Veterans Struggle to Succeed in College

1. Unique experiences

1.1. 62% of veterans and military members are the first in their family to attend college(NCSL Web Site, "Veterans and College", 2014)

1.2. Injuries sustained while on duty, PTSD, TBI (Druzin,2015)

2. Trouble adapting to civilian life

2.1. First-hand experience: I always heard that getting out would be tough, but I never really understood the gravity of that statement until I experienced it. Complete change of pace

2.2. Difficulty finding jobs, housing, and other life necessities(Grunt Report, 2015)

2.3. "Rusty academic skills, family responsibilities, and a sense of alienation from younger classmates can make it hard for veterans to succeed on campus" (Jacobs, 2012)

2.4. Lack of camaraderie and understanding among peers and professors(NCSL Web site "Veterans and College, 2014)

3. Don't feel comfortable asking for help

3.1. "....come from a very strong warrior background where asking for accommodation can be a sign of weakness" - Dr. Mitchell (Druzin, 2015)

4. More than 1/2 million veterans are taking post-secondary courses (Jacobs, 2012)

4.1. Veteran students are 21.2 percent less likely to obtain a bachelor’s degree than non-veteran students. Veterans are also 4.1 percent more likely to drop out without receiving any degree than traditional students(Kelley, 2013)

4.2. 88% will drop out by next summer (Grunt Report, 2015)