New GI Bill Forum

[dapoetic1]

My Term bill is in.
My notification of eligibility has not been sent to me
My state still hasn't posted an official amount for max tuition/fees
How we doing so far?

[Cole S. Law]

My Term bill is in.
My notification of eligibility has not been sent to me
My state still hasn't posted an official amount for max tuition/fees
How we doing so far?

That sucks. Which office is processing your claim? I'll send my old platoon sergeant down there to get them right.

[dapoetic1]

My Term bill is in.
My notification of eligibility has not been sent to me
My state still hasn't posted an official amount for max tuition/fees
How we doing so far?

That sucks. Which office is processing your claim? I'll send my old platoon sergeant down there to get them right.

Lol--I might need you to.
It's the Buffalo, NY office. I applied on May 1 and got the letter a few weeks later saying "don't call us we'll call you", but nothing since then. I know they don't want anyone to call, bu Jeez I've got bills!!! Fortunately even w/o the GI Bill $$$ my tuition is taken care of, but that's not the point. It's about principle. They should've been prepared to handle the claims and bad on them if they just started processing claims as they came in with little to no regard for when people were actually planning on using them. I know people that applied for benefits and haven't even applied to a school let alone made plans to attend.

[dapoetic1]

After 20 minutes of being disconnected I finally got in touch withe the VA education processing office.
They said "we sent your letter out last month."
Interesting!
Well good news is that I got my 100% and they're resending my letter. Now I just need to call my school and see what else I need. Something tells me they may have already received it. my official documents for the school used to say that my DD-214 was outstanding and was needed to prove vet status. But now it says that I have no more missing documents so maybe once they received my NoBE that was good enough.

[Boyk1182]

Florida's max tuition is $295 per semester hour this fall, when the figure they posted before was $683!!!!!!!! The figure I based my decision to attend a private school on......

Is this right? The max fees are $62,000 per semester... really?!

[babyt8_99]

Found out some information for anyone who is using the Post 9/11 GI Bill transfer benefits.

Once you have completed the TEB website form and it has been approved, you will need to print off that approval and send it to your servicing center. You can do that through snail mail or fax. the only way to get the fax number is to call the 888-GIBILL number. After sitting on it for 3 weeks (cause I didn't know I had to do anything with it), I found out that they wont touch your file without it. Also, once they have it, it will take approx. 6 weeks.

Guess I'm screwed for this semester!!

[LSATfromNC]

Florida's max tuition is $295 per semester hour this fall, when the figure they posted before was $683!!!!!!!! The figure I based my decision to attend a private school on......

Is this right? The max fees are $62,000 per semester... really?!

That sucks bro, I feel for you. What are you thinking about doing???

[CyLaw]

Also google your target state and "veteran's tuition". Ohio offers all vets instate. I don't know if they're the only state that does this.

Some friends and I did some lobbying last session, and Iowa does now too, although they altered our bill at the last minute to apply only to UG.

Little help for prospective law students I realize, but we're going to try and get it amended next session. The UI Provost wants to increase enrollment and one of the assistant provosts is passionate about vets benefits (he left a leg in Vietnam) so we're hoping to have their clout to assist us.

It sucks that it only applies to UG, but thanks for your efforts on getting this law passed. It will really help me for my last semester at Iowa State as a UG.

[Boyk1182]

Florida's max tuition is $295 per semester hour this fall, when the figure they posted before was $683!!!!!!!! The figure I based my decision to attend a private school on......

Is this right? The max fees are $62,000 per semester... really?!

That sucks bro, I feel for you. What are you thinking about doing???

I'm just going to go, take out a ton of loans, and be in a lot of debt
Not quite how I planned this but oh well!

[mgrand08]

Is the housing allowance under the post 9/11 GI Bill paid out on the same tier system as the tuition is? I'm eligible for 70% of the tuition so I'm assuming that this applies to the housing allowance as well.

[CyLaw]

Is the housing allowance under the post 9/11 GI Bill paid out on the same tier system as the tuition is? I'm eligible for 70% of the tuition so I'm assuming that this applies to the housing allowance as well.

Yes. From the Chapter 33 Pamphlet.

