Find your perfect college degree
Every employer has their standards set out when hiring employees. A common one is the accreditation from your college or university. Employers, institutions, and others can rely on accreditation to ensure your education is sufficient without having to assess your abilities themselves.
Students are able to transfer between schools, and employers trust you when you are hired because of the standards it sets. Now that you know why accreditation is important, learn why you should avoid attending a non-accredited school.
What is Accreditation?
First off, it’s crucial to understand and dissect what exactly accreditation is. The majority of people interpret accreditation as a designation that informs the general public that a school has achieved and is continuing to uphold rigorous criteria established by an accrediting organization.
However, a lot of people may find the accreditation procedure perplexing. In a nutshell, the accreditation process for colleges ensures that they offer high-quality education and meet certain standards of quality.
In most cases, colleges and universities are accredited by independent accrediting agencies or commissions that assess whether they meet established academic and administrative standards.
How are Schools Accredited?
Depending on the type of school, accreditation bodies search for distinct qualities, and the majority focus on particular types of educational institutions. Due to the stark differences between different fields of study, some of them will have separate accreditation requirements.
However, some general standards for accreditation apply to all institutions and serve as the process’s cornerstone. For instance, according to all accrediting organizations, schools must have a mission statement that outlines how they intend to serve and educate students better.
Additionally, each institution must show that it has the means to carry out its objective while also providing proof that it has done so.
What is a Non-Accredited School?
So, what is a non-accredited school? Schools that are not accredited have not been accredited by recognized accreditation agencies or failed to meet their standards and criteria. Listed below are some non-accredited schools’ key characteristics:
Absence of External Validation
Neither accrediting agencies nor independent evaluations have verified the quality of non-accredited schools. In other words, there is no external assurance that the education they provide is of high quality.
Curriculum Quality Issues
Concerns regarding the standard of instruction, faculty credentials, curriculum, and resources at non-accredited institutions may arise in the absence of accreditation. It’s crucial to conduct an in-depth study of the institution to determine its caliber.
Financial Aid Limitations
Federal and state financial aid programs may not be available to non-accredited schools, making education more expensive. You will find numerous cheap accredited online colleges in the US.
Licensure and Certification
Non-accredited colleges or universities may lack licenses and certifications. For license or certification, certain professions, including law, medicine, and engineering, frequently demand degrees from authorized universities. These criteria might not be met by non-accredited degrees.
Complexity in Transfer Credits
It is possible that credits earned at non-accredited schools will not be recognized by other accredited institutions or will not be transferable. This will be a waste of time and money for students and may limit their opportunities to study elsewhere.
Employment Challenges
Typically, many employers won’t prefer students who graduated from non-accredited universities compared to those who did. Simply put, your career advancement and job prospects may be affected if your degree comes from an unaccredited school.
Limited Scope of Further Education
Non-accredited undergraduate degrees may make it more difficult for you to get into accredited graduate programs. You will have to be required to fulfill some of the prerequisite courses from an accredited institution in order for you to proceed to a master’s degree or other graduate program.
Who Accredits Schools?
You might wonder, who exactly accredits learning institutions? You must confirm that your school has received accreditation from a respectable organization.
The American government does not oversee accreditation; instead, it delegates the responsibility to other organizations. There are several accrediting agencies in the US that are approved by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the US Department of Education.
However, because there are so many false online colleges, fake certification bodies have started to proliferate online. You need to be vigilant about this. Verifying that the organization that accredits your school is legit is the best way to ensure that the accreditation is valid.
Avoid falling into scams and tricks of dishonest institutions.
How Can Accreditation Affect You?
So, how can accreditation affect you and your future? It can appear to you as a student that accreditation is unimportant, yet nothing could be farther from the reality. Employers assess the institution you attended and if it was accredited when you graduate and start looking for a career.
Employers tend to doubt the authenticity of your degree and your suitability as a job prospect if it was earned from a school with dubious accreditation. Additionally, when transferring to another college, unaccredited universities will not accept transfer credits, limiting your opportunities and goals.
What are the Recognized Accrediting Agencies?
Accreditation is a review procedure that higher education institutions must go through to uphold the agreed-upon criteria of educational excellence. Assessments for accreditation may include internal self-study by the school as well as assessments by peers who are members of the same accrediting organization. In the US, there are several accrediting organizations.
Below are the most well-known accrediting agencies. When any of these accredits your choice of school, you can rest easy knowing that you’re on the right path:
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- Higher Learning Commission
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- North Central Association
Institutional accreditation refers to certification from these organizations. Additionally, certain professions could mandate that candidates enroll in accredited programs. Specialized certification is frequently required for other professions like medicine, law, engineering, or nursing.
