How hard would it be/ how long would it take to work at getting an undergrad while on active duty? I know that your coast guard duties come first at all times but I think it would be cool to work on a business degree if I have any off time. Do people usually take online classes or go to a local college on the weekends? I'd like to know as much as possible and any input would be much appreciated

It is very possible to do. Most nowadays will attend school on line. There are brick & mortar schools still available of course but with duty, underway time, distance from the facility... on line is just as easy. I have posted this multiple times my ex earned 2 Associates, a Bachelor's and a Master's while on active duty, while advancing from E-1 to O-5. Nothing stopped him from attaining a goal he set for himself. You just need to have the discipline to study and work and still have fun! You can't ONLY work & study.

Wow! That's awesome. I would love to try the brick and mortar route but I guess it depends on my duty time once I'm in. A college degree would be a huge turning point in my life because no one in my family has one, that also goes for the military. I'm guessing it's going to take longer than 4 years to get my undergrad but as long as I get one is be super pumped!

without you paying for anything i would look at around 5 to 6 years using just TA if you want to come out of pocket you can do it quicker then that. I would rather see you pay out of pocket then use your GI bill as it is better left for when you get out or pass to your children in the long run.

Don't forget Boot Camp and "A" and "C" schools count for credits. Southerm as soon as you get to the MSO make sure you have your MST school credits added to your degree. It'll save you some time and effort.

i am going to a sector but will do. The only bad part is most of the school credits i will get i probably alredy have credit for LOL

What are your options if your degree requires a lot of in-class lab work? My daughter already has 60 hours of basics and is wanting to pursue an engineering degree.

She will need to work with her supervisors and the school. Depending on schedules it can be done. depending on the unit attached to, she can request a different shift, etc.

Well, anything is possible. But with that said, college isn't easy these days. I am a full time student right now and I couldn't imagine being on active duty and then doing schooling. Schooling should come first.

It probably depends on the program. I'm in Environmental Science, if you wanted any hard science program then there is no way. A single lab for any science class is usually 3 hours every week.

If you do go the online route just remember those places like Devry and the University of Phoenix are FOR PROFIT. Consequently, they have a low graduation rate (22%) and are horrible at placing you in jobs (65% fail to pay their student loans at some point). But those shouldn't matter too much to you since you've got a job and aren't stupid (you are a coastie!).
Anyways, good luck and wherever you go do your best.

Or, you can find out which colleges have self-paced distance learning courses so you can do them on your own time.

Posted By Gears on 13 Dec 2010 12:45 PM
Don't forget Boot Camp and "A" and "C" schools count for credits. Southerm as soon as you get to the MSO make sure you have your MST school credits added to your degree. It'll save you some time and effort.

How many credits can you get for graduating bootcamp?

I want to say it's 6 lower level credits, which isn't bad for 8 weeks of Hell on Earth.

Posted By manofthewild07 on 06 Jan 2011 09:21 AM
Well, anything is possible. But with that said, college isn't easy these days. I am a full time student right now and I couldn't imagine being on active duty and then doing schooling. Schooling should come first.

It probably depends on the program. I'm in Environmental Science, if you wanted any hard science program then there is no way. A single lab for any science class is usually 3 hours every week.

If you do go the online route just remember those places like Devry and the University of Phoenix are FOR PROFIT. Consequently, they have a low graduation rate (22%) and are horrible at placing you in jobs (65% fail to pay their student loans at some point). But those shouldn't matter too much to you since you've got a job and aren't stupid (you are a coastie!).
Anyways, good luck and wherever you go do your best.

It can be difficult to work and attend school. However, it is possible. There are pros to working and doing school like reimbursements and tax breaks. The most important thing to remember is that you should have a schedule that allows you to take care of both work and school obligations. Online programs are probably the best options for you. I found this article about working while getting your online degree that has some helpful tips about balancing school and work.

Here is the link: http://www.onlinedegree.net/article...ne-degree/

Hope it helps. Best of luck!

I just got my form from the coast guard institute, they are giving out 7 credits now. most colleges will give it credit as electives, but it's better than nothing!

I got 72 credits from my Coast Guard career. Most transferred as electives, but some of my core classes were covered as well, such as communications and a couple of others.

Don't forget about the CLEPs...two hours of my time squared away two English classes. They have them for many many subjects.

http://clep.collegeboard.org/

I think a science or engineering degree is totally doable if you are at a station, you just need to be able to communicate with your professors expectations. With a two on two off schedule, and then taking a class with multiple sections and labs availible is doable. I dont think you could take a full load, but twoish classes wouldnt be bad.