From Benefits to Success: Veterans’ Educational Outcomes in the Post-9/11 Era

ABSTRACT

The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides unprecedented federal funding for veterans to attend post-secondary education and make the transition to the civilian workforce. However, there is little empirical research on recipients’ educational outcomes, especially in community colleges. This study investigated the variables that influence completion and transfer rates among Post-9/11 student veterans enrolled at a Texas community college. Institutional and National Student Clearinghouse data were employed in a logistic regression to discover if any variables were associated with successful completion or transfer; the overall model predicted 86.5% of the population’s outcome. Finally, a linear regression with first-semester GPA as the dependent variable was run. The results suggested a statistically significant negative relationship between minority racial status and GPA, a statistically significant positive influence for full-time enrollment status, and a statistically significant positive effect for older student veterans on GPA. The article ends with recommendations for policy, practice, and future research.