Veterans Thread Forum

[Dcc617]

I have seen it asked, but no clear answer. What is the maximum amount of student loans you can borrow when using the gi bill? Is it COA-(scholarships), COA - (scholarships+GI bill covered tuition), or COA - (scholarships+Gi bill covered tuition + Gi bill stipends)?

Example: Tuition 30k, COL 20k, scholarship 10k, 100% GI Bill

Can I borrow 40k, 20k, or less?

If you're at 100% GI Bill and YR, then I think you can only take out the unsubsidized Stanford loans, at like 21K/year.

[CenterFringe]

Is there any downside to deferring a year, other than the opportunity cost?

My EAS is 7 Oct, but I'm still not 100% sure I'll be able to take terminal leave on 8 Aug, and the Harvard deferment deadline fast approaching. If I do go this year, it's going to cost me about ~12k out of pocket, since I won't be able to use the YRP the first semester (I've confirmed this with the VA and the school). I'd also like to buy a condo using the VA Homeowner's loan, but that's tough to do from Hawaii, so that's another perk to deferring a year and just shopping once I get out. Emotionally, though, I really want to start this year.

To restate the question, is there any reason not to go ahead and defer?

[Wipfelder]

Is there any downside to deferring a year, other than the opportunity cost?

My EAS is 7 Oct, but I'm still not 100% sure I'll be able to take terminal leave on 8 Aug, and the Harvard deferment deadline fast approaching. If I do go this year, it's going to cost me about ~12k out of pocket, since I won't be able to use the YRP the first semester (I've confirmed this with the VA and the school). I'd also like to buy a condo using the VA Homeowner's loan, but that's tough to do from Hawaii, so that's another perk to deferring a year and just shopping once I get out. Emotionally, though, I really want to start this year.

To restate the question, is there any reason not to go ahead and defer?

Nope.

[Dcc617]

Is there any downside to deferring a year, other than the opportunity cost?

My EAS is 7 Oct, but I'm still not 100% sure I'll be able to take terminal leave on 8 Aug, and the Harvard deferment deadline fast approaching. If I do go this year, it's going to cost me about ~12k out of pocket, since I won't be able to use the YRP the first semester (I've confirmed this with the VA and the school). I'd also like to buy a condo using the VA Homeowner's loan, but that's tough to do from Hawaii, so that's another perk to deferring a year and just shopping once I get out. Emotionally, though, I really want to start this year.

To restate the question, is there any reason not to go ahead and defer?

Yeah, I left the military in November 2015 and did not start at Harvard until August 2016. It was an awesome 9 months that I am very thankful to have had. Besides the obvious financial benefits to waiting in your situation, there's something to be said for mental health. Take some time to decompress, travel, hang out, etc. It's nice.

I was stationed in Hawaii too, by the way.

[CenterFringe]

Is there any downside to deferring a year, other than the opportunity cost?

My EAS is 7 Oct, but I'm still not 100% sure I'll be able to take terminal leave on 8 Aug, and the Harvard deferment deadline fast approaching. If I do go this year, it's going to cost me about ~12k out of pocket, since I won't be able to use the YRP the first semester (I've confirmed this with the VA and the school). I'd also like to buy a condo using the VA Homeowner's loan, but that's tough to do from Hawaii, so that's another perk to deferring a year and just shopping once I get out. Emotionally, though, I really want to start this year.

To restate the question, is there any reason not to go ahead and defer?

Yeah, I left the military in November 2015 and did not start at Harvard until August 2016. It was an awesome 9 months that I am very thankful to have had. Besides the obvious financial benefits to waiting in your situation, there's something to be said for mental health. Take some time to decompress, travel, hang out, etc. It's nice.

I was stationed in Hawaii too, by the way.

I went to ASW this past weekend and really fell in love with the school. I'm extremely excited to start, so it helps to hear that deferring isn't such a bad thing. Up until about 2 weeks ago I thought I was for sure going this fall, so I think once I wrap my head around all the other stuff I can do by taking off for 10 months, I'll be a lot less anxious about deferring. Thanks a lot for the advice, it really makes sense. Hawaii is great, although coming up on three years, I'm ready to experience some season other than summer.

[Wipfelder]

Is there any downside to deferring a year, other than the opportunity cost?

My EAS is 7 Oct, but I'm still not 100% sure I'll be able to take terminal leave on 8 Aug, and the Harvard deferment deadline fast approaching. If I do go this year, it's going to cost me about ~12k out of pocket, since I won't be able to use the YRP the first semester (I've confirmed this with the VA and the school). I'd also like to buy a condo using the VA Homeowner's loan, but that's tough to do from Hawaii, so that's another perk to deferring a year and just shopping once I get out. Emotionally, though, I really want to start this year.

To restate the question, is there any reason not to go ahead and defer?

