Our Blogs and Published Opinion Pieces

Race-Conscious Admission Policies are Important to Closing the Opportunity Gap for Veterans but are Under Assault

2020-10-27T16:05:59+00:00By Isaac McMahon|

By Isaac McMahaon Race-conscious admissions policies are essential to closing the opportunity gaps in higher education and are under assault. Now, more than ever, America must ensure equity and access to higher education for students [...]

Vets deserve proper info from DOD to avoid GI Bill debt

2020-10-05T15:48:09+00:00By Aniela Szymanski|

This article was originally published by Stars & Stripes on September 16, 2020.  Vets deserve proper info from DOD to avoid GI Bill debt Aniela Szymanski is senior director for Legal Affairs and Military Policy [...]

The Tennessean: How Tennessee’s leaders can protect vulnerable veterans in higher education

2020-09-14T18:36:56+00:00By Ramond Curtis|

America is navigating an era of uncertainty as we address COVID-19 and prepare for what will likely be the worst recession in generations. The COVID-19 pandemic will impact every sector of our economy, including higher [...]

Military.com: Here’s Why Vets Need to Avoid Predatory Lenders More Than Ever

2020-09-08T20:22:04+00:00By Mike Saunders|

This article was originally published by Military.com on August 21, 2020.  Here's Why Vets Need to Avoid Predatory Lenders More Than Ever Mike Saunders is a U.S. Army veteran and director of military and consumer [...]

What’s the Status of Reserve Component Duty Status Reform?

2020-08-14T18:36:10+00:00By Aniela Szymanski|

This article was originally published by Military Officers Association of America. By Aniela Szymanski and Cory Titus   Since the spring, a number of news stories have looked at the pay and benefits of National [...]

For-Profit K12 Online Schools Are Doubling Down on Their Sales Pitches to Districts. Beware of Pandemic Predators

2020-06-23T01:40:14+00:00By Carrie Wofford|

This op-ed was published by The 74 Million on June 22, 2020, here. Wofford & Boulay: For-Profit Online Schools Are Doubling Down on Their Sales Pitches to Districts. Beware of Pandemic Predators Since the coronavirus [...]

Baltimore Sun: Maryland First to Protect Veterans from For-profit Colleges

2020-06-29T14:41:50+00:00By Ramond Curtis|

"Gov. Larry Hogan and the Maryland General Assembly have made the state the first in the nation to pass important protections for veterans who often fall prey to deceptive marketing practices of failing for-profit colleges. [...]

Military.com: What Veterans Need to Know About Federal Debts During the Coronavirus Pandemic

2020-05-15T14:57:59+00:00By Mike Saunders|

This article was originally published by Military.com on May 14, 2020.  What Veterans Need to Know About Federal Debts During the Coronavirus Pandemic Mike Saunders is a U.S. Army veteran and director of military and [...]

Supporting Veterans with Disabilities Pursuing a Postsecondary Education

2020-05-12T15:26:43+00:00By Walter Ochinko|

Supporting Veterans with Disabilities Pursuing a Postsecondary Education By:  Walter Ochinko May 2020 This week we published a new report on the impact of disability on first-time student veterans’ pursuit of a postsecondary credential. Our [...]

What We’re Doing to Protect Your Rights During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020-04-14T15:17:58+00:00By Ramond Curtis|

By Ramond Curtis Here are some of the steps we've taking to serve you as we work hard to protect your rights during the crisis caused by COVID-19: You won’t face any change in [...]

What Military-Connected Students Need to Know During the Coronavirus Pandemic

2020-03-27T14:57:16+00:00By Mike Saunders|

Mike Saunders is a U.S. Army Veteran and Director of Military & Consumer Policy at Veterans Education Success. Tanya Ang is Vice President of Veterans Education Success and has worked in higher education supporting military-connected [...]

Our Op-Ed in The Baltimore Sun: How to Stop For-Profit Colleges from Preying on Veterans

2020-06-29T14:42:30+00:00By Carrie Wofford|

Our President Carrie Wofford's op-ed with Retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark, the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, and Aaron Ament, President of Student Defense. By Wesley K. Clark, Carrie Wofford and Aaron Ament For The Baltimore [...]

