Whether you're already in school or are thinking about attending from some dirty patrol base in Afghanistan, you should think about the getting involved with veterans organizations on the national or local level.
These groups, like the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and the Student Veterans of America (SVA), are useful tools for making contacts, gaining information, and also hanging out with other veterans around your area. Check out the SVA website and you can find out how to get a hold of people via email and phone. They can answer questions about their particular school and help you make a better choice.
IAVA is also a good networking tools and their website offers a lot of resources if you're curious about benefits, important laws, or social events nearby.
What I really like about these sites is they help you understand how much people want to help out veterans. It's easy to lose sight of this in the day-to-day struggle of schoolwork, family problems, paying bills, and all the rest. Remember there are a lot of people out there who care about our success and want to assist in any way. No veteran should go it alone.
29 March, 2010
19 March, 2010
What does it take to get an "A"?
Doing well in school, especially community college, is easier than you think. Like I said in a previous post everyone in the military picks up the tools they need to succeed. The trick is figuring out how to use those tools.
The effort for a good grade will vary a lot from class to class. Physics is a hard class (even the non-math physics they have for knuckle draggers like me) and will take a lot of studying each week to get an A. Compare that to something like English 1A or Sociology 1--these classes are a cake walk. You'll still have to work, sure, but it doesn't take the same amount of time and you won't pull out half your hair getting frustrated.
Case in point: I have a buddy who spends 20-25 hours a week on his physics homework. Man, I could read every English book for the whole semester in two weeks doing that!
Besides convincing you not to be a physics major, I'm trying to help you understand the type and amount of effort will vary depending on what you do. It's never a bad idea of try a few of the basic courses in a department - English, Psychology, Mathematics, Chemistry, etc - when you start out. These are usually the ones listed with numbers like 1 or 1A that don't have any prerequisite course (meaning you have to take a different course before taking that one).
This will help you get a feel for what teachers expect, including how you much should pay attention to the syllabus (a piece of paper handed out on the first day that breaks down the class in terms of homework, tests, and grades). Most people tell you to expect two hours of homework for every one hour in class, but I've found it's more like one-to-one for everything but Math and the Sciences. If you can keep that ratio you'll do well enough.
There is one other thing you can do to ensure a good grade: individual tutors. You would be surprised how much it helps to go get personal help. Most schools have stuff like a Writing Lab (for help with papers) and student tutors who are provided at no charge or for less than $10/hour. That's a great deal and will really help you find out what it takes for you to crank out high grades.
The effort for a good grade will vary a lot from class to class. Physics is a hard class (even the non-math physics they have for knuckle draggers like me) and will take a lot of studying each week to get an A. Compare that to something like English 1A or Sociology 1--these classes are a cake walk. You'll still have to work, sure, but it doesn't take the same amount of time and you won't pull out half your hair getting frustrated.
Case in point: I have a buddy who spends 20-25 hours a week on his physics homework. Man, I could read every English book for the whole semester in two weeks doing that!
Besides convincing you not to be a physics major, I'm trying to help you understand the type and amount of effort will vary depending on what you do. It's never a bad idea of try a few of the basic courses in a department - English, Psychology, Mathematics, Chemistry, etc - when you start out. These are usually the ones listed with numbers like 1 or 1A that don't have any prerequisite course (meaning you have to take a different course before taking that one).
This will help you get a feel for what teachers expect, including how you much should pay attention to the syllabus (a piece of paper handed out on the first day that breaks down the class in terms of homework, tests, and grades). Most people tell you to expect two hours of homework for every one hour in class, but I've found it's more like one-to-one for everything but Math and the Sciences. If you can keep that ratio you'll do well enough.
There is one other thing you can do to ensure a good grade: individual tutors. You would be surprised how much it helps to go get personal help. Most schools have stuff like a Writing Lab (for help with papers) and student tutors who are provided at no charge or for less than $10/hour. That's a great deal and will really help you find out what it takes for you to crank out high grades.
10 March, 2010
Is a UC right for me?
