Ok, so I know that the CG can give me money to go to school, but can they payback my student loans after I've left school?

No they will not pay them back, BUT......... The federal goverment has a loan deferment called Civil Service deferment Meaning that as long as you serve they will defer. Call the servicer of the loan and let them know that you in the military on active duty.

So, since I'm finishing up my 2nd year of college; better off joining the CG now versus waiting any longer?  Also, what are the vision requirements for the CG?  Will they take you if you wear contact lenses? though I'm considering Lasik.

So job require that you are not color blind but that is really it, they will take you if you wear contact lens but the surgery I would wait until I come in them have them (the coast guard pay for it). If you have a job where you are looking at a computer screen or a radar on a regular bases then you will be top on the list for the surgery.  You can come in a do one year and, then go back to college while still on active duty rec'v all of your normal pay and entitlements but be a full time student. All the while your current loans are on civil service deferment. There are some funds you can get to assist with paying for school to from the CG, Have you looked in the Coast Gurad Acameady they have a college just like the Army, Navy Air Force ECT.

Thanks for your reply, I'm currently going to school full-time on Long Island, NY, so I'd be hoping to enlist part-time through the remainder of school; following that I'd switchover to full-time.  I haven't really given the CG Academy much consideration, being that I don't think I'd get accepted, I'm guessing you need fairly high grades to get accepted.  Also, there are a couple CG bases nearby here, so I wouldn't have much of a long commute.

Paul,