Accreditation Matters in the College Search Process

Prospective students scrutinize their college options before making an enrollment decision. One of the most critical items you should always verify before enrolling at a college or university is the institution’s accreditation. In higher ed lingo, accreditation is the “seal of approval” from an independent governing body that ensures that a college meets rigorous academic and operational standards.

On the surface, it seems like a superficial designation. However, that “seal of approval” has immense implications on a college’s ability to offer sound educational programs. The Department of Education requires that all institutions of higher education participating in federal student aid programs maintain active accreditation. Simply put, unaccredited colleges do not offer federal financial aid, despite how many promises their financial aid or admissions office staff make.

Students who attend unaccredited schools will have a difficult time finding an accredited institution willing to accept their earned credits. Regional accreditation is known as the “gold standard” in higher education circles. Regionally accredited institutions often eschew credits from nationally accredited schools that are more likely to be for-profit. Wasting time at an unaccredited institution can set you back financially and professionally.

In some states, professional licensure statutes often require programmatic accreditation in fields such as nursing, teaching, accounting, and law. Programmatic accreditation ensures that the academic program leading to licensure is high-quality and meets the professional licensing requirements outlined in that state.

Increasingly, employers are verifying a student’s educational attainment. Background checks confirm whether a student earned an actual degree. Employers may discount degrees earned at unaccredited institutions. In fact, some employers may label degrees issued by those institutions as coming from a “diploma mill.” Whether this statement is factual is a separate debate. It does, however, pose a concern for students who end up paying a lot of money for something of minimal value.

Credible graduate schools often require a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. An unaccredited school may hinder a student’s ability to pursue advanced levels of education. To avoid this dilemma, it is often in students’ best interest to select regionally accredited institutions for their undergraduate learning needs.

To recap, there are three types of accreditation standards: regional, national, and programmatic.

Regional accreditation accredits the entire institution. In this context, regional accreditation focuses on academic programs at non-profit and state-owned schools. Regional accreditation is best for students who desire a traditional degree experience, plan to transfer credits to another institution at some point, or intend to pursue advanced education later in life.

National accreditation accredits the entire institution. A key difference between this accreditation method and regional accreditation is that national accreditation focuses more on vocational, technical, and faith-based schools. Attending a nationally accredited school makes sense if you are pursuing a trade skill or career-focused certification.

Programmatic accreditation accredits individual programs within a school. Examples of individual programs include nursing, business, and engineering. Programmatic accreditation is helpful for students who plan to work in a professional field that requires state licensure or certification.

Unsure about a school’s accreditation? Use two free official resources to verify credibility and avoid scams or diploma mills. While schools should display their accreditation status online, consulting these databases ensures you make informed decisions about your education’s legitimacy and value.

 A terrific resource for this endeavor is the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs. Maintained by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education, this database offers real-time data on a school’s accreditation status. Here’s a screenshot of Goldey-Beacom College’s accreditation status in this website’s database:

You can cross-reference the Department of Education’s database information with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation is a non-profit higher education organization.   Here’s a screenshot of Goldey-Beacom College’s accreditation status in this website’s database:

As Decision Day approaches in a few months, start asking yourself the biggest question in your college journey: Is this school accredited?