A mixed methods study of student veterans’ academic and service transitions before, during, and after attending community college(s)

Abstract

This mixed‐methods study examined characteristics and learning experiences of student veterans who transitioned from community college(s) into a 4‐year public university. The study descriptively compared veteran versus non‐veteran transfer students, using a survey and follow‐up interviews. Results illustrated that student veterans attended larger numbers of community colleges prior to their transfer compared with non‐veterans. They tended to be older, more ethnically diverse, and more likely to be men than non‐veterans. Transfer student veterans valued (a) differences among high school, military, community college, and 4‐year learning experiences; (b) connections between coursework and career work; (c) being informed about the cultural practices and norms of college, particularly for first‐generation student veterans; and (d) persistence in navigating multiple community colleges toward achieving successful 4‐year degree completion. For student veterans, the military became a way to enact and pay for their postsecondary aspirations. Interconnected community colleges meaningfully transported them to 4‐year postsecondary achievements.