You might think you know what going to college is all about. A lot of people have this simple roadmap laid out. It looks like this: I go to college, I get a degree, I get a job. Well, it's not necessarily that easy. You need to think about why that makes sense for an employer. Somewhere during that college time you need to acquire some skills and contacts you don't already have--otherwise what the hell is the point?
If you're looking at being a cop, fireman, EMT, or something like that, they tell you what you need to do in terms of school. That's easy, you're just checking a box on an application. For those of you in this position, carry on.
Where it gets difficult is when someone doesn't know what they want to do and assume they will figure it out in school. Sometimes this happens, but more often it doesn't. You need a plan. Are you getting interested in computer work? Engineering? Education? Private sector entrepreneurship? Ask yourself these hard questions now so you aren't caught with your pants down when you're in your late twenties or early thirties wondering why you can't pay the rent.
Generally speaking, if you just want a job and end up in school studying English, History, or some other Liberal Arts major, you're an idiot. These don't teach you skills. Essentially you are banking on either making great contacts in school or hoping employers will be impressed that you were in the military and have a degree too. Are these possible? Sure, but should you bet your future career and financial stability on these happening? Not a freaking chance.
What I'm trying to say is you need to plan for the worst, especially if you have a family already. Not all of us will be able to party for four years, graduate, and get a job working for our roommate's dad in a construction firm (true story!). Assume you'll need to prove yourself just like you did in the military.
If it turns out a UC campus (generally more into the Liberal Arts and research stuff) isn't right for you, it's better to know that now. You can still use the GI Bill for vocational and technical schools, and these are much better at helping you with job placement, they're cheaper, and they give you a solid skill.
There are lots of options, the important thing is to think hard about what makes sense for your future.
If you're looking at being a cop, fireman, EMT, or something like that, they tell you what you need to do in terms of school. That's easy, you're just checking a box on an application. For those of you in this position, carry on.
Where it gets difficult is when someone doesn't know what they want to do and assume they will figure it out in school. Sometimes this happens, but more often it doesn't. You need a plan. Are you getting interested in computer work? Engineering? Education? Private sector entrepreneurship? Ask yourself these hard questions now so you aren't caught with your pants down when you're in your late twenties or early thirties wondering why you can't pay the rent.
Generally speaking, if you just want a job and end up in school studying English, History, or some other Liberal Arts major, you're an idiot. These don't teach you skills. Essentially you are banking on either making great contacts in school or hoping employers will be impressed that you were in the military and have a degree too. Are these possible? Sure, but should you bet your future career and financial stability on these happening? Not a freaking chance.
What I'm trying to say is you need to plan for the worst, especially if you have a family already. Not all of us will be able to party for four years, graduate, and get a job working for our roommate's dad in a construction firm (true story!). Assume you'll need to prove yourself just like you did in the military.
If it turns out a UC campus (generally more into the Liberal Arts and research stuff) isn't right for you, it's better to know that now. You can still use the GI Bill for vocational and technical schools, and these are much better at helping you with job placement, they're cheaper, and they give you a solid skill.
There are lots of options, the important thing is to think hard about what makes sense for your future.
07 March, 2010
What you need to succeed
A lot of people wonder just what the hell it is we do in the military. There's the whole “fighting wars” thing, but we don't aways have an Iraq or Afghanistan to keep us occupied. We must do something else and it can't just be hanging dips or making the occasional MRE bomb.
Fortunately for you, that “something else” is also what will make you a good student. Scratch that: it will make you a great student.
What is it? It's a lifestyle composed of a simple set of things required to be a responsible adult and—fortunately for you—is more rare on a college campus than a virgin after a frat party.
1) Discipline. I don't mean you were a drill instructor or something—this is more like you can make yourself study even when there's a party going on somewhere nearby. Kids at school seem to be completely incapable of impulse control.
2) Time management. Kind of like discipline combined with planning—a lot of my friends think it's amazing I never pulled an all-nighter studying for finals or finishing a paper. My response? School's not that freaking hard, you're just a procrastinating moron.
3) Life experience. Believe it or not, this is huge. Think about how much more you can learn from a lecture on political science when you've been a part of the government as it hooks and jabs in the international arena.
