A GI Bill app for military families that shows its work.
College Tool is a free app that does the GI Bill® and VA education-benefit math for military families: the decisions that actually trip families up, like in-state versus out-of-state, transferring benefits to a child or keeping them, and the order to use them, which can change the total by thousands.
Free to download and use. Five states permanently, no account, not a trial. An optional upgrade unlocks the phase approach and the whole country. See pricing.
See it in action
What the app does for a family
The order that gets the most
If you hold more than one benefit, the sequence changes the total, often by thousands. The app maps it.
Real housing math
It runs the housing allowance off the school’s zip code, on currently published rates, across 5,600-plus VA-approved schools.
Everything stacked
Post-9/11 GI Bill®, Chapter 35 DEA, the Fry Scholarship, and Yellow Ribbon, plus transferred months and scholarships on top.
Find the school
Browse any state, or type a school, a city, or the short name families actually use: FSU, UGA, Ole Miss. Each one carries its housing figure and its Yellow Ribbon participation.
It shows its work
Every rate, rule, and figure in College Tool links to its official VA source, so a family can check the math themselves rather than take a number on faith. The output is a starting point for the conversation with a VA representative or a School Certifying Official, never the final word.
What it looks like
Where it came from
It was built from a real need: a military family doing this math by hand at the kitchen table. That is where the phase approach came from, and the reason every figure is tied to its source is that the family doing the math had to check the sources themselves first. The founder, a retired Air Force MSgt, completed the VA’s School Certifying Official training in 2026, the same coursework the officials who certify these benefits at a school take.
See the method behind it · Meet the founder · Read the free companion book
Common questions about the GI Bill app
Is there a free GI Bill app?
Yes. College Tool is free to download and use, with no account and no trial. The free tier covers five states, permanently, and includes the GI Bill and Fry Scholarship math, transferred GI Bill benefits, your own scholarships, and the cost-of-living estimator, with every rate linked to its official VA source. An optional subscription unlocks the phase approach, every state, the top overseas options, and Chapter 35 (DEA) benefits.
What does a GI Bill app do?
It shows how a family’s VA education benefits work together and the order to use them. College Tool covers the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, Chapter 35 DEA, the Fry Scholarship, and the Yellow Ribbon Program, with per-school housing estimates, and links every figure to its official VA source.
How do I find my school’s GI Bill housing allowance?
College Tool searches VA-approved schools by state, by name, by city, or by the short name families actually use, so typing UGA finds the University of Georgia. Each school in the list carries its monthly housing figure, whether it takes part in the Yellow Ribbon Program, and any VA caution flag, with a link through to that school on the VA Comparison Tool. The housing figure runs off the school’s zip code, on currently published rates. Search is free in the five free states, and the subscription covers the rest.
What is the best GI Bill app for a military family?
Look for one that shows its work: an app that links every rate and rule to its official VA source so you can check it yourself, rather than a black box. College Tool is built to that standard. Whether it is the best is a call for families and independent reviewers to make, not one to self-assign.
Is College Tool affiliated with the VA?
No. It is an independent planning tool from We Got You 1776, LLC, not affiliated with or endorsed by the VA or the Department of Defense.
Get the app
The Order Matters is in use across the professions who advise on this exact topic: VA School Certifying Officials, University Veterans Services, JROTC programs, and public library systems. See who.