Thank You!

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Thank You!

• Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
• Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs

07/15/2013
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Why Goal Setting?

• You need a plan to meet your life goals
• You need a plan to search for employment
• You need a plan to wisely use educational
  benefits
• GOALS PLANS SUCCESS

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www.gpslifeplan.org/mnscumilitary
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Planning Your Education

• Selecting a School
• Program
• Accreditation
• Cost
• Credit award and transfer
• Graduation rate/Placement rate
• Paying for it (benefits)
• HAVE A PLAN!

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Higher Education

• Public Colleges and Universities
• State supported
• Certificatesadvanced degrees
• Private Colleges and Universities
• Not for profit
• For-profit businesses
• Certificatesadvanced degrees

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Accreditation

• National accreditation of college/university
• Credits may not transfer
• Regional accreditation of college/university
• 6 defined regions
• Program specialized accreditation or approval
• Program specific

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Credit Award and Transfer

• AARTS ? JST Joint Services Transcript
• Credit for courses
• Credit for MOS
• Credit for Prior Learning
• Transfer Ultimate Goal?

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JST Advice

• JST does NOT contain deployment(s)
• Meet with transfer specialist and faculty!
• Recommendations dont equal transfer
• NCOERs, E-4 Evals, Counseling Statements

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Costs
Average Annual Tuition 2012-2013
Community/Tech Colleges 5,355
State Universities 7,340
University of Minnesota 12,881
Private Colleges 33,815
Private Trade Schools 17,267
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(No Transcript)
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VETSVeterans Education Transfer System
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VETS Veterans Education Transfer System
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• Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
• Higher Education Veterans Programs
• Regional Coordinator
• www.MyMilitaryEducation.org
• Revised 06/28/13

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• Benefit Overview
• Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA)
• Go Army Ed
• State Tuition Reimbursement (STR)
• GI Bill
• Chapter 1606
• Chapter 1607
• Chapter 30
• Chapter 33
• Chapter 31
• OJT/Apprenticeship
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• MN GI Bill

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• Federal Tuition Assistance
• Go Army Ed
• FTA funds tuition and some course specific fees
• New PT and height/weight holds can take up to
  30 days to clear
• Pays up to 250.00 per semester credit or 167.00
  per quarter credit, with a maximum of 4500.00
  per fiscal year.
• Credit cap for undergraduate is 130 semester
  credits and 39 semester credits for graduate
  level courses.
• To apply for FTA go to www.GoArmyEd.com
• You may apply up to 60 days prior to course start
  date.
• Current SOU is dated July 2013
• DEADLINE TO APPLY IS THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR
  CLASS!!!

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• GoArmyEd Process
• Create an Account at www.goarmyed.com
• Complete Steps 1-6
• Must have SOU signed by Unit Commander
• Create Helpdesk ticket for approval
• Upload Documents to eFile
• SOU (must have most current version and all
  pages)
• Degree Plan (DARS Report if MnSCU) Create
  Helpdesk ticket for approval
• Course Schedule
• Billing Statement
• Request TA
• Input data for each class (must know cost per
  credit fee amounts per class)
• Print Approval Form
• After TA request has been approved, print the
  authorization form and turn in to the Business
  Office at your college
• School will Enter Grades to GoArmyEd

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• Minnesota State Tuition Reimbursement (STR)
• Pays up to 100 of tuition at UMN rate, no fees
• New Cap per state fiscal year 13,000 for
  undergraduate level and 22,000 for graduate
  level
• 144 Semester credits, max lifetime benefit
• Must submit Obligation Request Form to Unit
  Administration no more than 45 days after start
  of semester
• Must submit Payment Request Form, Grades, and Fee
  Statement to Unit Administration within 90 days
  of course completion
• Payment will be made directly to the Soldier

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• Minnesota State Tuition Reimbursement (STR)
• Extended Option
• Time limit to use STR may be extended 2 years,
  plus the amount of time you served on federal
  active duty or federally funded state active
  duty.
• New Cap per state fiscal year 13,000 for
  undergraduate level and 22,000 for graduate
  level
• 144 Semester credits, max lifetime benefit
• Must submit Obligation Request Form to
  ng.mn.mnarng.mbx.assets-education_at_mail.mil no
  more than 45 days after start of semester
• Must submit Payment Request Form, Grades, and Fee
  Statement to ng.mn.mnarng.mbx.assets-education_at_mai
  l.mil within 90 days of course completion

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• Spouse State Tuition Reimbursement Option
• Up to 12 semester credits per year
• Service Member must have 8 years of qualifying
  service
• Same process applies for requesting and receiving
  funds through Unit Administration
• Now open to any rank

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• GI Bill
• Each chapter of the GI Bill is limited to a max
  of 36 months of full time benefits
• May receive up to 48 months of benefits if
  eligible for more than one chapter
• May be used for
• College Degrees Non-College Degrees
• On-The-Job Training Apprenticeships
• Flight Training
• Licensing Certification
• Break or interval pay is no longer payable on any
  chapter of the GI Bill
• Payments will be calculated based on the dates
  your term begins and ends
• Partial months will be prorated

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• GI Bill - Qualifying for Two or More Programs
• 36 months maximum benefit for any one program
• Chapter 1606, 1607, 30 or 33
• 48 months total benefit for two or more programs
  - must have qualifying service
• Examples
• Soldier uses 30 months of Chapter 1606, then
  qualifies for Chapter 1607 due to MOB soldier is
  eligible for 18 months of CH 1607 benefits
  total 48 month between CH 1606 CH 1607.
• Soldier uses 36 months of CH 1606, then
  qualifies for CH 30 due to AGR tour soldier is
  eligible for 12 months of CH 30 benefits total
  of 48 months between CH 1606 CH 30.

