The Military After High School

Phillip Nguyen
Aug 12, 2020
6 min read

If you could pay little to nothing to go to college, what would you think? You would probably feel relieved and excited! After all, who doesn’t like free money? Students often rely on traditional grants and scholarships to reduce the cost of college, but there are other options. If you have a strong, patriotic passion to serve your country and you want free money for college, you are invited to explore the options of joining the armed forces after high school. There are a variety of ways that you could go when it comes to serving in the United States Armed Forces, either as a commissioned officer or an enlisted member.

Overview of Service Branches

The United States Armed Forces consist of seven service branches, each with a unique focus on warfare or defense. Here is a brief description of the seven branches, according to the United States Department of Defense.

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force specializes in air operations and ensures rapid deployments of soldiers when needed.

United States Army

The United States Army is responsible for ground combat operations and is the oldest service branch.

United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard, a part of the Department of Homeland Security during times of peace and belonging to the United States Navy when the nation is at war, is responsible for defending the nation’s oceans and enforcing laws at sea. Bonus points if you knew that Alexander Hamilton, the main character of a certain Broadway musical, was the founder of the United States Coast Guard!

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps specializes in amphibious (land and sea) operations and is a part of the Department of the Navy.

United States National Guard

The United States National Guard is a homeland defense force that responds to emergencies occurring within the nation, natural disasters, civil unrest, and other issues requiring support. The National Guard consists of the Army National Guards and Air National Guards of each state and territory.

United States Navy

The United States Navy specializes in operations "on, above and below the water” (Department of Defense) and helps prevent aggressive conflict in different parts of the world.

United States Space Force

The United States Space Force specializes in space operations and uses the space domain to help other service branches. The Space Force is the youngest branch (created December 20, 2019) and is a part of the Department of the Air Force.

The specialties and missions of the service branches will align with different career opportunities available in each branch and will help you understand which branch is right for you.

Commissioned Officer Pathway - Service Academies

If you have a desire to be a leader in the military without paying anything to do so, a service academy may be right for you! Service academies are federal universities that will prepare you to become a commissioned officer in the service academy’s respective branch. During your time at a service academy, you will receive the physical and mental training necessary to succeed as an officer. At the same time, you will be taking rigorous classes, which will lead to a Bachelor of Science degree in your selected major upon graduation. You pay little to nothing for your tuition, room and board, and fees, and you may get a monthly stipend to spend. If you wish to go to medical/law/professional school, the academies may select a few successful students to attend those schools.

Getting admitted to a service academy is difficult and you will have to “compete” against other applicants for a spot at a service academy. Good grades, recommendations, and fitness are required, and extracurriculars are strongly preferred. You also require a nomination to get into a service academy, which can be obtained from your district’s representative in Congress, your state’s U.S. senators, the Vice President, or the President. You do not need to know the nominator personally, as they will often require you to write an essay to get to know you. The service academies in the United States are:

United States Air Force Academy

The USAFA is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This academy has a 12.3% acceptance rate and trains students seeking to join the Air Force or Space Force. You will be commissioned as an O-1 officer (Second Lieutenant) when you graduate.

United States Military Academy (West Point)

The USMA is the oldest service academy and it is located in West Point, New York. This academy has a 12.75% acceptance rate and trains students seeking to join the Army. You will be commissioned as an O-1 officer (Second Lieutenant) when you graduate. An interview is required for admission.

United States Coast Guard Academy

The United States Coast Guard Academy is located in New London, Connecticut. This academy has a 16% acceptance rate and trains students seeking to join the Coast Guard. You will be commissioned as an O-1 officer (Ensign) when you graduate. Interviews are optional. A nomination is NOT required to enter this academy.

United States Naval Academy

The USNA is located in Annapolis, Maryland. This academy has a 9% acceptance rate and trains students seeking to join the Navy or Marines. You will be commissioned as an O-1 officer (Ensign for Navy or Second Lieutenant for Marines) when you graduate. Interviews with a Blue and Gold Officer in your region are mandatory.

United States Merchant Marine Academy

The USMMA is located in Kings Point, New York. This academy has a 15% acceptance rate. When you graduate, you must commit to becoming an active-duty or reserve officer in the branch you choose (preferably the Navy or Marines), work in industries related to the sea, or join the United States, Merchant Marine.

Service academies have very strict and disciplined environments. If you are rejected from the academies, some academies may invite you to a rigorous prep school that will almost guarantee your admission to the service academy of the branch that the school is affiliated with. Once you graduate from a service academy, you will be required to serve in the military as an active-duty officer for many years. If you would not like to sacrifice your traditional college experience to save money, the Reserve Officer Training Corps may be a good option for you.

Commissioned Officer Pathway - Reserve Officer Training Corps

Each branch has a program known as the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. More than 1,700 universities in the United States offer this program. ROTC programs include the Air Force ROTC (for Air Force and Space Force), Army ROTC, Navy ROTC (for Navy and Marines), and the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (for Coast Guard).

If you still want to have a normal college experience, this program might be right for you. ROTC programs allow you to take your classes normally at a university, along with one or two extra classes for ROTC. You can hang out with friends, participate in typical college activities, and still prepare to become a military officer. You will have to attend military training during the summer breaks. Furthermore, ROTC scholarships are available for most students, which can pay off your college costs for two, three, or four years. In exchange, you will be required to serve as an active-duty, reserve, or National Guard officer in the military. However, you must meet the fitness standards and follow the rules, or you may be removed from ROTC and required to pay back the military for your scholarship (if you got one).

Enlisted Member Options - Education In & Out of the Military

If you are unable to become a commissioned officer, you may still want to join the military as an enlisted member, as service members are offered educational benefits. For instance, the training you receive in the military can translate to college credit for a course offered at a university. The military also offers exams for the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTE), allowing service members to receive college credit. Additionally, the Air Force/Space Force allows their servicemembers to enroll in the Community College of the Air Force and get an associate’s degree.

If you still want to be an officer and you obtain satisfactory ratings from your commander, the military will pay for you to go to a university and get a bachelor’s degree in the major of your choice. When you graduate, you will be allowed to become a Second Lieutenant or Ensign (O-1, depends on the branch). Finally, if you are honorably discharged (released) from the military, you will receive Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits that will help pay for your college.

For more information about service academies: Thinking About a Service Academy? Here's The Breakdown United States Air Force Academy United States Coast Guard Academy United States Merchant Marine Academy United States Military Academy (Army) United States Naval Academy (Navy/Marines) For more information about ROTC programs: