Online Guides for Accredited Colleges
The purpose of simple accreditation: measuring educational excellence, ensuring the quality of the cutting edge, and ensuring established standards are maintained. The quality of higher education remains an essential component of future career success; However, understanding the different types of accreditation and knowing any reputable accreditation commissions can be confusing. This comprehensive guide will help students understand why accreditation issues, how they work, who is accredited, and how online education fits within the framework.
Why Should I Care With Accreditation?
Attending accredited institutions or programs makes a significant difference for students in several ways. In addition to upholding the quality of education and ensuring a high standard is maintained, accreditation means students will:
� Have access to federal financial aid
� Have ease in transferring existing college credit
� Be assured that their education will be led by a qualified faculty
� Know their title will be recognized by the boss
Choosing an accredited college or university really makes a difference for students.
What happens if the college is not accredited?
� Financial aid
In 2013, 57 percent of students receive some form of federal financial assistance; However, this type of funding is only available to students enrolled in institutions accredited by an agency recognized by the Department of Education. This also applies to many state loans. Students who choose a school without proper accreditation will have very limited financial aid options.
� Transfer credit
While an institution has a final opinion as to whether to allow students to transfer existing credits, the likelihood of the credit being received is greatly reduced if received at an unaccredited college. This will likely result in the transferring student being asked to take back a particular course. If a student is considering attending a community lecture during his first two years, it's worth contacting a four-year program to ensure the course will be transferable.
� Education quality
Accreditation works as a seal of approval, ensuring educational thoroughness and excellence maintained at institutional and/or programmatic levels. If universities are not accredited, the quality of education may not be equivalent to similar institutions. Although less accreditation may be because the program is new or is undergoing a process, while others may be a sign of the under-standard quality of education.
Quality of Faculty, Counselor, and Other Academic Staff
According to one study, unaccredited school faculty are underpaid, publish less, and teach more than their counterparts in accredited institutions, leading to lower levels of passion and involvement with their subject. In addition, academic staff in these schools are not required to maintain the same standard of discipline knowledge or continuous professional development as an accredited institution, meaning their awareness of the subject and their ability to teach students can be left behind.
Work-ability
Whether regional or special accreditation will affect a student's ability to get a job in his field should be thoroughly researched. When competing with graduates of other similar programs, proper accreditation can make the difference between one candidate and another candidate. Accreditation may not be a job requirement, but a boss may feel more confident hiring an applicant who graduated from an accredited college.
Type of Accreditation
Two main types of accreditation exist: institutional and specialized (sometimes called programmatic). In institutional accreditation, there is a significant difference between schools accredited by national commissions as compared to those accredited by regional bodies. Read on to learn about the differences and what to consider when choosing a school with a particular type of accreditation.
� Institutional - National
WHAT IS THAT? Unlike a regionally accredited school, most institutions that accept national accreditation are less academically oriented and instead fall into the category of career or trade schools, which offer vocational programs and programs or training centers. National accreditation requirements tend to be less stringent. Schools with a religious focus or those with distance learning programs can also fall into this category.
EXAMPLE OF BIG ACCREDITATION AGENCY
� Commission for Accreditation of Schools of Careers and Colleges
� Council of Working Education
� Commission for Accreditation of Distance Education
� Institutional - Regional
WHAT IS THAT? Considered the most prestigious form of accreditation, more than 85 percent of American higher education institutions are regionally accredited. These schools are held to the highest standards and often accommodate their students with similar requirements. Admission to a regionally accredited school can be more competitive, but the recognition given is very attractive to students and prospective employers. Regional accredited schools tend to be large state universities, state universities, or four-year nonprofits.
EXAMPLE OF BIG ACCREDITATION AGENCY
The United States is divided into six different regions for regional accreditation purposes. Three examples of regional accrediting bodies include:
� Commission of Higher Education Institutions
� Association of Colleges and South Schools
� Association of Colleges and Western Schools
� Special or Programmatic
WHAT IS THAT? Accreditation programs are offered to single programs, departments, or schools within a college and the accrediting body often focuses on individual disciplines, such as pharmaceutical science or engineering. Although different from regional accreditation, despite having the same level of prestige. The special nature means that special components such as faculty, curriculum, and student services are more closely researched in relation to the specific program available.
EXAMPLE OF BIG ACCREDITATION AGENCY
The United States is divided into six different regions for regional accreditation purposes. Three examples of regional accrediting bodies include:
� Board of Accreditation of Pharmacy Education
� Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
� Board of Education for Public Health
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