A Mixed Methods Study of Student Veterans' Academic and Service Transitions Before, During, and after Attending Community College(s)

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.