4) Confidence. This is based on #3. You've done something outside of school that is worthy of respect. You know what you can do in difficult situations, so college is going to be a breeze.
#1 is a part of the military, obviously. We all have it to some degree—the key here is how important it is to learning material and getting good grades. #2 will be second nature as you adapt school life to some kind of schedule like you used before. #3 will prove valuable every day—what's a challenge is not getting frustrated with clueless 18 year-olds. #4 grows with every good grade you earn. You'll quickly learn how easily you adapt and beat the other students at their own game.
I don't want to make college sound super easy because it's not. The point is it's just like a long hump (road march for you soldiers out there)—put one foot in front of the other.
There's no secret and you already have what you need.
Fortunately for you, that “something else” is also what will make you a good student. Scratch that: it will make you a great student.
What is it? It's a lifestyle composed of a simple set of things required to be a responsible adult and—fortunately for you—is more rare on a college campus than a virgin after a frat party.
1) Discipline. I don't mean you were a drill instructor or something—this is more like you can make yourself study even when there's a party going on somewhere nearby. Kids at school seem to be completely incapable of impulse control.
2) Time management. Kind of like discipline combined with planning—a lot of my friends think it's amazing I never pulled an all-nighter studying for finals or finishing a paper. My response? School's not that freaking hard, you're just a procrastinating moron.
3) Life experience. Believe it or not, this is huge. Think about how much more you can learn from a lecture on political science when you've been a part of the government as it hooks and jabs in the international arena.
4) Confidence. This is based on #3. You've done something outside of school that is worthy of respect. You know what you can do in difficult situations, so college is going to be a breeze.
#1 is a part of the military, obviously. We all have it to some degree—the key here is how important it is to learning material and getting good grades. #2 will be second nature as you adapt school life to some kind of schedule like you used before. #3 will prove valuable every day—what's a challenge is not getting frustrated with clueless 18 year-olds. #4 grows with every good grade you earn. You'll quickly learn how easily you adapt and beat the other students at their own game.
I don't want to make college sound super easy because it's not. The point is it's just like a long hump (road march for you soldiers out there)—put one foot in front of the other.
There's no secret and you already have what you need.
06 March, 2010
Making sense of transferring
If you aren't going to transfer, stop reading.
If you are going to transfer, keep reading.
If you have no idea what transfer even means, haze yourself and then keep reading.
It's never too early to start thinking about transferring from community college. You need to have that goal in mind from the first semester/quarter and never lose sight of it. As much as it sucks to have to treat school like a job instead of an excuse to do keg stands on Wednesday afternoons, there's no way around it. You're not a regular student.
Think about what you want to study in school. I can't help you with that part - just Google stuff, read a little bit, talk to friends and family, or just sign up for a counseling session at community college. Hell, do everything I just listed. The important thing is to nail something down. You can always adjust majors but it's harder the more time you spend in school.
Once you figure that out, think about where you want to transfer. Do you want to stay around the area you're in right now or go somewhere else? Are you planning on working hella hard and getting over a 3.5 (B+/A- range) and getting into a UC campus or be more low-key and stick with a CSU? Do the schools you're looking at even offer what you're interested in? This is actually a problem more often than you realize. Just go on the school's website and click through the departments to see what they have.
Easy, right? Now go on assist.org and use the drop-down menus to choose your community college, the school you want to transfer to, and your major. A transfer plan will come up detailing exactly what classes you need to take if you want to graduate. This is a great way to be prepared when you meet with your college counselor and double-check the schedule you have mapped out. Since you only get to meet them a few times during your first two years it makes sense to make the most out of these sessions.
One more thing about counselors: they're great people but they have hundreds of students to deal with. No one cares about your education or your future career as much as you. That means you need to make sure everything you're told is true. Trust, but verify.
If you are going to transfer, keep reading.
If you have no idea what transfer even means, haze yourself and then keep reading.
It's never too early to start thinking about transferring from community college. You need to have that goal in mind from the first semester/quarter and never lose sight of it. As much as it sucks to have to treat school like a job instead of an excuse to do keg stands on Wednesday afternoons, there's no way around it. You're not a regular student.
