The National Center for Policy Analysis, a non-partisan, non-profit research organization, recently issued a report on veterans’ higher education benefits. The report found that problems in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Education Call Center lead to additional problems for veterans.
VA call center performance was found to be lacking: in 2012, one-quarter of callers seeking information about higher education benefits received no assistance. This often led veterans to use for-profit websites to get information. These websites would then sell the vets’ names and contact information to for-profit colleges and universities.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, for-profit schools graduate far fewer students than private non-profits and public colleges. For example, as of 2011, the six-year graduation rate was less than one-third of for-profit school students versus two-thirds of all students at non-profit private and public schools. For those that do obtain a degree from a for-profit school, they often find it is worth much less since those schools are seldom accredited.
The report also found that changing when housing benefits start would aid degree-seeking veterans. According to the report, starting the benefit two months before school starts would allow a vet to secure housing by the time classes begin without falling behind in rent payments for an off-campus apartment or room and board costs for on-campus housing.
