In 2018, Military Times published a guide titled “8 Tips to Help Vets Pick the Right College.” While the intent was good, the higher education landscape has shifted dramatically since then — and not for the better. For-profit colleges have collapsed and rebranded, public universities are raising tuition while cutting services, and predatory practices continue to target veterans with GI Bill benefits.
Meanwhile, agencies like the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — tasked with protecting veterans — have too often failed in their oversight. Investigations have revealed FOIA stonewalling, regulatory rollbacks, and a revolving door between government and industry. Veterans are left to navigate a minefield of deceptive recruiting, inflated job-placement claims, and programs that leave them indebted and underemployed.
Here’s what veterans need to know in 2025.
1. Don’t Trust the Branding
Colleges love to advertise themselves as “military friendly.” This phrase is meaningless. It’s often nothing more than a marketing slogan used to lure GI Bill dollars. The fact that a school has a veterans’ center or flags on campus tells you little about program quality, affordability, or long-term value.
2. Look at the Numbers, Not the Sales Pitch
Use College Scorecard and IPEDS data to examine:
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Graduation and completion rates
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Typical debt after leaving school
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Loan default and repayment statistics
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Earnings of graduates in your intended field
If a school avoids publishing these numbers or makes them hard to find, that’s a red flag.
3. Understand the Limits of Oversight
The VA’s GI Bill Comparison Tool and DOD “oversight” portals may look official, but they are incomplete and sometimes misleading. The VA has even restored access to schools after proven misconduct under political pressure. DOD contracts with shady for-profit providers continue despite documented abuse.
Oversight agencies are not independent referees — too often, they are captured regulators.
4. Seek Independent Evidence
Avoid relying on large, national veteran nonprofits. Many of these organizations accept funding from schools, corporate partners, or government agencies with vested interests.
Instead, veterans should:
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Check state attorney general enforcement actions and FTC press releases.
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Read independent investigative journalism (such as the Higher Education Inquirer or Project on Predatory Student Lending).
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Ask tough questions of alumni — especially those who dropped out or ended up in debt.
5. Watch Out for Job Placement Claims
Schools often boast of “high job placement rates” without clarifying what that means. Some count temporary or part-time work unrelated to your field. If a program promises guaranteed employment, demand written proof.
6. Don’t Chase Prestige
Big-name universities are not automatically better. Some elite schools partner with for-profit online program managers (OPMs) that deliver low-quality, high-cost programs to veterans and working adults. Prestige branding doesn’t guarantee fair treatment.
7. Weigh Community Colleges and Public Options
Community colleges can be a safer starting point, offering affordable tuition, transferable credits, and practical programs. Some state universities provide strong veteran support at the local level, even when national oversight is weak.
8. Build and Rely on Grassroots Networks
Large veteran organizations at the national level often fail to protect veterans from predatory colleges. Veterans are better served by:
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Local veteran groups that are independent and community-based
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Direct peer networks of fellow veterans who have attended the schools you’re considering
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Public libraries, grassroots councils, and smaller veteran meetups not tied to corporate or political funding
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Sharing experiences through independent media when official channels fail
Protect Yourself, Protect Others
Veterans have long been targeted by predatory colleges because their GI Bill benefits represent guaranteed federal money. DOD, VA, and large national veteran groups have too often enabled this exploitation.
The best defense is independent evidence, grassroots testimony, and investigative journalism. By asking hard questions, demanding transparency, and supporting one another at the local level, veterans can avoid the traps that continue to ensnare far too many.
For those who have been targeted and preyed upon, please consider joining the Facebook group, Restore GI Bill for Veterans.
Sources:
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Military Times: 8 Tips to Help Vets Pick the Right College (2018)
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U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard & IPEDS
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State Attorney General enforcement actions & FTC press releases
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