Grad school on CG dime

[thateuropalegendlad]

When part of the active duty grad school full time gig, where do CGA grads attend for MBA, MPA, and JD. Does GPA/class rank play a big role…do people with lower grades and rank still end up at elite institutions? What are examples of where people go?

 

[ProudMom7]

It is very rare that someone goes straight to grad school as their billet upon graduation. Two athletes in 2021 did get grad school billets, but that was primarily due to the covid rules allowing them to compete during their year of grad school. One went to Rutgers and I don't recall where the other went. I believe in the case of those two I had heard that the schools reached out to them and offered them a full scholarship to compete (instead of the Coast Guard funding their school). Usually, going to grad school would be something you applied for later after a tour or two. At that point, I assume that your grades during school would still have an impact for getting into the school you wanted, but it would be up to the Coast Guard to decide if they were going to send you.

 

[thateuropalegendlad]

It is very rare that someone goes straight to grad school as their billet upon graduation. Two athletes in 2021 did get grad school billets, but that was primarily due to the covid rules allowing them to compete during their year of grad school. One went to Rutgers and I don't recall where the other went. I believe in the case of those two I had heard that the schools reached out to them and offered them a full scholarship to compete (instead of the Coast Guard funding their school). Usually, going to grad school would be something you applied for later after a tour or two. At that point, I assume that your grades during school would still have an impact for getting into the school you wanted, but it would be up to the Coast Guard to decide if they were going to send you.

I was asking about second, third, or fourth tour… I should have clarified

 

[Wolfpack]

You typically apply to grad school after your first or second tour. The CG will send out messages explaining the process for each program and you submit a package to that program. Programs could include engineering of various types, intel, law, finance, Academy instructor, etc. You submit your grads, test scores, and recommendation letters from your command and the program will decide who has been selected. As long as you have taken the prereq courses you can apply to multiple programs. Those with lower GPAs might never be selected for something like law but other programs have less competition. This first step is all internal within the CG. Those with very low class rank may never get selected.

After you are selected, that program will tell you if there are any school constraints. Some programs may limit you to one or two colleges. When I went many years ago for ops research we could apply to any college but would have to pay tuition beyond in state rate. I applied and was accepted at an ivy but decided I didn’t want to pay that out of pocket cost so I went to a different university. I was accepted at every college I applied to, they love military in their grads school because of the diversity in experiences.

 

[No1Fanof2]

It can be dependent on your major and where you want to be and can afford. There is a max amount they will pay.

So here is the same old saying we all have heard….needs of the coast guard and how many are applying at the time for in your same major. You have people applying on their second tour. They tend to pick them up if they dont CG might lose them on the 5 and dive.

Your academy grades do count but it is also what you do during that first tour. Got to get good recs, finish all your quals, etc.

My coastie cga grad got waitlisted. I think 4. Story of my coasties lives. Its ok though they are both doing what they are suppose to do. Reapply next go around. I think the youngest will try to do theirs through tuition assistance. To much is going on right now and learning the job. Not wanting to put more on the plate.