GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program Forum

[WassAnch]

Thanks! Looks like that reporter freaked me out for no reason.

[cle]

Ok, the GI Bill is confusing me.

So I can go to a state school for free(or pay a couple thousand more if they are over the cap?)

Is there a list of Yellow Ribbon Schools? Wouldn't more schools want to do it, am I understanding right, the extra money they give to vets in grants gets reimbursed by the VA?

A couple of schools I'm looking at are crazy expensive.I've got good grades, Eagle Scout but I know I won't get into a lot of them but they include Cornell, Notre Dame, Miami, USC, Northwestern, etc...Tuition is like 35k+ at each, and I'd only be getting about 10k from the GI Bill


I'm not enlisted, but I'm thinking about, along with going to college at 18, not sure what I want to do yet.

I live in Ohio and want to get away, lol. Right military personnel can change their residency (for tax purposes) to any state they want? Even when you are stationed in the U.S.? The person who told me this said that a lot of military people choose Texas, because of no income tax. Could I change to California, to get in-state tuition rates later when I go to school?


Thanks

[Cole S. Law]

Ok, the GI Bill is confusing me.

So I can go to a state school for free(or pay a couple thousand more if they are over the cap?)

Is there a list of Yellow Ribbon Schools? Wouldn't more schools want to do it, am I understanding right, the extra money they give to vets in grants gets reimbursed by the VA?

A couple of schools I'm looking at are crazy expensive.I've got good grades, Eagle Scout but I know I won't get into a lot of them but they include Cornell, Notre Dame, Miami, USC, Northwestern, etc...Tuition is like 35k+ at each, and I'd only be getting about 10k from the GI Bill


I'm not enlisted, but I'm thinking about, along with going to college at 18, not sure what I want to do yet.

I live in Ohio and want to get away, lol. Right military personnel can change their residency (for tax purposes) to any state they want? Even when you are stationed in the U.S.? The person who told me this said that a lot of military people choose Texas, because of no income tax. Could I change to California, to get in-state tuition rates later when I go to school?


Thanks

Since you're talking undergrad, you can attend for free for 3 years. Changing your state of legal residence isn't quite automatic. The easiest way is if you're already stationed in said state (Texas is a common choice for military because Texas has a HUGE military presence). If it looks like you're changing just for taxes or instate tuition your request may be denied. If you do go military, you should probably change residence to the state you're stationed in (if instate tuition is your primary concern). Ohio allows all vets to go to school for instate rates, so that would give you two states to select schools from with instate rates.

On a side note, I'd advise you to look into some of the quality public schools for undergrad. If you intend to major in a worthwhile subject that will get you employed directly from undergrad (engineering, accounting, nursing, etc.), you will receive only a minimal advantage from attending the schools you listed. An engineer with outstanding grades from Ohio State, Indiana, or Illinois will do just as well as one from Cornell, Notre Dame, or Northwestern. If you intend to pursue graduate work (law, medicine, MBA, etc.), you can always attend the prestigious (expensive) school for the grad work and get all the advantages with half the total bill. I attended a high priced, "highly ranked" undergrad, and I regret it. My student loans were astronomical, and I'm not any better off than my friends who attended Ohio State (which also has like 20x the number of alumni to network with).

That's my two cents. If you have any questions about the military or the Army in particular, feel free to PM me. Good luck.

[WassAnch]

I've never tried to change my residency (Alaska has a yearly dividend PLUS no income tax), but I think that it is a little trickier than just changing it with the military. You would need a home of record in the state that you want to change to (I believe). I also think that you would need to try an acquire certain things in your target state (license, vehicle registration, etc).

As far the the new GI Bill, it is going to be a little tricker than that. I'm pretty sure that it doesn't simply cover the full cost of a public. It pays up to the cost of the most expensive undergraduate institution in the state. That means that even public graduate/law schools are usually going to require additional money on top of the GI Bill. As far as only receiving 10k from the bill, this is not really true. The current GI Bill pays out around 13k a year I believe. However, as of August 1st the new Post 9/11 Bill will be released. This pays E-5 BAH with one dependent (basic allowance for housing). In the Bay Area, for example, someone enrolled in the new bill would receive about 25k a year just in housing benefits (someone in Nebraska, however, would only receive around 11k). Also, the tuition rate will most likely be different for different states (Northwestern is in Illinois, which is currently slated to receive about 56k a year in tuition). The rates will probably change 10 more times or get capped at a certain level, but that is where they stand as of today. Anyways, that means that you could possibly receive 70k a year or more from the new gi bill per year (instead of the current rate of 13k/yr).

