Policy Brief: Increasing Retention

and Completion Rates for Veterans

in Higher Education
Prepared by Hannah Davis, Dakota Webber, and Donte Day

Executive Summary
Introduction
Veterans are a population that have many things in common In higher education, Veterans
that the general population do not. When taking this into serve as an underrepresented
consideration, it is recommended that colleges consider adding minority struggling to find their
veteran specific resources, veteran specific orientations,
place and achieve academic
veteran specific courses, and faculty and staff awareness. By
success. A college education
doing this, it could substantially increase the retention and
completion rates for our veteran students who are attending may be “the most difficult barrier a
colleges and universities. This policy brief will explore these student veteran faces” and “the
recommendations and encourage policy makers to consider sudden shift from structured
making these recommendations required for colleges and military to a less-structured college
universities in order to receive certain funding. environment can be challenging”
(Kirchner, 2015). Additionally,
many are first generation college
Serving a Diverse Population students, suffer from loneliness, and
are older than the average
Veterans are not the typical college student and have diverse college student, with an average
demographics. Veterans are significantly older than the age of 33. (Kirchner, 2015). While
average student (U.S. Department of Education). Their military completing their military service,
experience occurred while their civilian peers were in
Veterans may suffer from physical
college. 44% have a spouse, and over 50% have dependents.
and mental injuries that further
Although many Veterans receive financial assistance, many
work full time jobs while in school (U.S. Department of inhibit their ability to pursue
Education). The added responsibilities can make assimilating education. The barriers listed and
into higher education academically and socially more other obstacles put student
difficult. Veterans representing different races, genders, and Veterans at a substantial risk of low
nationalities demonstrate that this diverse population needs retention and completion rates.
specific, data-based services available for them to achieve According to the National Veteran
optimal success in higher education. Education Success Tracker (2017),
“59.7 of those [student veterans]
that used the MGIB [Montgomery
“If colleges are not prepared GI Bill] and other VA education
to help transition soldiers from benefits completed a
combat, you do run the risk of postsecondary degree” (p. 10).
Additionally, only 62 percent of
losing an entire generation,"
higher education institutions are
said Tom Tarantino of the Iraq currently offering programs and
and Afghanistan Veterans of services specifically for Veterans
America. (From Soldier to Student: ACE,
2012).
 Policy Brief: Retention and Completion Rates for Veterans in Higher Education, Arizona
State University, 2019
•••

Approaches and Results

Comprehensive Orientations

When a veteran begins their higher education, experts recommend that

veterans start with a veteran specific orientation. In general, researchers
have “found that students that participated in orientation programs in
Virginia community colleges had higher GPA and retention rates than those who
did not participate”(Evans, Pellegrino, & Hoggan, 2015). A veteran specific orientation will
“facilitate the development of effective coping skills and a welcoming campus
environment”(Ryan, Carlstrom, Hughey, & Harris, 2011). An example of a university that has
implemented the veteran specific orientation that includes advising, veteran community
resource expo, and meet with your Vet Jacks Peer Mentor is Northern Arizona University (NAU)
(NAU, 2019). NAU also has a Veteran Student Mentoring Program where seasoned student
veterans help first-year veterans with one-one-one mentoring and are a resource for GI Bill and
VA benefits (NAU, 2019). Another example of a successful Veteran Specific Orientation is from
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Program creators are aware that there are
many factors that can inhibit a veteran’s ability to attend an orientation. Rather than avoiding
that population, Cal Poly Pomona offered “an optional online version of their standard
orientation that was reworked to fit the specific needs of veterans” (ACE, 2012). Through this
online orientation, veterans have access to modules on time management and modules on
applying for the GI Bill benefits (ACE, 2012).

Specialized Resources

Resources provided by a higher education institution should have an alternative available to

veterans. Veterans who suffer from mental injuries and illnesses who do not receive proper
help and support will have low retention and completion rates. The American Council on
Education (2018) states that “civilian counseling personnel may have a significant cultural gap
to close with veterans.” Many civilian counselors lack the proper knowledge of military
terminology, the culture of the military, combat experience, post-traumatic stress disorder, and
combat related injuries. ACE (2018) suggests that colleges and universities consider pairing
with their local VA and create training sessions for civilian counselors. For help with academics,
peer to peer tutoring among veterans promotes mentorship and partnership. To complete the
college experience, many students seek social groups and experiences. Creating and
promoting on campus veteran groups that are led by veterans and supported by the
institution combat the feelings of loneliness and isolation for veterans. According to ACE
(2018), “Veterans on campus are generally interested in connecting with other veterans, and
student veteran organizations can help meet this need.'' Lastly, it is important that veteran
students have a central point of contact to go to on their college campus. According to the
American Council on Education (2018), “many veterans suggest a single point of contact on
campus helps them navigate their college experience. Veterans value the trust that is built
through hands-on, in-person assistance from a single source knowledgeable about all of the
facets of their education”. This central point of contact is someone who will be an anchor for
the veteran students and will help encourage retention, completion, and career placement
after graduation.

