Veterans have become a population that, from the perspective of some colleges, tailor-made for the classroom. Here, I'm not referring only to the benefit their military service would have on their classroom discipline and their positive influence on others.  Rather, I'm referring to the recognition of some schools that veterans are a way to draw guaranteed income from a population who have an guaranteed payment source.  Some for-profit institutions have been known to take advantage of this recently. 

In this article about online schools, there is a specific example about how one institution made false promises about the prospect of jobs with degrees, and even may have used it's association with a parent company to draw in veteran students.  The for-profit tag has long since had a negative connotation among prospective students, other schools, and even employers after obtaining degrees that may have falsely promised something that could not be delivered.  Even though there are some for-profit schools that deliver a quality education, there are some that have come into questionable practices as of late. 

So why would the veteran population seem so vulnerable to these practices?  Upon leaving the service, the realization that your time and experience in service may not equate to the income potential it once did may lead to the desire to earn a degree as quickly as possible.  The online format of learning, coupled with the accelerated format for obtaining degrees seem like a can't-miss proposition.  This may indeed be the case, but when exploring options for such schools, some schools that may not have the veteran's best interest in mind may have an open door to take advantage of their desire to proceed.  That's where some schools that aren't military friendly may try to step in and take advantage of veterans.  With the promise a source to finance tuition AND an income stream from BAH coming to veterans with the new Post 9/11 GI Bill, this means that more veterans are looking for education options than before its inception and financial aid to cover any gaps.  This creates an opportunity for schools like never before. 

It's the perfect storm--the eager veteran student, Uncle Sugar's money in hand, and the institution with the admissions door wide open.  It all seems too perfect--and in some cases it is. 

There are many reputable schools, both state and private, for-profit and not for-profit--that have the veteran's best interests in mind.  But still many veterans seem to be getting hosed by schools promising them something they just can't deliver.  We discuss these issues in the book in-depth and how to confront them, but here are a few quick tips:

• Do your research  Several schools are out there that are working in your best interest.  It's your job to have an idea who they are before moving forward
• Don't feel pressured If you need some time to think about things, have an upcoming deployment that may take precedent, but still feel like the person on the other end of the phone won't take no for an answer, you're probably not in the right place.
• Does the school have a veteran liaison  Having a voice for veterans on campus even for online schools can be a tremendous resource for you and an advocate when things happen, such as sudden deployments. 

During your military training, you would never consider moving forward without having a clear idea of where you're going first.  So why would you treat your education any different?  You worked hard through your service to maximize your education dollar--don't throw it away in an act of desperation.  Instead, look at it as an opportunity to excel in life.  Make sure you are truly making the right choice when choosing your education institution.  Make sure it's right for you and make sure they have your best interests in mind!