There will not be a list of Yellow Ribbon Programs released until April. The schools will not be reimbursed by the VA. The VA will simply match what the school contributes (similar, but slightly different).

Anyways, I would say that going into the military can be a great or a terrible experience. I have a few tips:
1) Make sure you sign for a job! Don't let them pick one after you join. Make sure you get what you want.
2) You can probably strategically position yourself in almost any state (if you want residency). For example, CA has several military bases. You could either pick a job that will send you there for military schooling or pick a job that can be stationed there. Both can be researched on-line. Keep in mind that this should certainly not be your primary consideration. Picking a job just to go to a specific state would be silly....Maybe someone else has an easier way to game the system and establish residency by changing your home of record, but I have never looked into it.
3) Make sure that it is what you want! It is a great way to earn a degree for free while in (without touching the GI Bill), but it requires a lot of dedication and sacrifice.

Good luck!

(edit--just noticed that poster above was probably referring to UG)

A few edits for UG--
1)The new GI Bill will cover a public school. I wouldn't mess with a private.
2)While you are in you can use $4,500 a year on the military's dime (at least that is how AF tuition assistance works). I can't speak for the other branches, but there is no excuse for not earning a UG degree while you finish your enlistment. Some jobs offer unique AA degrees (linguists, for example, earn an AA in their target language) and all AF jobs enroll in you in the Community College of the Air Force. It is a relatively useless AA degree that doesn't even include a GPA, but some places will take it. While the CCAF degree is fairly useless, the language AA transfered very easily. If you plan it right you should be able to save your entire GI Bill for grad school.

[law_mama]

Does anyone have any information about the transferability of GI benefits to dependents ?

From what I understand, there will be SOME type of transferability in the New GI Bill, but they haven't determined who will be able to transfer and what the terms will be.

I wonder when we will know this, since the new gi bill is effective august 1st?

[Rotor]

Does anyone have any information about the transferability of GI benefits to dependents ?

From what I understand, there will be SOME type of transferability in the New GI Bill, but they haven't determined who will be able to transfer and what the terms will be.

I wonder when we will know this, since the new gi bill is effective august 1st?

I'm posting from my phone, so getting a link will be kinda tough, but there has been coverage of this at places like military.com if you want to google it yourself. That said, here is my understanding at the moment:

1. The rules aren't final and may be changed by the services

2. Transferability is a retention tool and will incur mandatory service extensions

3. Exception to #2, if you are retirement eligible on 1 Aug 09, you will be eligible to transfer without additional service. If you are between 16-20 years of service, you must serve until 20 to earn transferability.

4. Everyone else must commit to additional time (4 or 5 years I think) to be eligible.

Again, like most things with this program stand by for more official guidance from the VA as 1 Aug gets closer. It's a big program and Congress didn't give them much guidance and even less time to get it rolling.

[law_mama]

I just called the VA education benefits toll free number.
According to the woman I spoke to...SO FAR they have determined that...
People who have served 6 years active duty can transfer their benefits to their spouses IF they agree to serve another 4 years Active duty.
People who are currently in the reserves, there is no word yet.

My situation is that he has served 10 years active duty and JUST re-enlisted for 6 years reserve.
So according to her, she said that he would be under the rules for the reservists, which have not been determined yet, but will likely be more strict than the active duty rules.
That just doesn't sound right to me, though. its like he can't transfer anything, even though he has already served 10 yrs active and re-enlisted for 6 yrs reserve. AND what happens when he is deployed, doesn't that count as active duty???
*sigh*

AND, I asked when she thought we might have more information about it, she said August 1st.

wth...they are going to tell us Aug. 1st, and school starts end of august.

[Rotor]

I just called the VA education benefits toll free number.
According to the woman I spoke to...SO FAR they have determined that...
People who have served 6 years active duty can transfer their benefits to their spouses IF they agree to serve another 4 years Active duty.
People who are currently in the reserves, there is no word yet.

My situation is that he has served 10 years active duty and JUST re-enlisted for 6 years reserve.
So according to her, she said that he would be under the rules for the reservists, which have not been determined yet, but will likely be more strict than the active duty rules.
That just doesn't sound right to me, though. its like he can't transfer anything, even though he has already served 10 yrs active and re-enlisted for 6 yrs reserve. AND what happens when he is deployed, doesn't that count as active duty???
*sigh*

AND, I asked when she thought we might have more information about it, she said August 1st.

wth...they are going to tell us Aug. 1st, and school starts end of august.

Thanks for confirming the 4 years additional service requirement.

As for your specific situation, it doesn't look like you're going to be able to make use of the transfer-- at least until the Reserve rules are set.

