Online College Accreditation Guide
Accreditation is a process by which schools in the United States are evaluated according to particular criteria. Accreditation organizations aim to assure the quality of the education available at a particular institution, and whether or not the degrees and educational experience offered there will be useful to students in the future. Accreditation can be given to an entire school or a single program, and there are both national and regional accreditation organizations. Accreditation arose as a way to enact non-governmental, peer-regulated evaluations of colleges and universities. In the United States, accreditation is done by private organizations rather than the federal government. However, the U.S. Department of Education does keep a record of private accreditation organizations that meet federal standards. Any school that becomes accredited by a federally-approved organization will be considered accredited in the United States.
Accreditation helps both students and education institutions determine which schools meet established standards and whether or not credits from particular schools may be transferred from one school to another. Because all students deserve to know that that the school they plan to attend will not only be worth the time and money, but also provide a meaningful educational experience, accreditation is an important part of higher education in the United States.
Check out the following pages to learn more about accreditation:
