Understanding the Critical Elements of Accreditation

If you are looking at your college options, the chances are your college of choice will be accredited – either nationally or regionally.

The USDE (United States Department of Education) and CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation) doesn’t differentiate between degrees earned from rival national and regionally accredited colleges. To qualify for any sort of accreditation, a school is analyzed to make sure it meets a high standard of criteria. Schools have to earn accreditation and it isn’t easy.

It can be tempting to think that the main concern should be if a school is accredited or not. But the difference between regional and national accreditation is something you need to be savvy about. Your future is at stake.

Here’s what you need to know about accreditation:

National Accreditation

Schools that are nationally accredited often focus on a specific educational theme, such as art schools or faith-based institutions. Nationally accredited schools must meet the educational requirements of the national accrediting organization in which they are associated.

According to CHEA, 65.2% of these nationally accredited institutions do not grant degrees. These schools are often for-profit and may accept credit from a regionally accredited college. Many online colleges are nationally accredited.

National accreditation risks

College credit earned at nationally accredited schools are rarely accepted by regionally accredited schools. The problem of credit transferability between nationally and regionally accredited schools presents a risk to any student who may want to enter graduate school.

If you are even remotely considering earning a master's degree or PhD, think carefully about the risk of attending a nationally accredited institution.

Another risk is the lack of scholarships and grants available to students who attend nationally accredited colleges. Students who want to utilize financial aid (not loans) to avoid college debt should also take this factor into consideration.

Regionally Accreditation

There are six different regional accrediting organizations that hold their member colleges to high educational standards. Traditionally, these schools only transfer credits from other regionally accredited universities. CHEA reports that 98% of these organizations are nonprofit and degree-granting.

Regional accreditation is considered to be the highest and most accepted form of accreditation in the United States. Top-tier universities, state colleges, and community colleges are regionally accredited.

Regional accreditation peace of mind

Parents and students should consider that the regional accreditation standard provides peace of mind by guaranteeing the transferability of credits, the opportunity to earn a graduate-level degree, and access to scholarships and grants that help reduce dependence on student loans.

Students who earn college credit and dual credit through credit by exam opportunities like CLEP and DSST can also have peace of mind knowing their credits can transfer into thousands of regionally accredited institutions all across the US.

Whoops – wrong school!

Like Brittany Barden discovered, trying to transfer credits from a college that isn’t regionally accredited can present a dilemma. In her case, she lost all of the college credits she earned at a non-regionally accredited college and had to start over from scratch.

Even though you always run the risk of losing credits when transferring from one school to another, starting off with a regionally accredited school will help you retain the largest amount of your credits when transferring from one institution to another.

The bottom line - your future.

If a bachelor's degree is the absolute end of the educational line for you, you might get away with a degree from a nationally accredited college. If graduate school may factor into your educational plans, you’ll need more than a killer GRE score to be accepted. Most graduate schools are regionally accredited and only accept students from regionally accredited undergraduate programs.

Grad schools aren’t the only ones looking at accreditation. Employers are getting educated about college accreditation. Discerning employers can shy away from nationally accredited colleges, often fearful of online diploma mills. If they aren’t familiar with your alma mater, they’ll look it up online and check it out for themselves. What they see may reflect on you.

CollegePlus! only works with regionally accredited colleges because they open wide doors for students. Instead of having to worry about accreditation and wrestling with their futures, CollegePlus! students can focus on learning and preparing for their future goals. College is hard enough without having to jump through accreditation hoops. Make sure the college you want lines up with the accreditation needs of your future career. You owe it to yourself.

Learn how CollegePlus! can help you get your regionally accredited college degree in the major of your choice.

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2 comments so far - Leave a comment below

Great info about accreditation. A bachelor's degree is less likely to be the end of the educational line. Students should do the proper investigation on the accreditation of the college they want to attend. I know College Plus students who are in grad school, so it's good to know this works for them.

— Jimmy J. Tuesday, November 30, 2010 9:51 AM CST

Thanks for the info, I learned something new!

— Trent Tuesday, November 30, 2010 10:03 AM CST

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