Sponsored Content
How Common App can help military-connected students find the right fit
By: Common App
Adaiah Rogers had completed four years of active duty in the United States Marine Corps and was about to finish her first year as a reservist when she began exploring college. She turned to Common App for help.
"The platform is super easy," Rogers says. "It allowed me to apply to multiple colleges at once." Her service granted her an application fee waiver, and she enrolled in Towson University near Baltimore.
Common App represents more than 1,000 colleges and universities across 50 states and in 20 countries. It helps more than one million students apply to college every year, including 4,500 military-affiliated individuals.
Partnering with MilGears
Common App began partnering with MilGears in 2023 to help students plan their futures.
"Service members can use MilGears tools to help obtain the credentials they need for their career field,” says Batanya Gipson, who leads military student engagement for Common App. They will also find an array of institutions that align with their goals and resources for military-connected students.
Unique challenges, exceptional assets
Service members can face unique challenges transitioning to college, Gipson says, noting that they also bring exceptional assets to schools.
Students may struggle with food insecurity, require flexible course delivery or need childcare. Common App connects them to universities that recognize their needs, like TU. The university's Military and Veterans Center (MVC) helps students maximize their GI Bill benefits, connects them with alumni, offers volunteer opportunities and provides mental health support.
"Our center was the first of its kind in the state of Maryland," Dario DiBattista, the center’s Director, says.
"Veterans are especially welcomed, because they have already demonstrated their commitment to public service even before stepping foot into our classrooms," says Amy Moffatt, Assistant Vice President, Admissions at TU.
The university uses application questions to inquire about students’ military affiliations. “This customization has allowed us to better identify and connect with more active-duty military members, veterans and family members of servicemen and women,” Moffatt says.
Finding community
"I don’t think I would have continued college without the MVC," Rogers says. "I can come in, be around people who have similar backgrounds and can relate to some of the stories I went through," she adds. “I’ve received 100 different opportunities just being connected. It’s like my third base. I have home, I have school, and I have this place.