Students considering colleges, career schools and online degree programs are often confused by the concept and meaning of accreditation. And, they frequently confuse it with state licensure, which is very different.
To be accredited, a school, traditional college, or online college has to meet fairly rigorous standards of quality. State licensure, on the other hand, generally requires an institution to meet only the most minimal standards. Thus, a warning flag should be raised when a college emphasizes licensure in lieu of regional accreditation.
Students should be aware that a number of higher education institutions, particularly those engaged in offering online degrees and distance education programs, report that they are accredited by organizations which are not approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Whether these organizations are staffed by scam artists or well meaning educators, the so-called accreditation they offer is, practically speaking, entirely worthless in the eyes of most employers and accredited colleges.
For instance, most schools and colleges will not hire staff who do not hold appropriate degrees from colleges and universities accredited by recognized accreditation agencies.
Most colleges and universities will not award students transfer credit for coursework completed at institutions not accredited by a recognized accrediting agency. The reality is that most colleges, universities, businesses, government agencies (and prospective employers of all kinds) will regard a college or university as unaccredited if it is not accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.
Even if your educational and career goals are such that accreditation is not a priority for you now, attending a college or university that is not fully accredited could turn out to be a big mistake for several reasons. An accredited school is much more likely to offer you a high quality academic program staffed by qualified faculty. And, if your situation or your goals change, a degree from an accredited college or university will give you far more options. Your safest bet is to visit the U.S. Department of Education website, get a list of recognized accrediting agencies, and select only a college or university accredited by one or more of them.
Attending an accredited college...be it campus-based or online...is not a guarantee that all of your expectations will be met. But, it will mean that you will complete an approved curriculum taught by instructors with appropriate backgrounds and experience. And, it means your coursework is far more likely to be recognized if you transfer or want to earn a higher degree at some point in the future.
Daniel Kane is a veteran professional educator. He authored and maintains one website on online degree programs another on online degrees and colleges, and more than a half dozen additional education sites. You can get a unique content version of this article.
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