Arnold Ventures Podcast: Podcast: ‘Dollar Signs in Uniform’: How For-Profit Education Continues to Target GI Bill Money

2020-01-13T16:58:00+00:00By Barrett Bogue|

"For 75 years, the GI Bill has provided military service members with invaluable educational opportunities. And for just as long, for-profit colleges and universities have sought to gain and maintain access to that funding stream. [...]

Stars & Stripes: Let Protect VETS Act teach for-profit schools a lesson

2019-12-20T21:21:01+00:00By Mike Saunders|

Let Protect VETS Act teach for-profit schools a lesson by Mike Saunders I’ve seen a lot during my years in the Army and now working in veterans’ organizations for the past decade. I thought I’d [...]

Higher Learning Advocates: State of the Military-Connected Student Community in 2019

2020-01-03T20:52:27+00:00By James Haynes|

State of the Military-Connected Student Community in 2019 By James Haynes This year we’ve enjoyed enormous momentum in policy, advocacy, and legislation on issues important to military-connected students that sets up ambitious goals for 2020. [...]

The Spouse Angle Podcast: Controversial Changes to Education Benefits, Explained

2020-06-09T14:39:23+00:00By Aniela Szymanski|

This podcast was published by The Spouse Angle on December 4, 2019.  The Spouse Angle: Controversial Changes to Education Benefits, Explained By Natalie Gross Think the Post-9/11 GI Bill is just for veterans? Some recent [...]

The Trump Administration Is Going to Automatically Forgive the Student Loans of Severely Disabled Veterans – What Does that Mean?

2020-01-16T20:27:50+00:00By Mike Saunders|

by Mike Saunders You may have heard that the Trump Administration is now going to automatically forgive the federal student loans of veterans who have a 100 percent disability rating or who have been designated [...]

Higher Learning Advocates: Today’s Students: Inspiration for Higher Education

2019-11-22T18:08:53+00:00By Alex Kish|

This post was originally published by Higher Learning Advocates on November 14, 2019.  Today’s Students: Inspiration for Higher Education By Erica Hilton Today’s students are more diverse across multiple areas than any previous generation of [...]

Lumina Podcast: Time to Recognize Lessons Learned in the Military

2019-11-22T17:49:43+00:00By Tanya Ang|

This post was originally published on Medium.com on October 7, 2019.  Lumina Podcast: Time to Recognize Lessons Learned in the Military By Dakota Pawlicki This is adapted from our Lumina Foundation podcast, “Today’s Student / [...]

Stakes are High for Veterans as Congress Debates the Higher Education Act

2019-10-12T15:40:56+00:00By Our Students|

The post was originally published by The Tennessean on August, 27, 2019.  Stakes are High for Veterans as Congress Debates the Higher Education Act By Maj. Chris Davis, USMC What drew me and so many [...]

The Military Lending Act and You

2019-10-10T20:12:34+00:00By Mike Saunders|

This post was originally published by Military.com on August 13, 2019.  The Military Lending Act and You By Mike Saunders, Director for Military and Consumer Policy, Veterans Education Success As an active-duty service member, you [...]

The ’90-10 rule’ in higher education is a target on veterans’ backs

2019-10-12T15:41:17+00:00By Tanya Ang|

Note: This post was originally published by The Hill on June 24, 2019.  The '90-10 rule' in higher education is a target on veterans' backs By Tanya Ang and Lauren Augustine For the past 10 [...]

On the 75th Anniversary of the GI Bill, Military-Connected Students Need The College Transparency Act

2019-10-10T01:03:25+00:00By Tanya Ang|

Note: This post was originally published by The Institute for Higher Education Policy on June 22, 2019.  On the 75th Anniversary of the GI Bill, Military-Connected Students Need The College Transparency Act By Tanya Ang, [...]

Oregon Legislature should close for-profit college loophole, protect student veterans

2019-10-15T13:43:28+00:00By Our Students|

Student veteran Jay Hernandez wrote an op-ed in the Oregon newspaper. "I became a U.S Marine because I wanted more out of my life. I was born into poverty and into a disability-stricken family: my [...]