Section 3319 of the Act (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin ... ubl252.110) is clear that it is left up to the Secretaries of the Services how to implement AND that it is "to promote recruitment and retention of members of the Armed Forces" and then goes on to describe the requirements as you laid out above.

Even though the Active and Reserve Components are working more closely than they ever have (and the RC shouldering a much bigger active burden), "active retention" would require remaining on active duty. Yes, when a reservist is called up, he/she gets active credit (towards retirement or other benefits like the GI Bill (for those who didn't have your husband's six active years)), but he will not be active for the entire time of the four years required.

Hopefully when the Reserve rules come out, they'll closely mirror the AC and you'll be able to transfer then.

Thanks to your husband for his service, his willingness to continue in the Reserves and to you for putting up with and supporting him through all that the military asks of us and our families.

[LSATfromNC]

I never understood why people would transfer benefits to a spouse. He will really be miserable in 10 years if he is divorced, retired and his ex used his school benefits. Maybe to a child I could understand, but at that point I still think everyone would be better off had said person used the benefits for their education then using their higher salary to compensate their children down the line. Done my incomprehensible rant......

[Rotor]

Post #300!

...just sayin.

[mardimar]

.

[alveron]

I called the VA certifying official at the University of Miami. As far as she knows, the university is not participating in the yellow ribbon program this coming fall.

[law_mama]

when does the VA begin accepting apps for the Post 9/11 GI Bill?

So far I heard May 1, 2009.

[law_mama]

I never understood why people would transfer benefits to a spouse. He will really be miserable in 10 years if he is divorced, retired and his ex used his school benefits. Maybe to a child I could understand, but at that point I still think everyone would be better off had said person used the benefits for their education then using their higher salary to compensate their children down the line. Done my incomprehensible rant......

He might be even more miserable in 10 years if he is divorced, retired, and doesnt even use his school benefits. Then he has to support his ex wife and children because she couldn't get an education to support herself

Oh, and besides the 10 yrs down the road, maybe he would be much happier if his wife got an education and a job NOW, while they are still married and he can enjoy some of the benefits of her education.

just a thought.

[dapoetic1]

I called the VA certifying official at the University of Miami. As far as she knows, the university is not participating in the yellow ribbon program this coming fall.

I get the feeling that the way VA pitched this to the schools is that it's only necessary for private schools to participate. Altough obviously it's understood that the purpose is to cover the gap in GI Bill benefits and actual tuition costs I think that public schools may feel like they don't need to do anything extra to cover tutition cost.

Indiana Univ. Bloomington has also said they will not participate.But the dean of FinAid did say that he wished they did. So it's probably an issue that's brought before a board of people that decide whether they will or will not participate and if so to what extent.

If the current rates continue to be the real payouts they will see a lot of veterans choosing to go to school in Illinois, Texas and Tennessee.
I would certainly think about attending a school in Illinois when they're paying about $56k/year instead of say DC where it's about $1k/year.

Honestly, the YRB and GIB benefits in general could really help me make a decision about where I want to go this fall.

EDIT: WTF????
Has anyone recently checked the VA website? I could've sworn two days ago the per semester term fees in Illinois were $28k. There was actually an article about it so I know I'm not hallucinating. But today the benefits are now $17k. Don't get me wrong that's still a TON of money, but they're changing the max tuition and fees almost daily and they're making huge changes. Also Pennsylvania used to be about $12k/term now it's $1600.

[dapoetic1]

Just so I know I'm not crazy I've been trying to google the article that recently came out about this very thing. It talked about how a student in Illinois could get almost $56k/year in benefits.
This is the only excerpt I've been able to find on google and it won't even let me look at the cached page of the VA website. It automatically directs me to the new numbers
State, Maximum Charge per Credit Hour, Maximum Total Fees per Term ... Illinois, $558.08, $28738.00*. Indiana, $230.05*, $2231.52*. Iowa, $324.25, $11817.00 ...But clearly at one point the max total fees per term for Illinois was over $28k.
I know it feels like I'm beating this to death, but when they make such enormous leaps in the amount of money that's available that really worries me. I know there will be many more changes, but $10k/term is a big difference.

EDIT: ok found the link
http://www.military.com/money-for-schoo ... -fee-rates

That rant is over
On a more positive note Seton Hall has agreed to participate in YRB and give waive fees for eligible veterans.
--LinkRemoved--

[LSATfromNC]

I never understood why people would transfer benefits to a spouse. He will really be miserable in 10 years if he is divorced, retired and his ex used his school benefits. Maybe to a child I could understand, but at that point I still think everyone would be better off had said person used the benefits for their education then using their higher salary to compensate their children down the line. Done my incomprehensible rant......