Think about what you want to study in school. I can't help you with that part - just Google stuff, read a little bit, talk to friends and family, or just sign up for a counseling session at community college. Hell, do everything I just listed. The important thing is to nail something down. You can always adjust majors but it's harder the more time you spend in school.
Once you figure that out, think about where you want to transfer. Do you want to stay around the area you're in right now or go somewhere else? Are you planning on working hella hard and getting over a 3.5 (B+/A- range) and getting into a UC campus or be more low-key and stick with a CSU? Do the schools you're looking at even offer what you're interested in? This is actually a problem more often than you realize. Just go on the school's website and click through the departments to see what they have.
Easy, right? Now go on assist.org and use the drop-down menus to choose your community college, the school you want to transfer to, and your major. A transfer plan will come up detailing exactly what classes you need to take if you want to graduate. This is a great way to be prepared when you meet with your college counselor and double-check the schedule you have mapped out. Since you only get to meet them a few times during your first two years it makes sense to make the most out of these sessions.
One more thing about counselors: they're great people but they have hundreds of students to deal with. No one cares about your education or your future career as much as you. That means you need to make sure everything you're told is true. Trust, but verify.
05 March, 2010
Working with the VA
Getting money on time from the VA is like nailing jello (chocolate or fruit flavored) to the wall: you can try all you want but it's not happening.
Expect to wait a long time when you are first getting into the system. A lot of guys have to wait almost an entire semester or quarter before the first check rolls in, and a lot of times it's too much or too little and that can take a lot of time to sort out.
The good news is there are people at your school and at the local VA office who can help you sort this stuff out. There are short-term loans you can get, and some schools will defer your payment because they understand the system. Remember, they work this the VA a lot and know the problems.
It's usually worth your time to talk to the local VA official. They are based on what county you live in, so first you need that info. Jump onto this website to get the official's name and contact info and from there you can set up a time to meet or just talk to them over the phone. If you are on disability or something like that, the VA official can also help sort out where you need to go.
A basic point to remember: A lot of this stuff is front-loaded: do the work early and you'll be ready to get the benefits when you need them. The VA are good people for the most part and they want to help.
Expect to wait a long time when you are first getting into the system. A lot of guys have to wait almost an entire semester or quarter before the first check rolls in, and a lot of times it's too much or too little and that can take a lot of time to sort out.
The good news is there are people at your school and at the local VA office who can help you sort this stuff out. There are short-term loans you can get, and some schools will defer your payment because they understand the system. Remember, they work this the VA a lot and know the problems.
It's usually worth your time to talk to the local VA official. They are based on what county you live in, so first you need that info. Jump onto this website to get the official's name and contact info and from there you can set up a time to meet or just talk to them over the phone. If you are on disability or something like that, the VA official can also help sort out where you need to go.
A basic point to remember: A lot of this stuff is front-loaded: do the work early and you'll be ready to get the benefits when you need them. The VA are good people for the most part and they want to help.
04 March, 2010
Looking at community colleges
The biggest problem with starting out in higher education is making sense of all the information. There are way too many pieces to the puzzle, and you get to the point where you feel paralyzed. We've all been there and the only way to get past it is to focus on little steps you can take.
One relatively simple thing you can do is locate your community college. Often there are clusters of them in the major population centers where most Californians live (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento) so you have options. Sometimes one school might be a lot better than another for the degree or work you're interested in, but usually you can choose any of them.
People tend to think about three main issues with school location: family, friends, and focus.
Family: Do you want to return to your hometown? Do you have a family already and need to stay in a particular area?
Friends: Are all your buddies staying in a certain area after getting out?
Focus: Do you already have a school that's known for a certain program? Using Google helps a lot with this issue. Try putting in "community college criminal justice" or "community college industrial design" and see what comes up.
Regardless of the area you choose, there are resources you can take advantage of even before you start school.
1) Register at the school (this can usually be done online)
2) Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
3) Call the school and talk to the Admissions and Financial Aid departments.You can find out what tests you'll have to take to be ready to start school on time.
4) Talk to the VA Certifying Official at the school to get started on the GI Bill paperwork. Get their contact info from Admissions, and remember this process takes a few months.
5) For those who want to transfer to a four year school: Visit the website Assist.org to look at transfer programs at various CSU and/or UC schools. Before going on this site you should brainstorm about majors because you will be overwhelmed with the drop-down menu list.
Once you get started on these steps and actually begin school, you'll learn what else needs to happen for transferring, earning your degree, earning a certification, or whatever your goal is. Generally this info comes from a variety of sources: professors, staff at the school, friends, the internet, and so on. The important thing is to get moving on the first step so you can build momentum.
One relatively simple thing you can do is locate your community college. Often there are clusters of them in the major population centers where most Californians live (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento) so you have options. Sometimes one school might be a lot better than another for the degree or work you're interested in, but usually you can choose any of them.
People tend to think about three main issues with school location: family, friends, and focus.
Family: Do you want to return to your hometown? Do you have a family already and need to stay in a particular area?
Friends: Are all your buddies staying in a certain area after getting out?
Focus: Do you already have a school that's known for a certain program? Using Google helps a lot with this issue. Try putting in "community college criminal justice" or "community college industrial design" and see what comes up.
Regardless of the area you choose, there are resources you can take advantage of even before you start school.
1) Register at the school (this can usually be done online)
2) Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
3) Call the school and talk to the Admissions and Financial Aid departments.You can find out what tests you'll have to take to be ready to start school on time.
4) Talk to the VA Certifying Official at the school to get started on the GI Bill paperwork. Get their contact info from Admissions, and remember this process takes a few months.
5) For those who want to transfer to a four year school: Visit the website Assist.org to look at transfer programs at various CSU and/or UC schools. Before going on this site you should brainstorm about majors because you will be overwhelmed with the drop-down menu list.
Once you get started on these steps and actually begin school, you'll learn what else needs to happen for transferring, earning your degree, earning a certification, or whatever your goal is. Generally this info comes from a variety of sources: professors, staff at the school, friends, the internet, and so on. The important thing is to get moving on the first step so you can build momentum.
03 March, 2010
Stepping off
Once you understand system of higher education in California, you need to know where you fit in, and here's the straight dope: you're going to community college. I don't care how many correspondence courses, online courses, CLEP courses, or supposedly ACE-certified courses you took.
You are going to community college.
Why do I say this so confidently? Because over 90% of veterans who go to college in California attend community college, and you're not special. Odds are you are going to do exactly what the rest of us had to do.
It's not a bad thing, either. Community college is easier than a four-year university (with a few exceptions) letting you ease yourself into the academic and social environment. And college is different, trust me. You'll have older professors from the Vietnam era with all kinds of crazy ideas about war and the military. You'll have eighteen year-olds who want to lecture you on how we should be fighting in Iraq (that or challenging you to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare tournaments). You'll be a older than most of the students and find it hard to connect with them. And you'll be in the middle of this big ol' goatrope just trying to graduate and get a damn job.
So how do you do it? You start by getting paid to do it.
The GI Bill website has a link you can use to determine if you're better off with new Post 9/11 version or the old Montgomery version. If you want, click here to compare the two but I can save you the trouble: you're better off with it. Only guys who have been out for a certain amount of time and live on weird farms in the middle of nowhere get more money with the Montgomery GI Bill. You want the new one, called Chapter 33, the Post 9/11 GI Bill, or just the new GI Bill.
If you go to school, do yourself a favor and go full-time. Generally this means taking 12 units and, if you're smart, getting your degree in the shortest period of time. This maxes out your benefits, which come in three parts with the new GI Bill.
1) You get an annual $1,000 textbook stipend (but it can be less if you don't take as many units)
2) You get BAH equivalent to an E-5 with 1 dependent based on your zip code. Check out this link to find different rates.
3) Your school (not you) gets tuition and fees equivalent to the most expensive public school in the state. Follow this link to see the breakdown of states from last year.