Webinar: Midwest Higher Education Compact: Multi-state Collaborative on Military Credit: Postsecondary Non-Completion Among Veterans: Contributing Factors and Implications

2019-10-10T01:03:57+00:00By Walter Ochinko|

View the original video at YouTube

Here are Some Surprising Ways Troops and Vets Can Cut Their Student Loan Debt

2019-10-10T01:04:20+00:00By Mike Saunders|

Note: This advice column was originally published by Military Times on February 19, 2019 and can be found here.  By Mike Saunders, Director of Military & Consumer Policy | VES Hundreds of thousands of veterans, [...]

Military Times Rebootcamp Blog: Here are Some Surprising Ways Troops and Vets Can Cut Their Student Loan Debt

2019-10-10T01:04:42+00:00By Mike Saunders|

Our New York Times op-ed: Betsy DeVos vs. Student Veterans

2019-10-15T13:38:34+00:00By Carrie Wofford|

Our President Carrie Wofford authored an op-ed in the New York Times: "As the political makeup of the 116th Congress begins to congeal, the question of what, if anything, this divided government can do together [...]

Opening a Dangerous Floodgate: A Former For-Profit College Executive Says the Education Department Shouldn’t Weaken College Oversight

2020-04-29T00:15:18+00:00By Our Students|

Thomas Corbett, a former for-profit college executive, speaks out against plans by the U.S. Department of Education to weaken requirements for oversight of college quality.

The Predatory Underworld of Companies that Target Veterans for a Buck

2020-07-19T18:41:07+00:00By Carrie Wofford|

The recent law enforcement crackdown on for-profit colleges is well documented. These schools mislead students by promising a fast track to a brighter future and then loaded students up with mountains of debt for worthless [...]

Military Times Rebootcamp Blog: Could This Government Program Wipe Away All Your Student Loan Debt?

2019-10-10T01:05:45+00:00By Mike Saunders|

Creating Student-Centric Support Systems for Military-Connected Students

2019-10-10T00:47:15+00:00By Tanya Ang|

Prior to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, little focus was put on promising practices to support military and veteran students in their pursuit of higher education. With the passage of this comprehensive benefit in 2009, [...]

Advice for Accreditors

2020-01-16T20:15:56+00:00By Carrie Wofford|

Recruiting practices by institutions of higher learning is an area fraught with deceptive and misleading practices, due to a number of competing incentives. While veteran recruiting practices differ from civilian recruiting in some respects – [...]

The Hill: Protect the Military Lending Act

2019-10-10T00:47:36+00:00By Carrie Wofford|

Standing with the troops requires more than lip service. It also requires action. When the Pentagon found that predatory payday loan shops and unethical car dealers were trolling military bases and aggressively targeting the troops [...]

Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette: Global Concern: Kaplan Roll-Out Exposes Un-Purdue-Like Actions

2019-10-10T00:47:50+00:00By Mike Saunders|

On its face, Purdue University's acquisition of Kaplan University can be good for students. Purdue, part of the Big Ten and a major research university, has long-standing traditions of academic excellence. One would expect they would impose [...]

GOP Higher Education Legislation Will Hurt Service Members, Veterans and their Families

2019-10-12T15:43:05+00:00By Our Students|

Note: This was originally published by The Denver Post on June 25, 2018.  GOP Higher Education Legislation Will Hurt Service Members, Veterans and their Families By Jarrod Thoma After serving approximately four years in the [...]

The Hill: Higher Ed Bill Fails its Mission to Protect Deserving Military-Connected Students

2019-10-11T17:10:21+00:00By Tanya Ang|

This past week, nearly a dozen national veterans and military service organizations assembled on Capitol Hill in a united front to voice their concerns about the House of Representatives’ Higher Education Act reauthorization, known as [...]

The Hill: A Call To Service Without Debt

2019-10-10T00:50:00+00:00By Carrie Wofford|

As a country, we have encouraged our children to strive for bright futures. We prod them to go to college, pursue apprenticeship programs, and otherwise climb the ladder of opportunity by seeking educational opportunities beyond [...]

Ed. Dept. Hearings | Cancel and Revise Student Protections: Testimony of Navy veteran Kevin Thompson

2019-10-13T22:24:03+00:00By Carrie Wofford|

I am E-6/AWO1 (Ret) Kevin Thompson, I have served in the US Navy for 20 years, have over 3,500 flight hours, multiple tours to the gulf in support of Operation Desert Shield, OEF and OIF [...]