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Life After Service: Back to School Guide for Veterans

Exclusively written for nossi.edu by Allie Cooper

After an honorable discharge, many veterans decide to go to college or university to complete their advanced education. Not all skills learned in the military are transferrable to a career, so getting a higher education can make you more competitive and desirable in the civilian job market. Nossi College has a variety of degree programs, which are perfectly suited for real-world experiences.

Veterans face a variety of challenges during their educational pursuit after the military, like finding the right school and staying afloat financially, all while working towards a degree with career potential. However,, there are numerous options for financial assistance, from the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the Yellow Ribbon Program, and a variety of other grants and scholarships. In a higher education feature for military veterans, Accredited Schools Online claim that over 1 million veterans have taken advantage of the Post-911 GI Bill. The bill allows veterans to have anything from 40% to 100% of their school expenses paid.

While it may be a daunting task to select an institution and a specific degree, keep in mind that a practical degree with hands-on training can be more advantageous than a theoretical degree. Therefore, a degree in art & design, photography or graphic design might be good choices for finding sought after careers. Military personnel have experience handling advanced technology, which can be a smooth transition to degree programs offered at Nossi College utilizing advanced tech and software. Featured below are photos by Nossi Students who are also veterans.

Many veterans have made the successful transition from service to civilian life in the creative arts sector. Retired USMC veteran, Mike Guinto, is one of the many veterans featured on the United States Veteran’s Artists Alliance (USVAA) who have made a transition to a career in photography. Having served as a Combat Cameraman, Guinto worked as a freelance photographer and editor, while he was going to school to finish his master’s degree.

Graphic design is a rewarding option that opens many doors, depending on your area of study, and your specific goals. Learn to Become recommends that graphic design students should have a strong sense of their long and short-term goals, as well as the level of schooling they want to achieve. As degree programs are sequential, with each building on foundational skills and key theories of design, visual communications and other fundamentals, it is important to keep in mind how far you’re planning to go and your goal. Many of the above skills can be related to experience in the military, especially in terms of communication.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMIYI2MC0jE]

While a bachelor’s degree will give you the necessary fundamentals, a master’s degree will help further your education with more advanced training. It will not only prepare you for higher level jobs, but will also be an important stepping-stone towards a Ph.D.

As Mike Guinto (and NOSSI STUDENT) shows, military experience and creative careers are indeed a good match.

Nossi College of Art is proud to have a campus Veteran Group. Discover funding, scholarships and other opportunities available exclusively for veterans and their family members.

For more work of DeeAnn Bishop’s visit here.

For additional work of Angel Rivera’s visit his Behance page.

 

 

 

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