Get an Early Start
As soon as you have even tentative orders to a new duty station, contact that installation's FSC/ACS and find out what colleges are located within the commuting area. Contact each college, get a copy of their catalog, application, and schedule of classes. Apply and register even before you PCS, so that you can hit the ground running. The Joint Travel Regulations, which govern PCS moves, allow family members to move in advance of their sponsor's reporting date, or to delay their travel-- and many do so in order to minimize disruptions to their schooling. Family members can move to the new duty station anytime after the sponsor receives his/her PCS orders-- contact your installation's relocation counselor for more information. Such temporary separations can help reduce problems with credits that won't transfer or the loss of credits due to mid-semester PCS orders.

Make it Priority #1
Say, "I'll get started once we're settled at our next duty station," and you're setting yourself up for failure. While any start is better than no start, the best time is immediately upon PCS. This maximizes the time you will have to complete the requirements for the program. Transferring credits, while not impossible (and perhaps inevitable in most cases), usually results in lost credits, annoying hassles, and wasted money and time. The extent to which you can minimize the need to transfer credits increases your chances of succeeding.

Visit Your Installation's Education Office
Some of the programs available to military members are also available to spouses. Find out what they are, and take advantage of them. Sample programs include:

When seeking funding for your college or graduate-school education, do not overlook all available sources. Military spouses are eligible for all sources of financial aid as other students (subject to the same restrictions), such as Pell Grants and other Federal Financial Aid. Look widely for sources of funding, apply as early as practical, and speak with the financial aid counselor at the college(s) to which you expect to apply. Where possible, keep your options open as to the institution you will attend, and use total cost as an important criterion in your decision. "Total cost" of attendance differs from the cost of tuition, because some colleges that have seemingly higher tuition and fees may also provide greater assistance through scholarships and grants, thus reducing the actual out-of-pocket costs to you. In fact, a 1996 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that one's alma mater does make a difference-- graduates of elite private institutions attained higher earnings than their counterparts who graduated from less prestigious institutions. So don't dismiss your college of choice simply because the tuition seems high-- speak with their financial aid office, apply for assistance, and get the best educational value for your money.

Regardless of which college you plan to attend, you'll need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which is available on-line. From there, you'll be able to determine what your expected contribution to your tuition and expenses of attendance will be. Tuition costs above that amount are considered "financial need." If you are able to identify and obtain scholarships and grants sufficient to meet your total financial need, your out-of-pocket expenses would be the same whether you attended the local community college, or a prestigious ivy league university. Because the reputation of your alma mater will have a noticeable impact on the marketability of your degree, it is in your best interest to invest the time and effort needed to carry out a thorough search for financial aid. Because military spouses have traditionally faced higher levels of unemployment, you will want to carefully consider the amount of student loan debt you are willing to incur. DoD figures indicate that spouses with a college education are more likely to find employment and typically earn higher salaries. However, unusually frequent relocations, a decision to avoid unaccompanied tours, orders to an OCONUS or isolated geographical region, or the lack of suitable childcare upon PCS can lead to unemployment, at least temporarily. While repayment deferrals are usually granted to unemployed graduates, interest continues to accrue--so your efforts to identify scholarship and grant opportunities for which you qualify (which do not have to be repaid) will be a worthwhile investment.

"Forgiveable Loan" programs are another option, but may require that you meet specific post-graduation employment requirements. If you fail to do so, the loan is not "forgiven" and you will be required to repay it. However, some sponsors of forgiveable loan programs will provide job search and referral assistance, which can thus supplement any resources you may have available through your local military installation. Be sure to check mobility requirements and geographical restrictions on post-graduate employment required under such programs, and assess whether they will pose a problem to you later.