The military / money for college dirty little secret

[_Dr. Shades]

In honor of Veterans' Day tomorrow, I'd like to perform a public service by giving you the following information.

A key recruitment tactic of the armed forces is "money for college." This is true; due to the G.I. Bill and the Army College Fund (if you join the Army) you can indeed get money for college in various and sundry ways, depending on whether you're in the reserves or whether you serve an active duty enlistment.

NEVERTHELESS. . .

If you apply for a Pell Grant, you have to disclose the amount of money you're going to get from the military, after which they deduct the amount of your Pell Grant by that amount. So, if you're poor, you'll get precisely the same amount of money from all sources as though you'd never served in the military, even if you served in the military. In other words, you'll have no more dollars than someone who had never served.

So, literally the only way you can benefit from the "money for college" thing is if your parents are rich--thus disqualifying you from a Pell Grant--but refuse to help you with college.

Therefore, perhaps inform your younger relatives of this if any of them are considering joining the military to get money for college.

Mild disclaimer: This was true when I went to college off and on from 1992 until 2003, so there's a chance the rules have changed since then.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Don't forget that under the Post 9/11 GI Bill you also get a stipend (E-5 Basic Allowance for Housing for your zip code), and your books paid for. Additionally, there's something called the Yellow Ribbon Program where participating schools vacate their tution - the max fed contribution to tuition in order to ensure you're going to school for free in many cases. See here:

https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/yellow_ribbon.asp

For example if you were accepted to Harvard these amounts would apply to your program of choice:

https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/yell ... tes/ma.asp

Harvard University Cambridge Undergraduate College Unlimited $6,000.00
Harvard University Cambridge All Arts & Sciences Unlimited Unlimited
Harvard University Cambridge Graduate Dental Unlimited $5,000.00
Harvard University Cambridge All Education Unlimited Unlimited
Harvard University Cambridge Graduate Medical Unlimited Unlimited
Harvard University Cambridge All Business Unlimited $18,000.00
Harvard University Cambridge All Design Unlimited Unlimited
Harvard University Cambridge All Divinity Unlimited $5,000.00
Harvard University Cambridge All Government Unlimited $7,500.00
Harvard University Cambridge All Institute for Advanced Theater Unlimited $3,000.00
Harvard University Cambridge All Law Unlimited Unlimited
Harvard University Cambridge All Public Health Unlimited $10,000.00
Harvard University Extension Cambridge All All Unlimited Unlimited

I'm too lazy to format the tables but you get the idea. You can check your state's Yellow Ribbon Schools here:

https://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/yell ... t_2019.asp

- Doc

[_subgenius]

Im not sure i follow the OP's logic or argument about the Pell Grant, but the GI Bill doesn't short change recipients, and even allows for dependents to claim the benefits if unused by original soldier.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

My daughter was accepted into Penn State U and isn't paying a dime thanks to the government's largesse.

- Doc

[_honorentheos]

When I was enlisted, the other major college incentive was the student loan repayment program that paid a certain percentage of student loans one took out once one entered college. It as the largest payment for college most people I knew received. Between the GI Bill and student loan repayment, most single people I knew were able to pay for college through the military within the terms of a typical enlistment contract. On top of that, bonuses for certain MOS skills were substantial. $10k was not an uncommon signing bonus. In the period Shades described above (1992 - 2003) a person would almost certainly have received a $4k - $10k bonus for enlisting/reenlisting with the larger bonuses coming after 2001. With kickers and other benefits, it would be unlikely a person was unable to pay for college with the college payment options available at the time. I'm not sure what it's like today, but since Shades mentioned the period of time that overlaps well with my time in service I can say his focusing on the Pell Grant is missing important aspects of the "money for college" programs available through military service.

[_Dr. Shades]

My daughter was accepted into Penn State U and isn't paying a dime thanks to the government's largesse.

- Doc

Did she serve in the military, or did she get the full Pell Grant without serving in it?

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

My daughter was accepted into Penn State U and isn't paying a dime thanks to the government's largesse.

- Doc

Did she serve in the military, or did she get the full Pell Grant without serving in it?

Oh. Post 9-11 GI Bill thanks to her Navy enlistment. No Pell grant was necessary.

- Doc

[_Dr. Shades]

Oh. Post 9-11 GI Bill thanks to her Navy enlistment. No Pell grant was necessary.

- Doc

Fine, but would she have been eligible for a Pell Grant if she hadn't served in the military?

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Oh. Post 9-11 GI Bill thanks to her Navy enlistment. No Pell grant was necessary.

- Doc

Fine, but would she have been eligible for a Pell Grant if she hadn't served in the military?

I think so? Since she's an adult who most likely wouldn't have been living with me and I couldn't have claimed her as a dependent I'd wager she would've been eligible. But honestly it's just guessing on my part. I'm not sure.

- Doc