How much will I receive?
Based on your length of active duty service, you are entitled to a percentage of the following:
- Cost of tuition and fees, not to exceed the most expensive in-state undergraduate tuition at a public institution of higher education (paid to school);
- Monthly housing allowance* equal to the basic allowance for housing payable to a military E-5 with dependents, in the same zip code as your school (paid to you);
- Yearly books and supplies stipend of up to $1000 per year (paid to you); and
- A one-time payment of $500 paid to certain individuals relocating from highly rural areas.

[LSATfromNC]

Obama is about to start a live broadcast talking about the GI Bill.

[Lyov Myshkin]

i wish i hadn't used up my gi bill in undergrad. stupid stupid move on my part.

[Cole S. Law]

I got a reply to my appeal of my GI Bill %. They said it was received on 13 July and will take 8-12 weeks to review! Unfortunately, I need that money to live and school will start 4-8 weeks before the end of that timeline. Weak.

[Boyk1182]

i wish i hadn't used up my gi bill in undergrad. stupid stupid move on my part.

You can get a year of this new one if you used your old one up completely before the switch, at least that's the way I understand it.

I'd look into it...

[Lyov Myshkin]

i wish i hadn't used up my gi bill in undergrad. stupid stupid move on my part.

You can get a year of this new one if you used your old one up completely before the switch, at least that's the way I understand it.

I'd look into it...

are you fucking serious?? that would be so fucking money..

(and yeah that was a pun).

[CyLaw]

It is true. I'll repost what I said on the Yellow Ribbon thread about this.

Man-o-man. I'm applying this cycle and I've got a decent shot at Harvard. I've got 9--or maybe 12?--months of benefits left. Right now I'm asking myself if I can get into Harvard, if they'll be offering the program again, etc., because I stand to gain quite a bit more from a free year at Harvard than a free year at UCSD.

Decisions decisions.

I think that you can get an additional 12 months of CH 33 benefits if you exhaust your old CH 30 time first. Not sure if that will impact your decision, but it's definitely worth thinking about.

TITCR, talked with the VA the other day about this, and they confirmed that if you exhaust you Chapter 30 benefits, then apply for Chapter 33, you get 48 months - (How many months you ACTUALLY used you chapter 30 benefits), up to a maximum of 12 extra months.

So, assume your spring semester is 4 months long, and you have 2 months left of your Chapter 30 benefits. If you convert to Chapter 33 then you get 4 months of Chapter 33 (The 2 months you are entitled, then the additional 2 months they are required to give you by law to ride out the semester). If you hold off on applying for Chapter 33 and use Ch. 30 instead, you get 4 months of chapter 30 for the spring semester. Then you can later get 48 - 38 = 10 months of Ch. 33. (38 months is 36 months you were entitled Ch 30 + 2 extra months under the termination policy stated previously).

Note if you elect to convert to chapter 33, this is irrevocable. Sadly, I did not know these facts before I converted my last 3.5 months of 30 to 33.

[Lyov Myshkin]

It is true. I'll repost what I said on the Yellow Ribbon thread about this.

Man-o-man. I'm applying this cycle and I've got a decent shot at Harvard. I've got 9--or maybe 12?--months of benefits left. Right now I'm asking myself if I can get into Harvard, if they'll be offering the program again, etc., because I stand to gain quite a bit more from a free year at Harvard than a free year at UCSD.

Decisions decisions.

I think that you can get an additional 12 months of CH 33 benefits if you exhaust your old CH 30 time first. Not sure if that will impact your decision, but it's definitely worth thinking about.

TITCR, talked with the VA the other day about this, and they confirmed that if you exhaust you Chapter 30 benefits, then apply for Chapter 33, you get 48 months - (How many months you ACTUALLY used you chapter 30 benefits), up to a maximum of 12 extra months.

So, assume your spring semester is 4 months long, and you have 2 months left of your Chapter 30 benefits. If you convert to Chapter 33 then you get 4 months of Chapter 33 (The 2 months you are entitled, then the additional 2 months they are required to give you by law to ride out the semester). If you hold off on applying for Chapter 33 and use Ch. 30 instead, you get 4 months of chapter 30 for the spring semester. Then you can later get 48 - 38 = 10 months of Ch. 33. (38 months is 36 months you were entitled Ch 30 + 2 extra months under the termination policy stated previously).

