The Veteran Supported Education Service Treatment Manual: VetSEd

Course load requirements vary by institution and academic program. Some
programs only allow for only full-time enrollment. Veterans can research
enrollment requirements of particular academic programs by reviewing school
Web sites and speaking with school representatives.
Course load relates to graduation date. Most semester-based undergraduate
institutions consider four to five classes as a full course load. Classes are broken
into credit hours or units. In the semester-based system many classes are worth 3
credit hours. In most cases students must take more than 3 classes (or 12 credit
hours per semester) to graduate in four years.
Course load translates to time. The more courses the Veteran is enrolled in, the
more time s/he will spend in and out of class pursuing their educational goals.
Generally speaking each three credit course requires 3-4 hours in class and 2-3
hours of out of class work per week. Out of class study time will vary depending
on the Veteran‘s unique learning style and other factors. A full-time student can
expect to spend 28-40 hours per week engaging in academic work. Whether and
how this can fit with the Veteran‘s work and/or family obligations is worth
discussing (see Worksheet #7: School Schedule for more information on creating
a weekly school schedule as well as Appendix C for a sample school schedule).
Course load should fit with Veteran’s wellness plan. Though pursuing full-time
study has its benefits (e.g., financial aid eligibility and earlier graduation date),
working at a slower pace may fit better for Veterans who work and attend college
and/or who have learning disabilities or mental health needs. Pursuing educational
goals at a slower pace may be well worth it if it translates to Veterans having time
to engage in wellness activities (e.g., socializing, family contact, health care
appointments, etc.) and ultimately earning better grades.
v. Troubleshooting Barriers During the Choose Phase
While the choose process can be exciting, it can also involve set-backs and
disappointments. These set-backs and disappointments can come in the form of barriers.
Barriers can be both internal (e.g., how a Veteran feels and thinks about his ability to
succeed or self-efficacy) and external (e.g., a college not offering on-campus tutoring
services when a Veteran anticipates needing tutoring assistance). As a peer VetSEd
provider, your role is to help the Veteran identify the barriers s/he is experiencing in the
choosing process. Once barriers are identified, you and the Veteran can explore and
secure resources, supports and/or alternatives that can help the Veteran reach his/her
overall educational goal. See the example below.
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