1
 Policy Brief: Retention and Completion Rates for Veterans in Higher Education, Arizona
Operation
College Promise
Operation College Promise
conducted an online survey to
gauge the opinions of student
veterans. The results mirror the
programs and services Among
respondents, the vast majority
acknowledge the availability a
veterans’ office/coordinator on
campus as a great benefit. This
also suggests a positive
correlation between providing
a veteran’s office/coordinator
on campus and higher
retention rates among the
veteran population (DiRamio,
2017).
Additional services that
veterans indicated they would
like included:
• priority registration for classes
to allow for the timely
processing of military education
benefits
• greater collaboration
between student veterans
organizations and the
administration
• employment opportunities
geared toward graduating
veterans
• additional veteran-specific
training for better
communication and interaction
with off and on-campus
communities
• an annual veterans Meet and
Greet with department heads,
and
• separate orientation for new
student veterans.
(DiRamio, 2017).
State University, 2019
•••
First Year Courses
Offering first year courses specifically for veterans can help
ensure that they are aware of the campus, the services
offered, and ways to get involved. These courses typically
review time management skills, study habits, communication
skills, and many other skills needed to succeed in higher
education. Aside from the academic benefits, these first-year
introductory courses serve as “ongoing opportunities for
students to mingle in peer groups, develop relationships with
other students and faculty members, and cultivate lasting
friendships” (Evans, Pellegrino, & Hoggan, 2015). According to
the American Council on Education (2018), “the camaraderie
experienced by those who choose veteran-only classes will
likely continue and translate into positive experiences
throughout their college careers.'' However, there are very few
colleges that offer these courses specifically for veterans to
support their individual needs as a population. According to a
study from Columbia University (2016), “only 10 percent of
community colleges provide veteran-specific courses” (pg. 4).
For those institutions that do offer veteran specific first year
courses, they will see a positive impact on persistence and
completion rates (Evans, et al., 2009).
Faculty and Staff Awareness
By educating faculty and staff, top-down support will become
evident to Veterans, which is vital for their retention and
completion. Maricopa Community College District has started
offering a training called “Green Zone Boot Camp” to their
faculty and staff. During this training, it teaches faculty and
staff military “lingo” and what it is like to be on a deployment.
Without support and awareness from administrators, these
initiatives will not have a foundation to start from. The
American Council on Education (2018) recommends that a
veteran task force be created so that these services are being
thoughtfully and efficiently managed. This task force should
“meet once per term and include representatives from the
veteran’s school certifying official, academic affairs, student
life, admissions, bursar, counseling,
financial aid, housing, and disability
services” (ACE, 2018). Frequent
collaboration from these departments
have shown improved services and
benefits offered to veterans in higher
education.
2
 Policy Brief: Retention and Completion Rates for Veterans in Higher Education, Arizona
State University, 2019
•••
Recommendations
The following recommendations are designed for Higher
Education Institutions to increase retention and completion
rates for veteran students:
• Create resources designed and offered specifically
for veterans, like peer to peer tutoring and veteran
only social groups.
• Provide a mandatory new student veteran
orientation in various mediums that review resources
available, social experiences, and financial assistance.
• Create veteran specific courses that introduce
veterans to the personal and academic experiences
of higher education.
• Create or provide access to comprehensive programs
that educate faculty and staff on the needs and
demographics of the veteran population and a
veteran task force.
Conclusion
Higher education institutions can increase their retention and
completion rates for their veteran students by providing
veteran specific resources, veteran specific orientations,
veteran specific courses, and increase faculty and staff
awareness through proper communication and training. By
using these data-based solutions, higher education institutions
will capitalize on the strengths of the student veterans,
understand the unique circumstances faced among student
veterans, and provide a safe and welcoming environment for
their student veterans. By creating these services for a
demographic with various backgrounds that is often
overlooked, higher education institutions can ensure that a
smooth transition from military life to student veteran life
occurs and will produce more academically, professionally,
and socially successful veterans.
REFERENCES
American Council on Education. (2018). Toolkit
for veteran friendly institutions.
American Council on Education, Washington,
DC.
Cate, C.A., Lyon, J.S., Schmeling, J., & Bogue,
B.Y. (2017). National veteran education
Success tracker: a report on the academic
success of student veterans using the post-9/11
GI Bill. Student Veterans of America,
Washington, D.C.
DiRamio, D. (Ed.). (2017). What's next for
student veterans? : Moving from transition to
academic success. Retrieved from
https://ebookcentral-proquest-
com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu
Evans, J. J., Pellegrino, L., Hoggan, C. (2015).
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a
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success.
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McBain, L., Kim, Y. M., Cook, B. J., Snead, K. M.
(2012). From soldier to student II: assessing
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members. American Council on Education,
Washington, DC.
Northern Arizona University. (2019). Veteran
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Retrieved from https://in.nau.edu/veteran-
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Ryan, S.W., Carlstrom, A. H., Hughey, K. F.,
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U.S. Department of Education, National Center
for Education Statistics, 2011–2012 National
Postsecondary Student. Analysis by Dani
Molina, Graduate Research Associate
American Council on Education © 2014