good Luck.

Duke Khadan Sawh (US Army Retired)
BS, MA (Hon).

David Andersen ⋅ Alexandria, VA Avanade (Accenture) ⋅ 6 years experience

Erik,
When you think of "veteran friendly" what is it you are thinking of? This is an important question because it impacts which type of school someone would recommend. Additionally, since you are looking for an online program, you may have difficulty taking advantage of all of the veteran resources unless you choose a school close to you.
The real question is what do you want to study? Then once we understand that, it is easier to give you some guidance on where you go to school.
David

ACP AdvisorNet Staff ⋅ New York, NY ⋅ 10 years experience

Hi Erik,

Thank you for your question. I know there are a lot of lists out there with "Top Schools for Veterans" and they can certainly be misleading. I can only speak to my own experience with Arizona State University. I completed my degree there online and had zero complaints. I wasn't engaged in their veteran community much while I was in school, but everything else was top notch. The best part was having a success coach that would help with the adjustment to school and periodically check-in with you during the semester. It was also easy to schedule classes and make appointments with advisors over the phone.

In my experience it is better to find a school that has a good program that you are interested in verses one that is more military friendly. While that will play a role, it is only a small portion of your academic experience whether you are taking classes online or in person. Some schools will have more active chapters of their veterans groups and that is something you can look into as you identify the schools you are interested in. Schools that are more military tend to have a liaison in their student veteran office that you can reach out to and can answer questions you may have. You should be able to get a sense of how friendly that school is with the military from them, something that doesn't show up on the lists out there on the internet.

If you are using the GI Bill make sure to use the GI Bill comparison calculator: https://www.va.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool/
This will help you get a sense of the benefits you can expect from each school you consider. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Best,
Chris