by our College Data Analytics TeamChoosing a college as a veteran means weighing how well each school supports those with a military background. This report rounds up what we know about Southwestern Illinois College veteran students to support your research.
For details on military tuition assistance like the GI Bill® or the Yellow Ribbon Program, see: Southwestern Illinois College GI Bill® Information
Our Veterans Report on SWIC:
A large number of veterans attending a college means the college and faculty are more used to supporting and accommodating the needs of those with prior military experience. Per VA data, there are 638 GI Bill® students at SWIC. With a total enrollment of 5,280, around 12.1% of the student body is using the GI Bill® to help pay for their education. For perspective, about three to four percent of college students in the U.S. are veterans, according to the Student Veterans of America.
All GI Bill® chapters are included here: Post-9/11, Montgomery, Reserve Education Assistance, and Veteran Readiness and Employment. It leaves out active-duty personnel using Tuition Assistance, meaning the total military presence may be greater. About 1.2% of all students at SWIC, according to U.S. Department of Education figures.
Outcome rates for veterans help show whether a school’s support translates into degrees.
| Outcome | Veterans | All Students |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 17.5% | 32.5% |
| Transfer-out rate | 35.0% | — |
Rates are reported via the VA’s GI Bill® Comparison Tool.
Southwestern Illinois College takes part in these veteran programs and support services.
| Federal Program | Participation |
|---|---|
| Principles of Excellence | Yes |
| DOD Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) | Yes |
| Vet Success on Campus (VSOC) | Yes |
| Eight Keys to Veterans’ Success | Yes |
| Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) | Yes |
What does this mean to me? Here are the specific commitments the school has made through each program it participates in.
| Career and Vocational Support |
|---|
| Educational and Vocational Assessments and Counseling |
| Accommodate Military Service Members and Reservists absent due to service requirements. |
| Align institutional refund policies with those under Title IV, which governs the administration of federal student financial aid programs. |
| Regionally or Nationally Accredited - view all accreditations |
| Provide information that increases accountability and transparency. |
| Participate in the Military Voluntary Education Review (MVER) |
Southwestern Illinois College does have a student veterans group. See details.SWIC provides a dedicated staff member to assist veteran and military students. Visit veteran services.
If you have specialized military training, SWIC may take that into consideration and grant college credit for it. Talk with your admissions counselor to learn more. Credit for prior learning can shorten your time to a degree, so it’s worth asking about. Beyond military training, ask SWIC whether it awards credit for life or work experience, CLEP exams, or other prior learning.
The following ROTC programs are offered at SWIC:
The VA has 1 complaints on record for SWIC. The table below breaks down the reasons for these complaints. Keep in mind the per-type counts may not sum to the total, since one complaint can fall under more than one category.
| Complaint Type | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Financial Issues | 1 |
| Quality of Education | 0 |
| Refund Issues | 0 |
| Recruiting/Marketing Practices | 1 |
| Accreditation | 0 |
| Change in Degree Requirements | 0 |
| Student Loans | 0 |
| Grade Policy | 0 |
| Credit Transfers | 0 |
| Post-Graduation Job Opportunities | 0 |
| Release of Transcripts | 0 |
| Other | 0 |
Notes and References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.