SOC
Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) is a
consortium of over 1800 colleges and universities pledged to support the higher education needs of military personnel. SOC
works with civilian and military educators to overcome obstacles associated with gaining a college education when pursued
through traditional means. Among its key goals is the award of credit for military training and experience. The SOC Consortium
Guide provides specific information for awarding credit for national testing programs, military experience, and other
non-traditional learning.
Service members,
reservists, and veterans are encouraged to review their military transcript, obtained from their branch of service, alongside
the institutions’ credit-award information contained in the SOC Consortium Guide. They should contact the school
SOC Representative and Veterans’ Coordinator for additional information.
Many public and private Wisconsin institutions (e.g., UW-Madison) accept SOC recommendations, including accepting some
or all DSSTs, CLEPs, and ACE recommendations for college credit.
Federal G.I. Bill Benefits"If
you served after September 10, 2001, and are currently using the WI GI Bill or plan to use the WI GI Bill; DO NOT MAKE AN IRREVOCABLE CHOICE TO CHANGE TO POST 9/11 Chapter
33 FEDERAL BENEFITS UNTIL YOU HAVE ALL THE FACTS.
The Wisconsin State Approving Agency (SAA) approves programs for the enrollment of veterans and other eligible persons
that lead to educational, vocational, and professional objectives. These include college degrees, vocational certificates
and diplomas, high school diplomas, GEDs, flight training, correspondence training, and programs leading to required licensure
or certification to practice a profession.
The Wisconsin SAA maintains a searchable database listing all institutions offering college degrees and non-college
degree programs in Wisconsin approved for the following programs:
High
School Diplomas
Local School Boards in the state of Wisconsin,
under the authority of Wisconsin Statutes section 120.13 (37), may award a high school diploma to veterans who left high school
before receiving a high school diploma to join the U.S. armed forces during a statutorily designated war period
Veterans Leaving Active Duty
Veterans transitioning from active
duty should be aware that several state and federal benefits and services are tied to your discharge date. To find out more
about the time frames and eligibility contact a County Veterans Service Officer.