Why Accreditation Matters

Does "accreditation" just seem like a random piece of college jargon to you? If so, you are not alone. Many students are unsure about what accreditation means and why it is important. After all, as long as you learn the material, you should be able to walk away with a degree that means something, right?

Not necessarily. While some unaccredited programs might offer valuable learning experiences, not all educational offerings are created equal. Attending an unaccredited program can mean that you will not be eligible for federal financial aid; will not be able to transfer credits to another school; and will not be able to obtain appropriate professional licensure in your field. Accreditation can make the difference between embarking on an exciting career path, or being saddled with debt and worthless credits.

So what does accreditation mean, and how can you make sure that your school of choice is accredited?

Accreditation is a voluntary evaluation process that institutions of higher education undergo in order to maintain standards of educational quality agreed upon by members of an accrediting body. Accreditation assessments may include self-study on the part of the institution as well as evaluations by representatives of peer institutions who belong to the same accrediting agency. There are numerous accrediting agencies in the United States. The most widely recognized accrediting agencies for colleges and universities are:

• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
• North Central Association (NCA)

Accreditation by these agencies (and some other similar agencies) is known as institutional accreditation. In addition, some careers may require that students attend programs with specialized accreditation. Specialized accreditation typically applies to certain vocations such as law or nursing. In this case, the accrediting agency is a professional organization that evaluates the effectiveness of a program in terms of how well it prepares students to meet certain professional standards. Students should determine if their career path requires that their program of choice be accredited by one of these specialized agencies before committing to a program.

The U.S. Department of Education does not accredit colleges and universities itself, but it does maintain a database of accredited schools and recognized accrediting agencies. This is an excellent place for students to start looking for information about school and program accreditation. The CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation) is another good source of information. The CHEA also does not accredit institutions itself, but it has information about accrediting agencies.

What are some red flags that an institution is unaccredited? (To confirm, you will need to check the U.S. Department of Education Database.)

• Students are not eligible for federal financial aid.
• There is evidence of numerous student complaints about educational quality.
• Credits are awarded for very little work.
• The "accrediting agency" for the institution is not listed as a recognized agency by the Department of Education
• The institution has a name that is very similar to a well-known college or university.

An accredited degree can make a huge difference in your future career; doing a little research now can save time and trouble in the future.

Article References

CHEA
http://www.chea.org/degreemills/default.htm

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
http://www.caahep.org/Content.aspx?ID=1

USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2003-09-28-fakedegrees_x.htm