Military V.S Community College?
1. Maybe you might be able to make E-3 if you try hard and show that you are a valuable asset to the company or platoon. But no you will probably not make E-4 in two years, I've only heard of a couple people ever making it to E-4 that quickly but it took them three years which is still hard. You have to show that you a team player and a leader and have the desire to take the initiative to succeed. So by the time you would graduate from community college someone who join when you started community college would be a E-2 making it to a E-3. 2.as far as college classes in the military, the military pays for all expenses to college so if you are really committed an you take night classes; while just completing what you need and no extra classes, you could probably get a B.A. in maybe 2 1/2 to 3 yrs. Instead of the usual 4 years. But remember it is also hard to do this because for every class you need, they are only available at certain times due to professors, and take a certain amount of time while not being set on your own pace due to their class schedules. But if you take the right ones at night so you can save room for the rest during the day it is possible. Once finished you'll be able to enter OCS or Officer Candidate School. 3. The sign up bonuses vary depending on MOS or job. I can't be sure exactly what Army Intel would be but its pretty high up on the priority list and I've had friends who have gotten nuclear specialist which is at the top with Army Intel and they received a $85,000 signing bonus so it probably won't be that high but it might be around $50-65,000. Butjust to remind you, to even be considered for Army Intelligence you have to have a high score on the ASVAB test.
Community College + Transfer or Military?
I would go to CC then transfer to a university really It's pro ably the best option I don't know much about the USA but in the UK if you are educated at a university you will enlist as an officer without having to just be a grunt first in fact most university's have ROTC (royal officer training core)associated with them which you can join and will mean when you leave you won't ned as much training any way that's just me but I wouldn't join the army
Community college or military?
I would stick with attending a community college. I'm a Veteran of the Armed Forces and although I'm very proud of serving America, I tell young folks to stick to college. With the uncertainty of today's world, you're more than likely end up in some new war campaign and thus, risk losing your life. Just discipline your mind into bettering your study habits and completing assignments. If you do these two things, you'll be a 4.0 student. I recommend you go into engineering or accounting. Those two career fields are thriving big time. Unless you really want to experience the military for what it is, I would complete my education while you're still young. You don't want to be going to school past 30 years old while trying to raise children of your own. If you get your bachelor degree, and you're still interested in joining the military, enlist as a commissioned officer. You'll get treated WAY better and the pay is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than enlistees. You'll have to attend officer school (which is very challenging), but it's worth it once you obtain your 2nd Lieutenant rank and continue moving up. Good luck.
Can I go to a 2-year community college, then Military for several years, then finish up schooling at a 4-year college?
In general, yes. The American system of higher education is really flexible and lets people have almost as many chances as they want to do college. There may be individual four-year colleges that won’t accept you because of some admissions policy you might not meet, but you would almost certainly be able to find many other schools that would take you. It is very common for military people to do school while in the military or after getting out. The GI Bill helps a lot of people and there are lots of programs at lots of schools that cater to ex-military people and have offices designed to help veterans. I would not worry one bit about the possibilities of doing what you ask about.
Military vs College?
From what you're telling us, I'm inclined to say join then do college. If you want to serve but not for a career, I'm not sure doing college then being an officer is the best way. Officers are really the career soldiers in the military, even though many of the juniors also stay in only for one or two terms. The DoD invests a lot into their training and pay and you have to be very committed and passionate about becoming an officer to get through OCS or the Academy (ROTC can be difficult from what I've heard too). Do your 4 years, go ahead and start working on college through distance learning, and if at the end of that term, you want to move on, don't re-enlist, and resume college on your GI Bill. You might graduate a little later than if you were to go straight to college, but you will have benefited from some AF training and discipline, gotten an education on the govt's dime and potentially seen the world too. On the other hand, if you find you like the AF, you can either re-enlist, keep up your college and eventually go to OCS to become an officer, get out and fast-track college and then go to OCS, or just stay enlisted. Either way, you'll probably have better job security than in the civilian world.
College or the military?
I've been thinking about joining the military and doing my part for my country. The thing is that when I tell my parents they say I'm not living up to my potential. I could easily go to college but I'm lazy in school and get in trouble. It doesn't interest me at all. I feel we've been brainwashed into thinking that college degree = Success. Should I just go to college and endure the boring 4 years? Military jobs interest me a lot. I love the idea of marching for miles, muscle fatigue, brotherhood, etc. You know where I'm getting at. Also which branch would you recommend? I like a challenge. But not like a tedious math problem, more like a physical/mental challenge. I was thinking marine corps or Army. Then moving onto either marine Recon or Army ranger. I'm not the best swimmer though. If you had to make a similar decision, what did you pick and how did you like it?
College vs Military?
I know this question has been beaten to death but I haven't quite seen any situation such as mine, so here I am. I'm an upcoming senior this year and I did pretty shitty in high school (2.7 gpa). I don't even know if I'll be able to get into any of the universities that I want and I really don't want to go to community college. That being said, I've always wanted to join the military (specifically the Marine Corps). I love the discipline, leadership, and loyalty you get from the military. If I were to go to college, I'd try to join ROTC and get a commission once I'm done. Opposite of the enlisted route obviously where I'd serve four to eight years then go to college. So my question is should I just join right after high school, or should I take my chances with college and with a commission?
Should I choose community college or the military? I don't know which route to go. I feel as if whatever I pick is the wrong decision.
Neither the Army nor college is a big mistake unless you go and are not engaged in what you are doing. I did both and don’t regret either. Keep in mind, that there are various combinations of these two ideas. You could join the national guard and still go to college. You could join the regular Army and still take classes. You could go to college and then join the Army or you could join the Army and then go to college. You could even go to a college like the one where I teach and be in the Army and college at the same time (ROTC). Remember that in the US, it’s often never too late to go to college, and up to a certain age, it’s never to late to join the Army, so you probably still have time to try both, or try one and then do the other if you don’t like the first choice! Just from reading your question, I would suggest you seriously consider what is interesting to you. Being interested is a key ingredient of being engaged, and maybe even being happy with your choice. The Army is a great choice and I have seen a lot of young people really “grow up” while being in the Army and ending up more focused and prepared to move on after they get out. College will always be there for you and at least as of now, colleges are very veteran-friendly in most cases.
College after the military?
I am in the Air Force at the moment and have just gotten back from Survival training. While there we were near a college town and I realized that I want to get out of the AF and go to college as soon as my contract is up. I'm 17 now and will get out at 21 and was wondering how it would work out me trying to go to school at that age. I know I can use my GI bill to pay for all my tuition but I was wondering if any other vets can explain to me how college went for them. I really want the college experience and feel that joining the military was not necessarily a mistake but a brash decision for sure. Will I live on campus? Where should I go? Things like that. I had very good high school grades but joined the AF for an adventure and although I certainly found it (my AF job sends me to pretty fun schools like Survival, Airborne, Pathfinder etc.) I feel like I also want to backtrack and expeirience the college life. i.e girls, parties, friends, classes, exams. All that good stuff.