Veterans Welcomed Back to School
Posted on July 6, 2009 in Administration, Marketing, Newsletter
GI Bill — Yellow Ribbon Program
As states across the country attempt to drastically reduce their spending, some financial aid programs face major cutbacks. This news hits many students hard–especially those who have put their lives on hold to serve their country and those who have already amassed student loans and must now plunge further into debt due to a reduction in tuition assistance. Fortunately, students who have served in the military can rest easy, thanks to the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as found on www.gibill.va.gov, the Yellow Ribbon Program “is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008.” The program allows U.S. colleges and universities to enter into a voluntary agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help fund tuition costs for veteran students who exceed the highest public, in-state undergraduate tuition rate.
This financial option can greatly help students who have served their country, whether they enroll in online programs, other distance learning programs or traditional programs on campus. Additionally, these programs can help veteran students attend elite private schools that they otherwise could not afford to attend.
Many schools currently participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, although they pledge to provide different amounts of funding per student. Some institutions cover all of the remaining tuition expenses, allowing the student to have no out-of-pocket expense. Others provide a portion of the costs, significantly decreasing the student’s expenditure. Students with active duty after September 10th, 2001, who also attend school on or after August 1, 2009, can review all eligibility requirements and search through participating schools by clicking on the following link: http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_BILL_Info/CH33/Yellow_ribbon.htm.
The Yellow Ribbon Program serves as a lucrative proposition that all higher education institutions should take notice of, as it supports the people who have protected and sacrificed for this country. Additionally, online colleges and universities may find participation in this program mutually beneficial, as it can serve to substantially boost their enrollment while simultaneously showcasing respect for veterans and support of their extended communities.
According to “The Yellow Ribbon Program Explained,” as published on www.military.com, some of the veteran students who qualify for funding from the Yellow Ribbon Program may have been injured or honorably discharged for a “service connected disability.” These men and women may not have the ability to further their education on a traditional campus, but they can clearly benefit from the convenience and flexibility of an online degree program.
The Yellow Ribbon Program can especially help students in the isolated distance learning programs that cost more for out-of-state students to attend. The article “The GI Bill and the Yellow Ribbon Program,” published on www.onlineeducationblog.org, touches on this issue. In it, the author states that the Yellow Ribbon Program “is especially important for distance learning programs that may potentially be more expensive than attending a local college campus. Colleges may contribute up to fifty percent of the additional expenses of their higher education programs and the Department of Veterans Affairs will match the same amount, dollar-for-dollar.”
While participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program does mean that the college or university must compensate for some of a veteran student’s tuition costs, the schools can select their preferred amount of funding and choose the number of available spots that they wish to offer. This can help to significantly lessen the financial impact that the cost of the program may have, while allowing the school to tap into a new pool of interested applicants.
Veteran students put their lives on hold while fighting to safeguard the lifestyles that we often take for granted in this country. Therefore, one cannot put a price tag on the humanitarian benefit of helping a veteran re-assimilate into civilian life.
In an economy where many states have drastically reduced or cut out entirely their financial aid programs, the Yellow Ribbon Program brings hope to veterans in pursuit of higher education.
