Pay for college thru military?

Question

I know that there are ways to pay for college through the military. Which branch is best? What are the catches? I know that you have a few years after college during which you can be recruited-what are the odds, and are there other catches?

I appreciate any information you can spoon-feed me; however I would also appreciate places where I can find out a lot.

Answer 1

Your options are:  (1) Attend a military academy like West Point, (2) Get into an ROTC program, or (3) Enlist in the Armed Forces and either use your GI Bill or apply for tuition assistance and go to class while you're in the military.

Getting into a military academy is the most difficult because you have to have excellent grades, you have to show that you're a good citizen through community service, and you have to have a letter of recommendation from your congressional representative.  Even if you have all these things, you may not get into the academy.  If you do, you go to the academy for four years and get a degree.  The catch is you have to give at least four years of service to the military.

If you apply for an ROTC program and are accepted, the Armed Forces will pay for your college expenses.  The catches are:  (1) You spend your summers drilling with your ROTC unit until you graduate, and (2) You again have to give at least four years to the military.

You can enlist in any branch of the Armed Forces, serve on active duty for four years, and use your GI Bill once you get out.  However, you can also take classes while you're on active duty and get tuition assistance.  Tuition assistance pays for at least 80% of your tuition (not books) as long as you pass the class with a C grade or better.

If you want to join the military, go Air Force.  I could give you a million reasons why, but I'll just repeat the words I have heard over and over again from my colleagues in the Army, the Navy, the Marines, and the Coast Guard:  "MAN, I wish I had joined the Air Force!"