Today is Veterans Day and the team at Senior Class Graduation Products would like to thank all of the people who have fought for our freedoms! Did you know the date of Veterans Day was decided a year after the end of World War I and was chosen because “On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, World War I came to an end after four brutal years of fighting. America dedicated November 11th as Armistice Day to celebrate the peace and the veterans who fought to make the world a safer place.”

While many members of the armed services join right after graduating high school, once discharged, furthering their education is often top of mind after putting it on hold for so many years. According to Best Colleges, “Of the approximately 19 million veterans across the U.S., at least 1 million were receiving GI Bill benefits for higher education programs as of 2020. These students include currently serving members of the military as well as individuals who have been honorably discharged from the armed forces.”

With the average length of service in the military around 15 years, 52% of veterans furthering their education are older, married with families, and 63% are juggling full-time jobs. Additionally, the majority of veterans seeking an education are enrolled in a 4-year institution full-time.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill was designed to help veterans pay for school. According to the VA, available benefits include: 

• Tuition and fees. If you qualify for the maximum benefit, we’ll cover the full cost of public, in-state tuition and fees. We cap the rates for private and foreign schools, and update those rates each year.
  Check current rates
  Find out if you can get in-state tuition rates as an out-of-state student
• Money for housing (if you’re in school more than half time). We’ll base your monthly housing allowance on the cost of living where your school is located.
• Money for books and supplies. You can receive up to $1,000 per school year.
• Money to help you move from a rural area to go to school. You may qualify for this one-time payment of $500 if you live in a county with 6 or fewer people per square mile and you’re either moving at least 500 miles to go to school or have no other option but to fly by plane to get to your school.

Once graduation day rolls around, close to two-thirds will be first generation graduates. One way to celebrate such an accomplishment is with our Veterans Appreciation Cords! 

Our 3-color recognition cord for military veteran and active duty graduates features red, white, and royal blue cording intertwined to form a single cord complete with matching tassels at each end.  This honor and recognition cord is designed to be worn with the graduation cap and gown to bring visual recognition to active duty and military veterans for academic achievement and military service.

Cover photo by Benjamin Faust on Unsplash