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• Chapter 1606 - Selected Reserve
• Expires 14 years from the date of graduation from
  AIT/OBC
• Three Main Eligibility Criteria
• 6 Year Contract
• High School Diploma or Equivalent
• IADT (AIT/OBC) Graduation
• Monthly full-time rate is currently 356 per
  month

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• Chapter 1607 - Reserve Education Assistance
  Program (REAP)
• With 8 years of service, expires 10 years after
  ETS
• With less than 8 years service, expires at ETS
• Payment is based on amount of continuous active
  duty service
• Monthly full-time rate is currently
• Continuous Service of at least 90 days 625.60
• Continuous Service of 1 year 983.40
• Continuous Service of 2 years 1251.20
• Optional 600 Buy-Up

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• Chapter 30 - Active Duty
• Expires 10 years after discharge from active duty
  
• Generally earned by serving 36 months continuous
  Title 10 service
• Guard/Reservists who have served at least 20
  months of 24-month Title 10 orders MAY be
  eligible
• AGRs may be eligible
• 1200 buy-in and optional 600 Buy-Up
• Monthly full-time rate is currently 1564.00

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• Chapter 33 - Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Expires 15 years from date of separation from
  active duty
• Requires minimum of 90 days aggregate active duty
  service on or after September 11, 2001 or 30
  continuous days of active duty service and
  discharged due to service-connected disability
  (includes AGR)
• Pays eligible percentage of 19,198.31 annually
  at private colleges for Tuition and Fees
• Pays eligible percentage of Tuition and Fees at
  public colleges, with no cap

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• Chapter 33 - Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Pays eligible percentage of Monthly Housing
  Allowance based on E-5 with dependents using
  school zip code
• Housing allowance for students enrolled solely in
  distance learning is payable based on eligible
  percentage of 714.50
• Service Members on active duty, including AGR,
  are not eligible for monthly housing allowance
• Pays eligible percentage of Books and Supplies up
  to 1,000 per academic year
• Service Members on active duty, including AGR,
  may receive eligible percentage of books and
  supplies stipend

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• Chapter 33 - Post 9/11 GI Bill
• Eligible percentage is determined by amount of
  aggregate Title 10 service after September 10,
  2001
• At least 36 months 100
  
• At least 30 continuous days and discharged
  
  due to service connected disability 100
• At least 30 months lt 36 months 90
• At least 24 months lt 30 months 80
• At least 18 months lt 24 months 70
• At least 12 months lt 18 months 60
• At least 6 months lt 12 months 50
• At least 90 days lt 6 months 40

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• Transfer option for Chapter 33
• Transfer option is ONLY available to Service
  Members who are currently serving
• Served 6 years and agree to serve an additional 4
  years (AD or SELRES) on date of election
• Transfer may only be made to dependents enrolled
  in DEERS
• Payment rates based on Service Members eligible
  percentage
• Expiration Date Spouse 15 years after last
  active duty separation Children until age 26
  (transfer must be submitted prior to age 23)
• Spouse is not eligible for monthly housing
  allowance when Service Member is on active duty

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• Kicker - Enlistment Contract Incentive
• A Kicker is an enlistment or re-enlistment
  incentive
• If eligible, a Kicker is used in conjunction with
  Chapter (CH) 1606, 1607, 30, or 33
• Maximum benefit is 36 months
• If you have a kicker and decide to apply for CH
  33, always relinquish CH 1606 or CH 30, if
  eligible. If you relinquish CH 1607, your kicker
  will not transfer.

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• Chapter 31 Federal VA Vocational
  Rehabilitation
• Veteran with at least VA 10 disability rating
  may qualify for vocational rehabilitation
  services possibly including retraining
• If eligible for retraining, you may receive
• Monthly subsistence allowance
• Tuition
• Fees
• Books
• Supplies
• Equipment
• If needed, special services

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• On-the-Job Apprenticeship Training
• On-the-job training (OJT) is training employees
  receive while performing a job and earning wages.
• 6 months to 2 years
• Examples Police Officer, Highway Patrol Officer,
  Jailer, Mechanic
• Apprenticeship combines on-the-job training with
  related technical instruction
• 2 years to 5 years
• Examples Machinist, Ironworker, Electrician,
  Carpenter, Plumber, Power Line Worker 

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• On-the-Job Apprenticeship Training
• Chapter 33 (Post 9/11)
• 100 of eligible housing allowance for the first
  6 months of training
• Percentage of eligible housing allowance is
  reduced by 20 every 6 months
• Once reduced to 20, will continue for remainder
  of training
• Up to 83 per month for books and supplies
• Chapter 30, 1606, 1607
• 75 of the full-time GI Bill rate for the first 6
  months of training
• 55 of the full-time GI Bill rate for the second
  6 months of training
• 35 of the full-time GI Bill rate for the
  remainder of the training program

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• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Complete application online at www.fafsa.ed.gov
• If FAFSA reports income is too high for Grants
  eligibility, request a Special Circumstances
  Evaluation from your Campus Financial Aid Office

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• Minnesota GI Bill
• Eligibility
• Honorably discharged veteran (as defined by MN
  Statute 197.447)
• Dependent eligible to receive Ch 35 or Ch 33
• MN resident (as defined by MN Statute 136A.101,
  subd. 8)
• Attending a MN institution or approved OJT
  program in MN
• Maximum benefit
• 1K/semester (full-time), 1K/year OJT
• 3K/fiscal year
• 10K lifetime
• Process
• To apply, contact a Regional Coordinator
• Last Dollar In - Cost of attendance minus Aid
  and Benefits

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Questions?

• Contact a Regional Coordinator
• www.mymilitaryeducation.org
• Thank you for your service!