Photo By Sgt. Khalil Ross | Cpl. Angelo Gutierrez, Headquarters company, 3rd Marines, works out of his textbook...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII - Not feeling quite as prepared for college as you wanted? Students who felt that way have taken a Military Academic Skills Program class to better prepare themselves for college since 1996.
As of May 22 the Education Center has graduated 15 students from the MASP course.
MASP is a four-week course that helps anyone with a general technical, GT, score below 100 get a higher score so they can be prepared for college courses.
Active-duty Marines have a priority position in the class but Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, wounded warriors and spouses can attend the class as well. An average of 10 to 12 students take the class at a time.
“Overall (the class) went great and a lot of the (graduates) are going to start using tuition assistance,” said Thaiha Vo-le, an education and career specialist. “Now they are ready (for college courses) because they completed the MASP course.”
The course consists of eight-hours of math and English classes a day with a 90-minute lunch break. Students will primarily take the Test of Adult Basic Education to gauge their academic strength. At the end of the class the students take a harder version of the same test to see the progress. In order for students to graduate they need to score a 10.2 or higher on the test, Vo-le added.
Craig Lockwood, the education services officer, said the students make considerable leaps and bounds during the course.
“All of our students consistently improve throughout the MASP classes,” he said. “We might have a student start out at a level eight but by the end of the class they come out with a score of 11 or better.”
Lockwood said the program has very qualified instructors who can help the students either one-on-one or in a classroom setting. Students have homework as well but have study hall to help answer any questions the students may have, Lockwood said.
Vo-le said any Marine can take MASP courses any time in their career.
“The classes consist of Marines who are staying in and ready to use (TA) and Marines who are separating from the Marine Corps,” she said. “For those getting out, (MASP) prepares them so they can take college courses once separated.”
Students need to be able to attend every class while in the program.
There have been a few times students have had to go on a deployment or train, but students need to be able to commit to the whole course, Lockwood said.
“We take the accountability of the Marine very seriously,” he said. “The Marines need to come ready to work hard and not fool around. We understand the mission comes first. The skills they receive will help them and (helping Marines) can only strengthen the Marine Corps.“
The next MASP course starts Monday at the Education Center. For more information, visit mccshawaii.com/edcenter/ or call the Education Center at 257-2158.
| Date Taken: | 05.28.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 05.29.2015 17:27 |
| Story ID: | 164953 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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