Yeah, I left the military in November 2015 and did not start at Harvard until August 2016. It was an awesome 9 months that I am very thankful to have had. Besides the obvious financial benefits to waiting in your situation, there's something to be said for mental health. Take some time to decompress, travel, hang out, etc. It's nice.

I was stationed in Hawaii too, by the way.

I went to ASW this past weekend and really fell in love with the school. I'm extremely excited to start, so it helps to hear that deferring isn't such a bad thing. Up until about 2 weeks ago I thought I was for sure going this fall, so I think once I wrap my head around all the other stuff I can do by taking off for 10 months, I'll be a lot less anxious about deferring. Thanks a lot for the advice, it really makes sense. Hawaii is great, although coming up on three years, I'm ready to experience some season other than summer.

I was in almost the exact same boat and had to defer as well. Turned out to be even better than my original plan.

[haus]

Is there any downside to deferring a year, other than the opportunity cost?

My EAS is 7 Oct, but I'm still not 100% sure I'll be able to take terminal leave on 8 Aug, and the Harvard deferment deadline fast approaching. If I do go this year, it's going to cost me about ~12k out of pocket, since I won't be able to use the YRP the first semester (I've confirmed this with the VA and the school). I'd also like to buy a condo using the VA Homeowner's loan, but that's tough to do from Hawaii, so that's another perk to deferring a year and just shopping once I get out. Emotionally, though, I really want to start this year.

To restate the question, is there any reason not to go ahead and defer?

Yeah, I left the military in November 2015 and did not start at Harvard until August 2016. It was an awesome 9 months that I am very thankful to have had. Besides the obvious financial benefits to waiting in your situation, there's something to be said for mental health. Take some time to decompress, travel, hang out, etc. It's nice.

I was stationed in Hawaii too, by the way.

I went to ASW this past weekend and really fell in love with the school. I'm extremely excited to start, so it helps to hear that deferring isn't such a bad thing. Up until about 2 weeks ago I thought I was for sure going this fall, so I think once I wrap my head around all the other stuff I can do by taking off for 10 months, I'll be a lot less anxious about deferring. Thanks a lot for the advice, it really makes sense. Hawaii is great, although coming up on three years, I'm ready to experience some season other than summer.

After serving a tour in Hawaii, my desire for other seasons was brought to a violent end with one northern Wisconsin winter.

I hope you have a great transition!

[tangers91]

Hey all, Army O-3 stationed down in Texas right now. Headed to school in the fall. I have 40% of the GI Bill and was wondering if any other Vets were in a similair situation and had also applied for healthcare through the VA. I heard it is much cheaper than the school's health program but I just wanted to get a couple Vet's opinion on the subject, expecially those who only have partial GI Bill benefits.

[|2usty]

Hi All,

Former Cav Scout (OIF 2009) here trying to get things back on track now that I'm thirty. I'm service connected disabled and am looking to apply to a local private school to complete my undergraduate that also has a quality (T25 - is that a thing?) law school.

Right now I'm just checking in, but will probably have questions after plowing through all 110 pages of this thread. The only one that comes to mind right now is if being a service connected disabled veteran may be an assisting factor with admission?

These forums have been an awesome resource I've enjoyed reading the past few days (have been bound up in a cast for the last six weeks thanks to my disability - Uncle Same killed my foot).

Cheers!
R

[CMac86]

What did you guys do between starting terminal leave/end of contract and starting school?

I'm planning fairly far out. I have two years left on my contract. I've talked to my command career counselor and developed a plan for getting the wheels in motion.

If all goes well, I'll be knocking a month off of my contract via early out so my EAOS will be a month before school starts, and then the exact amount of time of terminal I'll be authorized will depend on when they can get a replacement for me. I'm the only person with my NEC at my command, so I'm mentally preparing for two possibilities: having to work right up until my EAOS and then on the flipside, being authorized to take the maximum terminal (in my case, I could have up to 90 days on the books since my EAOS is before the start of the next fiscal year). I've read milpers 1050-10 and 1050-20, and it sounds like it is at OIC discretion and depends on if they can get a replacement early enough. If all of that works out, I'll have about 120 days between start of terminal and the start of school. I'm saving up money for a buffer fund, if all goes well, I'll have 6-8 months worth of living expenses (rent, food, bills, etc) saved up. I know that I'll be house/apartment hunting, but I'm more so curious about what else you guys did.

[Dcc617]

What did you guys do between starting terminal leave/end of contract and starting school?

I'm planning fairly far out. I have two years left on my contract. I've talked to my command career counselor and developed a plan for getting the wheels in motion.

