School Accreditation: What, Why, and How it Impacts You

Congratulations on taking the steps towards earning a degree! One of the biggest decisions that you’ll have to make after knowing what degree type that you’re interested in is choosing a school. School choice is important in both the campus and online world – you want to select a learning environment that you can thrive in, in addition to getting the most value for your money.



One important factor to consider when weighing schools against each other is accreditation. Accreditation gives value and confidence to a school’s programs, and demonstrates to both you and your future employer that the school you attend has been qualified as a certified institution by an appropriate organization. Schools must meet certain criteria in order to be certified, and be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that these standards are constantly being met.



Accreditation Basics

Regardless of whether a school offers diplomas, certificates, associate, bachelor, or graduate degrees, it is in their best interest to be accredited as it demonstrates value in their courses and overall learning environment. Accreditation in the United States is determined by various groups such as the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) (http://www.chea.org), the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (http://www.acics.org) and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (http://www.ncacasi.org). While the process for evaluating schools varies between organizations, the basic premise is that accrediting bodies assess a school’s teaching standards, degree programs, teaching methods, and the overall learning experience for students.



There are industry specific accrediting bodies as well, like the American Culinary Federation Foundation Accrediting Commission (http://www.acfchefs.org) or the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (http://www.accredit-id.org). You can easily research the appropriate accrediting body for your intended degree so that you are confident in your decision to enroll.



Accreditation is voluntary for schools, but ultimately benefits students, teachers and administrators in the long run. Once a school becomes accredited, it undergoes subsequent reviews to ensure that its educational standards are upheld.



Why You as a Student Should Care About Accreditation

There are a few reasons why prospective students should value a school’s accreditation status.



1) You’re embarking on a new degree – it is and should be an investment, both in the short and long term, so you want to make sure that you’re getting a quality education.

2) You may at some point need to transfer credits or switch between institutions. Transferring credits from an accredited school signals to the next school that you’re coming from a credible institution.

3) You might be interested in federal financial aid. Students in the U.S. must attend a school that has been accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order to obtain federal financial assistance.



All of these reasons and more demonstrate the value of accreditation in schools. To ensure that your educational experience is as worthwhile as it should be, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and a good fit for you. Each of the schools listed at degreeUSA is accredited – find your school using one of our many tools, and you can be on the path to a better future!