The Concurrent Admissions Program (ConAP) is a partnership between the Army Recruiting Command, Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges and over 1,950 participating colleges. The goal of ConAP is to help new soldiers plan to attend college and use their GI Bill educational benefits. To do this, Army recruiters encourage new soldiers to select a home college and state their intent to enroll during or after their enlistment. The college responds by acknowledging the soldiers' intent to enroll and explaining when and how to apply for admission, how to prepare for the academic experience, and how to stay in touch by e-mail and the college Web site.

All Army and Army Reserve enlistees are eligible for ConAP. Your recruiter will help you fill out the College Referral and Intent to Enroll form during your enlistment process.

Yes. There are various programs you can use to pay for college courses.

• Tuition assistance (TA). If you are serving on active duty or in an Army Reserve unit, your best option is to use TA. The Army will pay 75 percent of the cost of tuition or expenses up to a maximum of $187.50 per credit hour, whichever is less (100% in contingency areas). Total amount per servicemember not to exceed $4,500 during one fiscal year. To begin payment, active duty soldiers see a counselor at their Army Education Center. Army Reserve soldiers see their unit administrator. TA applies to undergraduate and graduate courses.
  
  
• GI Bill/Student Loan Repayment Program: Army Reserve soldiers can use their GI Bill benefits and, if applicable to them, the Student Loan Repayment Program. Active duty soldiers can use GI Bill benefits after completing at least two years of service. TA and MGIB benefits can be used at the same time but not for the same course.

Yes. ConAP colleges are members of SOC. SOC colleges evaluate your military courses and give you college credit when it applies to your degree program. Many SOC colleges also award credit for military occupational experience.

Yes. Although the form is intended for use during the enlistment process, you may use the form if it helps put you in touch with a ConAP college. Fill out the form and send it to the college. You do not need to include information about your recruiter.

You can enroll for classes during or after your enlistment. If your ConAP college offers classes through distance learning, you can enroll during your enlistment. If your ConAP college offers traditional classes at your permanent duty post, by all means enroll. Otherwise, plan to enroll as soon as you are discharged. In all cases, you will have to submit an application for admission along with other students applying at the same time.

Yes, you are encouraged to take college courses and use Tuition Assistance to help offset the cost. Prior to taking courses from other colleges, check with your ConAP college to make sure the courses will transfer, especially upper-level courses.

ConAP is intended for soldiers who leave active service after one enlistment. Soldiers who reenlist normally pursue academic degrees by participating in SOCAD two- or four-year degree programs taught at Army posts, in degree programs geared to their MOS (Army Career Degree Program) or through other options in GoArmyEd. ConAP colleges are always glad to enroll soldiers during their enlistment or when they are veterans.