College Review Talk

Accreditation: The process by which students, families, government officials, and the press know that an institution provides a quality education. Colleges and universities in the US are accredited by one of 19 recognized institutional accrediting organizations.

Accreditation Means Value

The definition of “accreditation,” offered in the leader of this article by Community Foundation, is only half the story. Ensuring the quality of the degree program you choose has implications in your profession and in your wallet. Degrees without national or regional accreditation are typically ignored in the real world, a fact that most students don’t realize until after graduation. They’re then passed over for promotions and pay increases due to a diploma that carries little to zero weight. Colleges and universities recognize this, so they pour a great deal of human and financial resources into accreditation. Schools that do flourish in enrollment; those that don’t will fall by the wayside.

Why Colleges Seek Accreditation

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation has been tracking the last century of accreditation efforts by US colleges and universities. Currently, there are 7,000 higher education institutions and 17,000 specific degree programs accredited by one or more of the national bodies. Some of the top reasons why colleges seek accreditation include:

• * Earning federal and state government funding, as well as private sector financial support

• * Protecting students and consumers from fraud and abuse

• * Encouraging major innovation while maintaining quality

• * Facilitating states that carry out licensure of the professions

• * Responding to the current climate of accountability

Accreditation is in the best interest of all stakeholders, including students, federal and state governments, and the college and universities themselves. And as accrediting standards and procedures continue to fine tune, the distance learning concept will grow in popularity and application.

Sources:
CHEA
Community Foundation

Tags: Accreditation, Online Schools