At this point you should be able to get a pretty good idea of what your benefits will look like. If you have a wife, expensive girlfriend, legitimate kids, illegitimate kids, or you eat organic food, it's important to track your expenses because this is not as much money as it appears at first glance. Basically the new GI Bill makes it so you can have around $1400-1500 a month (on average in California) beyond what it costs to go to school. That's enough to avoid having a full-time job even if you live on your own, and that's what it was designed to do.
Before you use the GI Bill, though, you need to actually enroll in school. We'll hit that topic tomorrow.
You are going to community college.
Why do I say this so confidently? Because over 90% of veterans who go to college in California attend community college, and you're not special. Odds are you are going to do exactly what the rest of us had to do.
It's not a bad thing, either. Community college is easier than a four-year university (with a few exceptions) letting you ease yourself into the academic and social environment. And college is different, trust me. You'll have older professors from the Vietnam era with all kinds of crazy ideas about war and the military. You'll have eighteen year-olds who want to lecture you on how we should be fighting in Iraq (that or challenging you to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare tournaments). You'll be a older than most of the students and find it hard to connect with them. And you'll be in the middle of this big ol' goatrope just trying to graduate and get a damn job.
So how do you do it? You start by getting paid to do it.
The GI Bill website has a link you can use to determine if you're better off with new Post 9/11 version or the old Montgomery version. If you want, click here to compare the two but I can save you the trouble: you're better off with it. Only guys who have been out for a certain amount of time and live on weird farms in the middle of nowhere get more money with the Montgomery GI Bill. You want the new one, called Chapter 33, the Post 9/11 GI Bill, or just the new GI Bill.
If you go to school, do yourself a favor and go full-time. Generally this means taking 12 units and, if you're smart, getting your degree in the shortest period of time. This maxes out your benefits, which come in three parts with the new GI Bill.
1) You get an annual $1,000 textbook stipend (but it can be less if you don't take as many units)
2) You get BAH equivalent to an E-5 with 1 dependent based on your zip code. Check out this link to find different rates.
3) Your school (not you) gets tuition and fees equivalent to the most expensive public school in the state. Follow this link to see the breakdown of states from last year.
At this point you should be able to get a pretty good idea of what your benefits will look like. If you have a wife, expensive girlfriend, legitimate kids, illegitimate kids, or you eat organic food, it's important to track your expenses because this is not as much money as it appears at first glance. Basically the new GI Bill makes it so you can have around $1400-1500 a month (on average in California) beyond what it costs to go to school. That's enough to avoid having a full-time job even if you live on your own, and that's what it was designed to do.
Before you use the GI Bill, though, you need to actually enroll in school. We'll hit that topic tomorrow.
02 March, 2010
Forming up
Before anyone gets started in college it's a good idea to do a bit of research. I know I would have thought differently about the military if I'd done a little work ahead of time to find out what the hell I was in for after raising my right hand. Even if you're already enrolled, you should read this to remind yourself of the bigger picture.
There are four basic components to the higher education system in California. That's a lot of moving parts but trust me, you're better off here as a student veteran than just about anywhere else (despite the awful mess the government is in).
Component #1: Community College. These are two year schools offering anything from vocational training to preparation courses for four year schools. There are over 100 of these in the state, so finding one nearby isn't much of a challenge unless you live alone with your german shepherds and video surveillance cameras in the woods.
More CC info is available at http://www.cccco.edu
Component #2: California State University. These are four year schools often referred to as CSUs. So the CSU in San Francisco is called CSU-San Francisco or San Francisco State. 23 of these campuses are spread around California, offering full Bachelor's degrees in all kinds of stuff. Their degrees are often more applicable to the real world than the next group.
More CSU info is available at http://www.calstate.edu
Component #3: University of California. This system is more for the guys who wear glasses and can't PT. The UC campuses are the hardest to get accepted into, the most expensive, and are usually a stepping stone to white-collar jobs (think Office Space) or a graduate degree. That said, all it takes is hard work and a willingness to listen to 18 year-olds lecture you about Iraq.
