The Department of Defense recently announced that it will extend the popular My Career Advancement Account educational funding program to even more military spouses.
The spouses of active-duty service members and reservists activated on federal orders in the ranks of E-7, E-8, E-9 and W-3 may now apply for the MyCAA scholarship, which provides $4,000 in educational assistance.
Previously, only the spouses of ranks E-1 to E-6, W-1 and W-2, and O-1 to O-3 qualified for the benefit. Adding the new ranks means the spouses of all enlisted ranks, the first three warrant officer ranks, and the commissioned officer ranks of O-1 to O-3 who already previously qualified, now qualify for the funds.
As newly eligible spouses start considering their educational options, it's important to know how to shop for a reputable education provider so that you don't waste your benefit (and your time). Here's what you need to consider when making that choice.
Accreditation
Accreditation is perhaps the most reliable marker of a reputable institution. Accrediting agencies evaluate schools to ensure they meet academic standards. The two main types of accreditation in the United States are regional accreditation and national accreditation.
Regional accreditation is generally considered to be the highest form of accreditation and is typically granted to traditional colleges and universities. Degrees from regionally accredited institutions are widely recognized and transferable between schools.
National accreditation is typically given to vocational or technical schools and distance learning programs. While legitimate, degrees from nationally accredited schools may not transfer as easily to regionally accredited institutions.
Keep in mind that a school may have some programs that are accredited and some that are not.
Be wary of institutions that claim accreditation from non-recognized agencies or create their own accrediting bodies. Some unaccredited institutions may offer low-quality education or no education at all, focusing instead on extracting tuition payments.
You can check a school's accreditation through the Department of Education's database of accredited postsecondary institutions or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation's (CHEA) directory of accredited schools and programs.
Check Regulatory Agencies
In addition to accreditation, also check for an institution's standing with government regulatory bodies. For example, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) maintains records of schools that have been fined or shut down for deceptive practices. State education departments often regulate institutions and provide lists of approved or licensed schools.
Graduate Success Rates and Reviews
For career-oriented programs, job placement rates and graduate success statistics are key indicators of quality. Many institutions publish job placement rates and salary data for graduates of their programs, but you have to verify these statistics. You can search independent sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to find independent data on job trends.
Private companies such as Glassdoor and Salary.com may have reported information from current and former employees.
Online reviews can provide additional insights into the legitimacy of an institution and its graduates' successes (or failures), as can information shared to third-party sources such as Reddit. When reading reviews, look for big trends such as multiple complaints about the same issue. But also be realistic: Reputable institutions will have a mix of positive and negative feedback.
Beware of Sales Tactics
A hallmark of scam institutions is aggressive marketing and sales tactics. This can be even more true if you have access to MyCAA benefits: They know you have money to spend on education. Be wary of pushy sales tactics, including unrealistic guarantees about job placement or salaries. A legitimate school might legitimately cite data about the job market in a certain field, providing publicly available data that crosses a line at making false promises.
One strategy that many online schools use is to "advertise" by paying another military spouse to post in military spouse social media groups. This type of grassroots marketing is a real marketing strategy, but in the MyCAA world, it is often used by less reputable schools.
Investigate Transfer Credit Policies
If you plan to transfer credits to another institution or pursue an advanced degree, it's important to verify whether credits earned at the institution will be accepted elsewhere. Reputable schools should have clear transfer credit policies.
Pro tip: You can contact admissions offices at schools you might attend in the future to ask whether they accept credits from the institution you're considering.
Review Financial Aid Options Carefully
Legitimate schools offer access to federal financial aid programs, including Pell Grants, student loans and work-study opportunities. To verify this, check whether a school participates in federal financial aid programs through the Federal Student Aid website.
Think twice about schools that seem to offer a lot of "extras" if you use MyCAA money or that rely on MyCAA heavily in their financial aid advertising. While legitimate schools work with the MyCAA program, they don't build their business model around it.
Be cautious of schools offering surprisingly generous scholarships or grants. Some scam schools offer "scholarships" that do little more than reduce inflated tuition rates.
Check for Physical Campus or Headquarters
While online programs are increasingly common, most legitimate institutions have a physical campus or headquarters. If the institution is solely online, that doesn't mean it isn't legitimate. It might mean you just want to check a little more. At the very least, it should have some sort of physical address for the administration of the school. A lack of a physical address or reliance on P.O. boxes should raise concerns. Even fully online schools should have a headquarters.
Finding a reputable training program or college requires homework to look at factors such as accreditation, reviews, transferability and quality of the program. By doing research before starting school, prospective students can avoid scams and choose educational programs that provide real value. No one wants to waste their time or education benefits on a program that isn't worth it for them.
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