The Veteran Supported Education Service Treatment Manual: VetSEd

which experiences may be useful to write about, and may offer to be a reader of the
essay(s) to give feedback before it is submitted. The Veteran may want to have more
than one person read the essays, and other supports, including natural supports, should be
included. The Veteran should be additionally supported to get grammar and spelling
assistance, since sloppy essays will not promote the Veteran as a potential student.
Letters of reference
Help the Veteran to check the application requirements pertaining to letters of reference.
This task may be broken down into additional sub-tasks to include the following (not an
exhaustive list):
brainstorming of potential people to ask for a reference
contacting the potential references by phone or e-mail
sending any pertinent information about the Veteran to references
filling out the applicant portion of the reference form (if applicable)
sending the reference form (if applicable) to references
reminding/prompting references
sending of thank you notes/e-mails to references
Preparation for Interviews
Some schools and colleges will require an interview, and some may invite students to go
for an interview to add to the application, if desired. Whether or not to set up an optional
interview is a very personal decision, and may be based in part on the perceived strength
of the application and potential presentation in the interview. For many, the interview
adds a human element to an application that is not strong on its own. For others, the
interview may pose barriers and stressors that may get in the way of a strong application.
The peer VetSEd provider should explore with the Veteran the pros and cons of
requesting an interview, and consult with the school or application packet about the
requirements. If an interview is indicated, work with the Veteran to prepare for the
interview, anticipating the questions that will be asked of the Veteran, and outlining
particular points to be made in the interview that highlight the Veteran‘s strengths. In
addition, if there are behaviors or circumstances that may be of concern to an Admissions
Counselor, the peer VetSEd provider should also work with the Veteran to prepare
responses to potential concerns (see examples in chart below). Accommodations may be
made for the peer VetSEd provider to be present for the interview as needed.
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