He might be even more miserable in 10 years if he is divorced, retired, and doesnt even use his school benefits. Then he has to support his ex wife and children because she couldn't get an education to support herself

Oh, and besides the 10 yrs down the road, maybe he would be much happier if his wife got an education and a job NOW, while they are still married and he can enjoy some of the benefits of her education.

just a thought.

Yeah....I see the point on both sides. IMHO if the spouse wants benefits they should join the military. My wife served her time in the guard and it payed for her undergrad.

What happens if a soldier retires at 20 years, and he was married twice during that time for 10 years a piece......they get jack.

[law_mama]

I never understood why people would transfer benefits to a spouse. He will really be miserable in 10 years if he is divorced, retired and his ex used his school benefits. Maybe to a child I could understand, but at that point I still think everyone would be better off had said person used the benefits for their education then using their higher salary to compensate their children down the line. Done my incomprehensible rant......

He might be even more miserable in 10 years if he is divorced, retired, and doesnt even use his school benefits. Then he has to support his ex wife and children because she couldn't get an education to support herself

Oh, and besides the 10 yrs down the road, maybe he would be much happier if his wife got an education and a job NOW, while they are still married and he can enjoy some of the benefits of her education.

just a thought.

Yeah....I see the point on both sides. IMHO if the spouse wants benefits they should join the military. My wife served her time in the guard and it payed for her undergrad.

What happens if a soldier retires at 20 years, and he was married twice during that time for 10 years a piece......they get jack.

A problem with that is ... not everyone qualifies for the military.

I tried to get in and I'm not allowed.

[LSATfromNC]

That sucks, unfortunately not everyone can serve in an active capacity. I foresee young soldiers signing over their benefits, yet many cannot see more than one enlistment into the future. To me its equivalent of signing over your social security benefits when your only in your 20's.

That said many colleges do look out for spouses. Here at Bragg, Campbell provides free tuition to soldiers spouses provided both are taking classes.

[Cal4future]

I have nothing to add to the content of this discussion - just wanted to thank you all for your service!

Awesome! You rock!


Tried to find out if UPenn participates but they couldn't even connect me to the Veteran's Services office without failing 3 times by connecting me to other offices.

Anyone have any idea on Boston University or Notre Dame?

[rtg1281]

Using the state of IL as an example, it seems that some on here are saying that annual tuition benefits would be $17530. This info seems to be pulled from the VA website listing benefit amounts. However, gibill2008.org also has a graph that leads me to believe that benefits would be $9742......

Does anyone have any insight to the why they differ? and better yet which is accurate?

[dapoetic1]

It has been my experience that if you call and speak with the Dean/Director of Financial Aid they usually know whether or not the school participates. If they "aren't sure" then that probably means they may be working on ways to include that into the budget but I'm sure that if they are not participating they already know. Of course, there may be a few schools that will tell you they don't know because they know the final word from VA is supposed to be out April 1st, but the folks in the FinAid dept. at most of these schools are extremely helpful.

If you speak to the Director in FinAid and you don't get a good answer asked to be transferred to the Head of Veterans Affairs at the school. They usually have much clearer answers on benefits because they're info is coming directly from VA.

[AndyB617]

does anyone else feel really happy that we veterans get to take advantage of something like this? every time i think of the fact that a good chunk of my law school will be paid for, it makes me smile. thank you, FDR for passing the original gi bill, and thank you 2007 congress for passing the new one!

[scott82]

FWIW, Iowa is poised to offer all veterans the in-state tuition rate, assuming the legislation passes (i'm cautiously optimistic). Save a bundle if you come to Iowa College of Law.

does anyone else feel really happy that we veterans get to take advantage of something like this? every time i think of the fact that a good chunk of my law school will be paid for, it makes me smile. thank you, FDR for passing the original gi bill, and thank you 2007 congress for passing the new one!

Very. My debt would be substantially greater without. I still hope they offer some loan forgiveness to those of us who qualify for the new one but used most of our benefits under the old.

[Cole S. Law]

does anyone else feel really happy that we veterans get to take advantage of something like this? every time i think of the fact that a good chunk of my law school will be paid for, it makes me smile. thank you, FDR for passing the original gi bill, and thank you 2007 congress for passing the new one!

YES! Without this bill, I'd be doing contract work in Afghanistan to support my family. Now I can afford to reach a goal I set for myself a long time ago. Whatever else Senator Webb does, he has my gratitude for making this bill into law.