Note if you elect to convert to chapter 33, this is irrevocable. Sadly, I did not know these facts before I converted my last 3.5 months of 30 to 33.

holy shit this is the best news i've heard all day.

[Lyov Myshkin]

is this even applicable if you had a two year contract?

[CyLaw]

You'll have to look into the eligibility requirement for Chapter 33. What I said before only applies if you normally qualify for chapter 33 benefits. Since I was a four year contract I never looked at the percent chart, but I believe that if you served two years after 9/11 then you receive a percent of the benefit for the months. Same number of months, just reduced money. And I don't know if you are eligible for yellow ribbon then, I have not looked into it. Contrary to popular belief the VA people are quite helpful on the phone in understanding the benefits.

[Lyov Myshkin]

You'll have to look into the eligibility requirement for Chapter 33. What I said before only applies if you normally qualify for chapter 33 benefits. Since I was a four year contract I never looked at the percent chart, but I believe that if you served two years after 9/11 then you receive a percent of the benefit for the months. Same number of months, just reduced money. And I don't know if you are eligible for yellow ribbon then, I have not looked into it. Contrary to popular belief the VA people are quite helpful on the phone in understanding the benefits.

i'm not eligible for yellow ribbon unfortunately, but it looks like i'd be eligible for 50% of the chapter 33 rates or whatever. that's still pretty sick since that's a year of law school at a 1/2 scholly. i think that also means i get 50% of e-5 BAH which is also pretty sick. this could turn out pretty awesome. thanks for the info!

[anthonyc7599]

So I get in touch with my VA rep today and she tells me that my Eligibility Certification only qualifies me for the GI Bill and not the YRP even though it is for 100%. News to me, right. Come to find out that when I first applied in May I was still on active duty, so they didn't put YRP eligibility on that letter. So after contacting the VA today, I had to fax them a copy of my DD-214 and then they will generate another certification letter. Turn around time: 4-6 weeks!

I am hoping that because I am in the system it will not take that long. All they have to do is change a couple of happies to glads.My school was at least able to send in the GI Bill info but can't submit YRP stuff, so at least I have that going for me. So maybe I am unique or just missed the fine print, but it seems if you sign up while on active duty, things aren't complete until you get your DD-214 in.

[AndyB617]

first of all, that sucks. second, let me ask you this...did you need to do anything or fill out any other forms other than your initial application? i'm just trying to figure out if i need to do anything else in order to get paid. unfortunately, the people at my school aren't that helpful.

[anthonyc7599]

first of all, that sucks. second, let me ask you this...did you need to do anything or fill out any other forms other than your initial application? i'm just trying to figure out if i need to do anything else in order to get paid. unfortunately, the people at my school aren't that helpful.

So far the only thing I had to do was drop off my Elegibility Certification letter. The VA rep took care of everything else, mind you with this slight hiccup. She assured me that all I had to do futher was just to drop off the new letter. Now the question is just when will the VA pay up. She also recommended that if I had any pending tuition bills, to talk to the financial folks and let them know that I have the VA benefits coming.

[Rotor]

OK, now I'm really ticked...

CA's info rate last year fluctuated because of the way they calculate things (no "tuition" for residents but loads of fees, etc.) but it ultimately settled in around $6800/term. They were a little late posting CA numbers, but based on the 5 Aug update, it shows that CA will only get $2165/term in fees and $287/hour in tuition that won't get billed (thus not paid by VA).

To top it off, UCB's website shows UG fees of more than 4K per term-- it's not the 6800 they showed for planning, but it beats 2165.

First off, the legislation requires that fees be set at the highest UG rate for public universities in the state-- so how in the heck can they be any less than the ~4K that Berkeley is?

Second, if the planning factor was $6800 last year, and the Regents added 9.3% to fees this year, why is it not ~$7400?

OK, TLSers, I know you don't really have the answers to those questions-- they're rhetorical. Here's my question to you: who do I go to answer questions and verify what we should be getting? VA? The state? My school's finaid?

Thanks.