Testing Out: Active Duty Experience

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No discussion of getting college credit for military training would be complete without mentioning the "test-out" option.

During your military career, you will pick up invaluable skills outside a specialized training program. Many of those skills will be comparable to those taught in a college classroom, but without a training certificate, colleges can't adequately judge skill mastery. This is when the test-out option becomes invaluable.

Taking a nationally recognized test, such as CLEP or DSST, proves your subject mastery and gives your online university a reason to grant you more credits toward your degree without having to spend hours doing class work for a skill you already possess.

Online colleges and universities led the way in creating degree programs for military and military family members. As a part of developing flexible and portable programs for service members, online degree programs accept test-out credits toward both required and elective classes.

Best of all, you may qualify to have your tests partially or even completely paid for through dedicated funds at the Base Education Office. That is a benefit you don't want to overlook because you can literally get started on your college degree at no cost.

Consulting with a counselor or admissions officer at an accredited online university program is the best way to identify areas of military training that may qualify for credit. A trained counselor can tell you if you have college credit already granted through military programs and help you identify skills that translate to one of the many approved tests offered.