More UC info is available at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu
Component #4: Private Colleges and Universities. These vary across the board from religious schools to small liberal arts colleges to places like Stanford that compete more with the UC system. You can enter these directly-which requires good high school grades and test scores-or transfer from a CC.
So why is Cali such a good place to be? Because the system is set up so you can attend #1 (cheap) for two years then transfer to #2 or #3 (expensive) to finish your degree. Also, #1 can be used to get an two year or vocational degree to help get a job--cop or EMT, for instance.
Think of these systems like basic training. #1 is boot camp, which leads to A-schools #2, 3, 4, or directly into a job, depending on what you're thinking about doing for a career. The important thing is thinking about what plan makes sense for you. I'll follow up with more information about each system after a few more posts on the basics of higher education in California as a veteran.
There are four basic components to the higher education system in California. That's a lot of moving parts but trust me, you're better off here as a student veteran than just about anywhere else (despite the awful mess the government is in).
Component #1: Community College. These are two year schools offering anything from vocational training to preparation courses for four year schools. There are over 100 of these in the state, so finding one nearby isn't much of a challenge unless you live alone with your german shepherds and video surveillance cameras in the woods.
More CC info is available at http://www.cccco.edu
Component #2: California State University. These are four year schools often referred to as CSUs. So the CSU in San Francisco is called CSU-San Francisco or San Francisco State. 23 of these campuses are spread around California, offering full Bachelor's degrees in all kinds of stuff. Their degrees are often more applicable to the real world than the next group.
More CSU info is available at http://www.calstate.edu
Component #3: University of California. This system is more for the guys who wear glasses and can't PT. The UC campuses are the hardest to get accepted into, the most expensive, and are usually a stepping stone to white-collar jobs (think Office Space) or a graduate degree. That said, all it takes is hard work and a willingness to listen to 18 year-olds lecture you about Iraq.
More UC info is available at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu
Component #4: Private Colleges and Universities. These vary across the board from religious schools to small liberal arts colleges to places like Stanford that compete more with the UC system. You can enter these directly-which requires good high school grades and test scores-or transfer from a CC.
So why is Cali such a good place to be? Because the system is set up so you can attend #1 (cheap) for two years then transfer to #2 or #3 (expensive) to finish your degree. Also, #1 can be used to get an two year or vocational degree to help get a job--cop or EMT, for instance.
Think of these systems like basic training. #1 is boot camp, which leads to A-schools #2, 3, 4, or directly into a job, depending on what you're thinking about doing for a career. The important thing is thinking about what plan makes sense for you. I'll follow up with more information about each system after a few more posts on the basics of higher education in California as a veteran.
01 March, 2010
Lacing up my boots
I know there are about ten billion blogs out there but I have been frustrated with the lack of information for veterans who want to sort out their education. Most people don't understand that we don't want anything but a fair chance to succeed in school but it's difficult when you have been hooking and jabbing (or filling out paperwork or washing trucks or whatever) for the last few years.
So what I hope to do is lay out some really basic stuff that-in my experience-offers a lot of insight into higher education. It doesn't really matter if you are interested in vocational (job-related) training, undergraduate, or graduate education, what's important is knowing the structure of the system. Just like in the military, you need to know when someone's blowing smoke up your a$$.
The information I'll be putting up will be more applicable to those of us in California but you can probably pick out some good stuff even if you're from out-of-state. It will be pretty obvious, I think. I'll try to do my best to fact-check stuff but I'm only a knuckle-dragging Sergeant of Marines, so cut me some slack.
So what I hope to do is lay out some really basic stuff that-in my experience-offers a lot of insight into higher education. It doesn't really matter if you are interested in vocational (job-related) training, undergraduate, or graduate education, what's important is knowing the structure of the system. Just like in the military, you need to know when someone's blowing smoke up your a$$.
The information I'll be putting up will be more applicable to those of us in California but you can probably pick out some good stuff even if you're from out-of-state. It will be pretty obvious, I think. I'll try to do my best to fact-check stuff but I'm only a knuckle-dragging Sergeant of Marines, so cut me some slack.
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