AIT to College

[LoneStarSoldier]

Right now I'm a Senior in High School. I'm a split-op and just came back from BCT and will be going to AIT for 68W this next summer (summer starting in early June). I've been cruising around these forums and apparently AIT for 68W is 19 weeks long.
However, with the AIT being that long, I'll obviously have to start college a little later than my peers. But I don't want to be coming back in the middle of the first semester and have to wait it out doing nothing until I can start taking classes in the second semester. Any advice on what I should do?

[PFC Lowe]

Sounds like you are SOL getting back that late for a traditional university. Some online colleges offer classes at your own pace. See if you can find one that suits your needs and will transfer to the college of your choice.

[TradyMagrady]

You don't really have a choice if your AIT is 19 weeks. Starting a year later than all the people you graduated HS with won't matter, because half of them won't finish college anyway. You don't have to wait it out and do nothing... spend time with family and friends. You'll probably want to relax and catch up after being away from them for 7 months.

I'll want some time to myself after AIT as well, mine is 22 weeks with christmas exodus. I'm eager to start up with college again, but it will always be there, waiting for me.

[kswat07]

I'm taking a semester off. Some of your training may count as credit towards your degree.

[Mom's Mistake]

[QUOTE=TradyMagrady]You don't really have a choice if your AIT is 19 weeks. Starting a year later than all the people you graduated HS with won't matter, because half of them won't finish college anyway. You don't have to wait it out and do nothing... spend time with family and friends. You'll probably want to relax and catch up after being away from them for 7 months.

I'll want some time to myself after AIT as well, mine is 22 weeks with christmas exodus. I'm eager to start up with college again, but it will always be there, waiting for me.[/QUOTE]

Very well put. After 4 years active duty...I came home. In the four years being away, one friend dropped out of college twice, one friend never went to college as planned, and one friend ran off to Colorado with a roommate of his. And here I thought in 4 years I'd be behind everyone else and missed out on so many things that it would be hard coming back and fitting in. Totally wasn't the case. I actually felt I accomplished more.

[LoneStarSoldier]

I'm thinking of doing the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M. If I did that, I'd obviously have to start a year later after High School. But would I have to transfer Guard units as well?

[matthew.ritchie]

[QUOTE=LoneStarSoldier]I'm thinking of doing the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M. If I did that, I'd obviously have to start a year later after High School. But would I have to transfer Guard units as well?[/QUOTE]

You're welcome to keep your current unit, although take a realistic look at geography. We don't care where you live, as long as you show up on time. For practical purposes, on average junior Soldiers tend to do better when living within 50 miles of their unit.

[mryan525]

Not sure if you have the time, but you could try getting NREMT certified. This cuts your AIT in half. Look into if you have any accelerated programs near you. You skip the entire EMT phase in AIT and go right to Whiskey side.

[Krahn]

One thing you can look at, is try to get your Anual training time done while you wait. But I think that depends on what kind of unit your with. Like my unit is a full time deal since its aviation and the gotta always keep people their maintaining the helicopters, so we could do ours at any time we want. But you could always just try. Maybe see if theyll send you elsewhere for it. Never hurts to ask :)

[LoneStarSoldier]

I don't think I can do the EMT certification course until I'm 18, but I turn 18 in November. How long are the courses usually? Does anyone know of any good programs/sites that have EMT certification courses in Texas?

[49thadband]

19 weeks puts you coming back seven weeks into the fall semester, putting you coming back in the middle of October? So, one thing you can do is see if you can enroll in a Decembermester course.

The other thing you could do is flip-flop the summer and the semester.(I think this makes more sense)

1. instead of starting your AIT in June, take 6 hours of summer school in the first session, and 6 hours the second session. That gives you 12 hours, which puts you just three hours short of your peers. (these should be basic classes taken at a local community college)

2. start your AIT the day after the second summer school session ends. Check and see if they have an AIT course starting then. Let's say August 15th, 19 weeks puts you finishing just after Christmas, but you'll have X-mas exodus, so you would actually finish the 1st or 2nd week of the new year.

Another, maybe even better way would be to take the 6 hours of classes in 1st summer session, then go to AIT right after that. That would put you coming back about a month earlier probably early December. That way you would have a month off.

The last option means you have 6 hours of college + who knows how much college credit for your AIT, so at the very worst you would be 9 hours behind your peers. Scratch that, we know you will get four hours of PE credit for basic, so you would be at the very worst 5 hours behind your peers.

[LoneStarSoldier]

Thanks, those are all really good ideas. A lot of them would depend on when I leave for AIT though. As of now, I have NO idea when I'd be leaving.

[TradyMagrady]

[QUOTE=LoneStarSoldier]Thanks, those are all really good ideas. A lot of them would depend on when I leave for AIT though. As of now, I have NO idea when I'd be leaving.[/QUOTE]


Are you just going to your RSP again? Are you split-op??

[49thadband]

[QUOTE=LoneStarSoldier]Thanks, those are all really good ideas. A lot of them would depend on when I leave for AIT though. As of now, I have NO idea when I'd be leaving.[/QUOTE]

Even though you're just starting out, you can take control of your career. What's Major Ritchie's saying, something like "it's your career, nobody works harder on it than you". IOW, just tell your Training NCO what you've got planned. Respectfully ask him/her to help you execute your plan. They can help you look at AIT schedules, and take care of the situation.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

[LoneStarSoldier]

Trady- Yea I'm a split-op in Green Phase at RSP until June next year when I graduate High School.

49- ;)

[cheeseman]

The 68W course is 16wks long. I guess they could have changed it. I graduated in December 08. If you think you've seen powerpoints. "You ain't seen nothing yet"