Providing Educational
Opportunities for Servicemembers

Highlights include:

• Approximately 1,900 appropriately accredited colleges and universities providing associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees for servicemembers and their adult dependent family members
  
  
• Military-friendly institutions with flexible policies that allow mobile servicemembers and their families to complete degrees rather than just accumulate course credit
  
  
• SOC Consortium Guide on CD or SOC Web site with an Institutional Information Page for each Consortium member school detailing school information in a variety of areas, including the awarding of non-traditional credit and points-of-contact for a SOC Institutional Representative, SOC Counselor, and Veterans Program Administrator or School Certifying Official.
  
  SOC Consortium Member Institutions (PDF 156KB)

Key Features of the SOC Consortium

• Member commitment to the following from the SOC Criteria:
  
  
  1. Reasonable Transfer of Credit: avoid excessive loss of previously earned credit and avoid course work duplication
     
     
  2. Reduced Academic Residency: limited to no more than 25% of degree requirements with no final year or semester in residence (may require 30% for undergraduate degrees offered 100% online)
     
     
  3. Credit for Military Training and Experience: recognize and use ACE Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services in evaluating and awarding academic credit for military training and experience
     
     
  4. Credit for Nationally-Recognized Testing Programs: award credit for at least one nationally-recognized testing program such as College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), DSST Examinations, Excelsior College Examinations (ECE)