If all goes well, I'll be knocking a month off of my contract via early out so my EAOS will be a month before school starts, and then the exact amount of time of terminal I'll be authorized will depend on when they can get a replacement for me. I'm the only person with my NEC at my command, so I'm mentally preparing for two possibilities: having to work right up until my EAOS and then on the flipside, being authorized to take the maximum terminal (in my case, I could have up to 90 days on the books since my EAOS is before the start of the next fiscal year). I've read milpers 1050-10 and 1050-20, and it sounds like it is at OIC discretion and depends on if they can get a replacement early enough. If all of that works out, I'll have about 120 days between start of terminal and the start of school. I'm saving up money for a buffer fund, if all goes well, I'll have 6-8 months worth of living expenses (rent, food, bills, etc) saved up. I know that I'll be house/apartment hunting, but I'm more so curious about what else you guys did.

I had about eight months. I couch surfed across the country and chilled out. It was awesome.

[dannyswo]

I've got 2 weeks back in the US to check out, then 6 weeks before school starts, so I'm going to visit friends and while I wait for my things to show up from Europe and to avoid paying rent until I need to. No terminal leave for me: selling back 60 days.

[Kali the Annihilator]

I masturbated. Constantly.

[CMac86]

I masturbated. Constantly.

That was a change from your active time?

[Kali the Annihilator]

Believe it or not, it increased. I was raw.

[Wipfelder]

Believe it or not, it increased. I was raw.

But where did you find all the super-heated portapotties?

[Kali the Annihilator]

Believe it or not, it increased. I was raw.

But where did you find all the super-heated portapotties?

I just dutch ovened myself

[CenterFringe]

What did you guys do between starting terminal leave/end of contract and starting school?

I'm planning fairly far out. I have two years left on my contract. I've talked to my command career counselor and developed a plan for getting the wheels in motion.

If all goes well, I'll be knocking a month off of my contract via early out so my EAOS will be a month before school starts, and then the exact amount of time of terminal I'll be authorized will depend on when they can get a replacement for me. I'm the only person with my NEC at my command, so I'm mentally preparing for two possibilities: having to work right up until my EAOS and then on the flipside, being authorized to take the maximum terminal (in my case, I could have up to 90 days on the books since my EAOS is before the start of the next fiscal year). I've read milpers 1050-10 and 1050-20, and it sounds like it is at OIC discretion and depends on if they can get a replacement early enough. If all of that works out, I'll have about 120 days between start of terminal and the start of school. I'm saving up money for a buffer fund, if all goes well, I'll have 6-8 months worth of living expenses (rent, food, bills, etc) saved up. I know that I'll be house/apartment hunting, but I'm more so curious about what else you guys did.

So I thought I was going to be able to get out about 6 weeks before classes started. Literally had orders in my hand for about an hour before they got pulled back. While I still may get out two weeks before classes start, the lack of certainty has made it impossible to commit to starting classes this fall, so I deferred for a year and will just sell back my leave. I know it's NBD, but it was pretty hard, emotionally, to submit that deferral, especially after going to ASW.

I'm going to live with my dad for 6 months, probably volunteer with the Colorado Legal Society and/or an substantively relevant organization in an attempt to set myself up for a good paying 1L externship. I'm also planning to do a metric-shit ton of skiing, climbing, and hiking over that six months, and then travel for the remaining three or four, to do some more climbing. Due to the lack of need to pay rent, I'm currently not planning on working, although I may pick up a short term project (I'm an engineer by trade) to make a little beer money, but I honestly don't know that I even want to do that. I'm feeling pretty burned out right now.

Anyway, a lot can change in two years, and it's so easy for the O-5/O-6 to just say "not until your replacement arrives" and, well, there goes your plan, so be financially and emotionally prepared if you've gotta wait a year to start classes.

[AJordan]

After reading these stories, and this is the first time I've ever said this, but damn, I'm glad I'm enlisted.

[Wipfelder]

What did you guys do between starting terminal leave/end of contract and starting school?

I'm planning fairly far out. I have two years left on my contract. I've talked to my command career counselor and developed a plan for getting the wheels in motion.

If all goes well, I'll be knocking a month off of my contract via early out so my EAOS will be a month before school starts, and then the exact amount of time of terminal I'll be authorized will depend on when they can get a replacement for me. I'm the only person with my NEC at my command, so I'm mentally preparing for two possibilities: having to work right up until my EAOS and then on the flipside, being authorized to take the maximum terminal (in my case, I could have up to 90 days on the books since my EAOS is before the start of the next fiscal year). I've read milpers 1050-10 and 1050-20, and it sounds like it is at OIC discretion and depends on if they can get a replacement early enough. If all of that works out, I'll have about 120 days between start of terminal and the start of school. I'm saving up money for a buffer fund, if all goes well, I'll have 6-8 months worth of living expenses (rent, food, bills, etc) saved up. I know that I'll be house/apartment hunting, but I'm more so curious about what else you guys did.

