Transition Challenges In Veteran Students

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The transition into college can be one of the most significant, and most challenging transitions that veteran’s experience after leaving the military. Common transition issues faced by veteran students are: difficult navigating educational benefits, financial aid, and other college processes; transfer credit problems; balancing finances and other adult roles; and finally, adjusting to becoming a college student and connecting with other students. Each of these are important issues faced by veterans transitioning to college, and higher education institutions must understand and address these issues to facilitate the success of veteran students.
A recurring issue in the literature regarding veterans entering college is the extensive and often
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While in the military, bonds are formed between members who are working to achieve a common goal. The college environment is more open and self-serving, leaving some veteran students struggling to adjust. Often veteran students have experience and maturity that makes it difficult to connect with less mature non-veteran students (DiRamio et al., 2008). This higher level of maturity often heightens the age gap veteran students feel with other students and causes them to be critical of non-veteran peer students (Livingston et al., 2011). Veteran students commonly experience peers who have little or inaccurate knowledge of military issues or conflicts, and/or are insensitive about veteran student issues (Wheeler, 2012). In a campus setting, veteran students are no longer only among other military members but rather many different types of people and it can be difficult to find others with which they can relate. On a college campus, veterans become one of many students and are not easily identified as a veteran (Brown & Gross, 2011). Veteran students are generally disinclined to announce their veteran status to peers, instead selectively disclosing that they are a veteran, which means that veteran students’ transition to becoming a college student is often experienced in isolation (Livingston et al., 2011). This makes connecting to other veteran students important for the transition to college. Most veterans feel more comfortable with other student veterans that can relate to their own experiences (Griffin & Gilbert, 2015). The transition to college also brings feelings of doubt for many veterans. This is especially valid for veterans who initially entered the military because they felt they were not qualified for college (Callahan & Jarrat, 2014). Veteran students are often returning to college after a significant break from

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