Finding an Accredited School
When beginning your search for an online education program, your best bet is to consider institutions that are accredited schools.
A school becomes accredited after meeting specific requirements set forth by an official review board. One of the best known organizations that regulates academic accreditation is the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, or CHEA.
Governed by a 20-person board of college and university presidents, institutional representatives and public members, CHEA is made up of 3,000 degree-granting colleges and universities and recognizes 60 accrediting organizations.
Why accreditation matters
For more than 100 years, accreditation has served as the primary symbol of legitimate higher education, demonstrating an institution's academic quality.
Accreditation also has been the primary authority for federal and state governments. A school must be accredited in order for its students to receive federal and state grants and loans. Additionally, state funds can be made available only to accredited institutions.
Ultimately, accreditation serves as a major source of protection against fraud and abuse, such as degree mills. By enrolling in an accredited school, you can breathe easy knowing that the school has met stringent academic requirements and that your hard work and money will go toward a degree with meaning.
Regional accreditation
The primary form of accreditation is Regional Accreditation, meaning an institution has met the academic requirements of a regionally based accrediting organization. More than 85 percent of all U.S. colleges, including online schools, are regionally accredited, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
When enrolling in an online school, it is important to note the pros and cons associated with regional accreditation.
Pros:
- Regional accreditation typically carries with it a higher level of prestige among the academic and professional worlds.
- Regional accreditation is the most widely recognized type of collegiate accreditation.
- Credits and degrees earned at a regionally accredited are wide accepted when transferring from one school to another.
- Schools that are regionally accredited are eligible for most corporate tuition reimbursement plans.
- Courses at online schools that are regionally accredited typically are led by an instructor.
Cons:
- Regionally accredited schools are often cost more than nationally accredited schools.
- Increased liberal arts coursework is often required by regionally accredited schools.
- Online schools that are regionally accredited might offer fewer career-oriented programs of study.
- Admission standards of regionally accredited schools are typically more competitive.
National accreditation
National accreditation agencies are organizations that do not limit their scope to regional geographic areas. Such agencies typically focus on approving career, vocational and trade schools.
As with regional accreditation, there are pros and cons associated with nationally accredited online schools.
Pros:
- Nationally accredited schools often charge less than regionally accredited institutions.
- Schools with national accreditation might offer students more practical, career-oriented majors and might require less liberal arts credits.
- Admission standards for nationally accredited schools typically are more relaxed.
Cons:
- Credits earned at a nationally accredited school are not widely accepted when transferring to a regionally accredited college.
- Coursework and degrees might not be widely accepted for industries requiring licensing, such as accounting, engineering, teaching, and health care.
- Some corporate tuition reimbursement plans might exclude schools that are nationally accredited.
- Nationally accredited schools might offer courses that are self-directed in which students do not have access to an instructor for assistance.
