College Planning & Assistance

Step 1. Get Assessed

Planning your educational goals and objectives can be a dauting 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.

Step 2. Choose a Field of Study

Log in to your GoArmyEd account (www.goarmyed.com) and use VIA. VIA is a decision support tool designed to help Soldiers make informed decisions.

• VIA recommends college degree options designed to prepare an individual for that career. Furthermore, VIA recommends schools offering a degree online or the location selected.
• VIA also helps Soldiers choose a "best fit/best value" school by comparing cost, student outcomes, and alignment with student preferences.
• After using VIA, Soldiers will submit career goal, degree, and school selection to their Army Educated Counselor for approval and further discussion if needed. 
• While VIA is a useful tool in the college planning process, additional career guidance and planning resources are listed in the box above. 

Step 3. Choose a School

Choosing a school is a difficult task. Below are a few web sites to help Soldiers make informed choices on available schools and programs:

TA Decide: www.dodmou.com/TADECIDE
College Navigator: www.nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator
GI Bill Comparison Tool: www.vets.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool

Step 4. Financial Assistance

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 – obtain information on ARNG education benefits including GI Bill programs, Federal TA testing services, and state-level programs.
• Scholl Financial Aid Office – obtain information on various programs available to students attending an educational institution.
• Department of Veterans Affairs – obtain information about various veteran's education benefits. 

Step 5. Attend School

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. 

Step 6. Graduate!

Upon completion of your program/course, provide an official transcript to your Unit Readiness NCO and the State Education Services Office to ensure your personal Records are up to date.