The accrediting agency, in this instance, is a professional group that evaluates a program’s efficacy in equipping students with the competencies to satisfy particular professional requirements. Before enrolling in a school, students should ascertain whether their chosen professional path necessitates that the program be accredited by one of these specialist organizations.
6 Benefits of Having an Accredited Degree in the Job Market
An accredited degree can provide a number of benefits in the job market. Employers highly value accreditation because it ensures the quality of your education. Here are some specific benefits of having an accredited degree in the job market:
1. Professional Recognition
Certain sectors and professions demand that job candidates hold degrees from recognized universities. For instance, candidates for licensed professions like engineering, nursing, and accounting sometimes need to hold degrees from reputable institutions. With this, employers can proceed with the hiring process when you have reputable professional recognition.
2. Further Education Opportunities
Undergraduate degrees are often a prerequisite for entry into graduate or professional programs if you plan to pursue advanced degrees or certifications. By attending an accredited college or university, your further education enrollment and transition becomes seamless and easy.
3. Networking Opportunities
Alumni networks are often strong at accredited institutions. Connecting with such a network can open up career opportunities. You can build lifetime connections with this community.
4. Higher Earning Potential
Data from the Labor Statistics Bureau showed that certified workers earn more than noncertified workers. There is a 35.2% increase in income for those who hold professional certifications compared to those who do not. Employers may offer a candidate with recognized qualifications a higher salary.
5. More Job Opportunities
It is common for employers to prefer candidates with accredited degrees, especially reputable and established companies. It goes without saying that there are more job opportunities available if you hold an accredited degree.
6. Knowing your Accreditation Agencies
You should confirm that the accrediting agency is also accredited while looking into your school’s accreditation status. There are accreditation mills that provide schools with pointless credentials, just like there are diploma mills.
You can visit the United States’ websites to see a list of accredited organizations or websites from the Council for Higher Education and the Department of Education.
What Happens When a College Loses Accreditation?
So the next question now is what would happen when a college or university loses accreditations? The majority of universities, colleges, and even K–12 institutions have accreditation. A school’s accreditation proves to the general public, other organizations, and possible employers that its graduates are qualified and educated.
As a result, when a school loses its accreditation, students can feel the impact. For instance, several more consequences might arise for students when a college, university, or vocational school loses its accrediting status.
Students enrolled in the school at the time of the accreditation loss must deal with an abrupt closure of the institution. This is because postsecondary institutions that are not recognized typically do not get financial help from the federal government.
The overwhelming majority of these colleges rely largely on financial help. Therefore, the rapid withdrawal of any government funding ensures that the institution will soon go out of business.
Moreover, if the institution collapses because it loses its accreditation, these students will have a hard time being accepted to another institution to finish their degree or program. It is much harder for unaccredited postsecondary institutions to admit high school graduates from unaccredited schools.
4 Helpful Tips and Tricks When Choosing an Accredited College or University
Your choice of university can have a significant impact on your future education and career prospects.
It’s essential to ensure that a university is accredited if you’re considering attending one online or in person. You can confirm a university’s accreditation by following these steps:
1. Do your research.
Become familiar with the reputable accreditation agencies in the country where the university is located. The United States Department of Education recognizes regional accreditation agencies.
2. Reach out to the university’s admission staff.
Do not hesitate to contact a university directly if you have any doubts about its accreditation status. You can often find information about the accreditation of a university from the admissions office or academic department.
3. Verify accreditation status.
Ensure the accreditation status of the university by visiting the website of the accrediting agency. An accredited institution’s information is typically searchable on the website of the accrediting agency, or you may also check the university or college’s direct website. Accreditation agencies should be recognized and reputable.
4. Consider reviews and rankings.
Even while they shouldn’t be the only consideration in your choice, reviewing reliable international university rankings can give you information about the school’s position and reputation throughout the world.
Key Takeaways
Attending an approved institution is typically a sensible choice for a number of reasons. You may be sure that you will receive a high-quality education since accredited institutions are required to uphold certain criteria of excellence in instruction and quality.
An institution’s reputation and reliability are improved by accreditation, which increases the value and recognition of your degree among employers and other educational institutions. Your employment chances and career options will increase if you have a degree from an authorized college, which many businesses prefer or demand.
Your educational path will be more flexible if you acquire credits from authorized universities since they are more likely to be accepted and transferred to other certified institutions.
Higher education is more inexpensive when you are qualified for federal and state financial assistance programs, scholarships, and grants via accredited colleges. It’s best to avoid a non-accredited school in order to set a brighter future for yourself.
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