Academic Advising Hints for Veterans:

Maximizing your GI Bill at Lorain County Community College

Click here to learn more about Veterans Educational
Services at LCCC.  

1. If you are a brand new student at LCCC you will need to fill out the application for admission, take the Compass Assessment and register for classes.  At the same time you are doing this you can begin your paperwork for the Veteran’s office but you won’t be certified until you actually register for classes.
    
2. Every semester that you plan on attending make sure to register as soon as registration opens and submit your certification request to Mrs. Cordy as soon as possible and at least 3 weeks before the semester begins to make sure you are in the VA educational system in Buffalo.
    
3. Meet with a VA advisor, especially if you are working towards one of the University Partnership programs.   We are authorized to award Dual Degrees so with many of our programs where a student can do 3 years at LCCC and 1 year through the University Partnership they could possible earn two associates degree.  Some examples are: 
    
   1. BSN Nursing through Akron  (declare Dual Degree with Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and the Associate of Arts) 
   2. Bachelors in Business Administration through Kent (declare Dual Degree with Associate of Applied Business and Associate of Arts).
       
4. For the most part you are better off to take your courses over a 16 week period. If a student is enrolled in 12 hours but one course is only 8 weeks long then during the 8 week period when the Veteran wasn’t taking the course they would not be considered full-time for VA benefits.
    
5. Make sure you attend your courses.  If you earn an F grade based on non-attendance you might be involved in an overpayment from VA.
    
6. Keep in good academic standing.  Make sure to seek out help if you are having difficulty in a class from the instructor or from tutoring.   Always ask to speak to a VA advisor who can help you make the appropriate decisions about your courses if you run into academic difficulty.
    
7. If you choose to self-advise, make sure you select your courses from your curriculum guide and that you take only courses needed for your major.  If the Compass Assessment indicates you would need some brush up courses in English, Math, Reading (Developmental) then those will be certified.
    
8. Veteran’s advisors look over your certification request every semester you are certified.  If you are not sure about whether something will be certified or not it is always better to ask one of the VA advisors.