So I thought I was going to be able to get out about 6 weeks before classes started. Literally had orders in my hand for about an hour before they got pulled back. While I still may get out two weeks before classes start, the lack of certainty has made it impossible to commit to starting classes this fall, so I deferred for a year and will just sell back my leave. I know it's NBD, but it was pretty hard, emotionally, to submit that deferral, especially after going to ASW.

I'm going to live with my dad for 6 months, probably volunteer with the Colorado Legal Society and/or an substantively relevant organization in an attempt to set myself up for a good paying 1L externship. I'm also planning to do a metric-shit ton of skiing, climbing, and hiking over that six months, and then travel for the remaining three or four, to do some more climbing. Due to the lack of need to pay rent, I'm currently not planning on working, although I may pick up a short term project (I'm an engineer by trade) to make a little beer money, but I honestly don't know that I even want to do that. I'm feeling pretty burned out right now.

Anyway, a lot can change in two years, and it's so easy for the O-5/O-6 to just say "not until your replacement arrives" and, well, there goes your plan, so be financially and emotionally prepared if you've gotta wait a year to start classes.

Personnel management isn't exactly the DOD's strong suit. But at any rate, take this as a blessing. My advice (I learned this the hard way) take your time with making commitments over the next year. Really, actually, chill the f* out and take things slowly.

[biglawhopeful18]

.

[CMac86]

So I thought I was going to be able to get out about 6 weeks before classes started. Literally had orders in my hand for about an hour before they got pulled back. While I still may get out two weeks before classes start, the lack of certainty has made it impossible to commit to starting classes this fall, so I deferred for a year and will just sell back my leave. I know it's NBD, but it was pretty hard, emotionally, to submit that deferral, especially after going to ASW.

I'm going to live with my dad for 6 months, probably volunteer with the Colorado Legal Society and/or an substantively relevant organization in an attempt to set myself up for a good paying 1L externship. I'm also planning to do a metric-shit ton of skiing, climbing, and hiking over that six months, and then travel for the remaining three or four, to do some more climbing. Due to the lack of need to pay rent, I'm currently not planning on working, although I may pick up a short term project (I'm an engineer by trade) to make a little beer money, but I honestly don't know that I even want to do that. I'm feeling pretty burned out right now.

Anyway, a lot can change in two years, and it's so easy for the O-5/O-6 to just say "not until your replacement arrives" and, well, there goes your plan, so be financially and emotionally prepared if you've gotta wait a year to start classes.

What you described is essentially my nightmare. I'm an MU, so the warmer months, especially May-July, are my busy season.

At this point, my EAOS is 3 days before my top few choice schools start. A significant part of why I'm trying to do early out is so that I will have at least 30 days (ideally 60-90) of downtime to settle into my new (old) city and a new apartment. New (old) city is because I'm planning on attending/applying to Chicago schools which is the city that I spent about ten years (mixed between civ and enlisted life) in prior to my latest transfer.

[AJordan]

After reading these stories, and this is the first time I've ever said this, but damn, I'm glad I'm enlisted.

Haha, who says there are no perks to being a fungible NCO? For my terminal I used Space A to travel abroad, then came back and did a cross-country road trip. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

I'm valuable enough where the Commander can rely on me to legit solve serious problems but not essential enough where the Army can't function without me for extended periods of time. Between S1 forgetting to charge my leave and the Army's excessive use of 4 days I've pretty much seen the world in a decade. Just this past year I've been to Munich, Paris, London, Venice, Florence, Nice, Freiburg and for work I've been to Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, and spent all of last August in Edinburgh. In the next 6 weeks I have Milan, Madrid, Normandy, and Montenegro. I spent the first ten years hopping sides in Asia and suffering Texas. I'm finally reaping the rewards of Europe.

[KPUSN07]

Which schools are the most Vet friendly /accepting in terms of admissions?

[dannyswo]

After reading these stories, and this is the first time I've ever said this, but damn, I'm glad I'm enlisted.

Haha, who says there are no perks to being a fungible NCO? For my terminal I used Space A to travel abroad, then came back and did a cross-country road trip. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

I'm valuable enough where the Commander can rely on me to legit solve serious problems but not essential enough where the Army can't function without me for extended periods of time. Between S1 forgetting to charge my leave and the Army's excessive use of 4 days I've pretty much seen the world in a decade. Just this past year I've been to Munich, Paris, London, Venice, Florence, Nice, Freiburg and for work I've been to Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, and spent all of last August in Edinburgh. In the next 6 weeks I have Milan, Madrid, Normandy, and Montenegro. I spent the first ten years hopping sides in Asia and suffering Texas. I'm finally reaping the rewards of Europe.

Fringe in Edinburgh is rad.
Europe is fantastic.