From the Military to University: a Student Veterans Perspective

Robert Cochran, an Army veteran and student at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO), is currently adjusting to being a full-time college student after fulfilling his 6-year commitment to the military. 

“The classroom environment is definitely different from my military experience, mostly because of the extreme young age of the people in the classroom,” said Cochran. 

Cochran’s initial motivations to join the Army were his homelessness and desire to improve his overall life. 

“I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself and find my purpose in life,” said Cochran. 

After completing his military service, Cochran chose to attend UCO, partially because he felt it would be an easier transition into student life post-military compared to the larger universities in Oklahoma. 

“I met my fiancé before I got out of the army, and she lived here in the city, so it just made sense to move here, and I liked the small, cozy feeling of UCO,” said Cochran. 

According to Cochran, the hardest adjustment from military life to student life has been having to do everything for himself. 

“In the army, it’s very structured, and you know everything that’s happening before it happens,” said Cochran.

“You can prepare for that, but now you have to take each day as it is and learn from all experiences.”

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 62% of student veterans are first-generation college students, and most enroll in higher education to develop new skills and increase career opportunities. 

 Student Veterans of America, an organization dedicated to advocating for student veterans, reported that veteran students have a 72% success rate in higher education and average GPAs 0.40 higher than those of their civilian peers.

Cochran believes his military experience gives him a different perspective on school duties and goals, adding, “Most kids come into school not knowing their end goal and where exactly they want to be, but I do, and I put my nose to the grindstone to do what I have to get done.”

Remaining focused and disciplined is no issue for Cochran, who maintains, “I know where I want to go and what I need to do to get there, so I won’t let anyone or anything get in my way of that.”