School Daze: What Does It Mean to be Accredited?

Many of us are using this downturn in the economy to upgrade our skills in order to seek good jobs. Some have been laid off and are using their time to enroll in courses to make a career change. As consumers of education, it is important that we are seeking educational programs that are valid and are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

When you are looking for a school or other occupational program to enroll in, you should be aware of whether the school is accredited. Why is accreditation important? What does it mean when a school is accredited? Is it enough to just take their word for it if they say they are? How do I find out if a school is accredited? In this article I will demystify the accreditation process.

Why is Accreditation Important?

Accreditation serves to do more than just validate that the school is educationally sound. As a student, it assures you that employers, including state and federal government employers, will recognize your degree as valid. Also, accreditation is important for you because without it you cannot receive federal financial aid and many scholarships. Accreditation means that the school adheres to specific educational standards to qualify them to grant higher education degrees and certifications.

There are some states where a degree must be nationally accredited in order for you to use the degree in their state. Many employers are now validating that degrees have been completed before they hire a person. Some state that if you lied about your degree or it is not from an accredited institution, you could lose your job immediately. So it is very important for you to learn as much about any school, whether small or large, before you have invested your precious time and money.

What Does Accreditation Mean?

When a school is accredited, it means that the accrediting institution has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as qualified to grant accreditation. It does not mean that a school is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.

Here is an example of how it works: I recently earned my PhD from the University of Georgia. UGA states on their website that "The University of Georgia is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, specialist and doctorate degrees." This means that my degree program was reviewed and accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as educationally valid to grant a PhD to me. I can then look on the U.S. Department of Education website under a list of recognized accrediting agencies to see that the agency is a valid accreditation agency.

To sum up the process, I have drawn this diagram below:

The U.S. Department of Education has evaluated the accreditation agency, the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and it has been deemed to have acceptable standards of accreditation. The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools has evaluated my school, The University of Georgia, and has recognized it as acceptable by the standards of education to grant a PhD. The faculty of UGA has evaluated me as having completed all the requirements to earn the PhD and so I was awarded a PhD.

Verifying Accreditation: Is it necessary?

For most of us attending state intuitions such as UGA, we can be assured that they are accredited institutions. But it doesn't hurt for you to assess any school for accreditation, because there are many institutions granting degrees that are not nationally accredited.

The advent of the Internet has contributed to a rise in fraudulent degree granting practices or diploma mills. Many adults are looking for alternatives to the "brick and mortar" schools such as UGA that teach primarily with traditional classroom methods. We have busy lives and would prefer to take our classes using "distance learning" or the Internet. Distance learning is not new; in the past, these schools were called "correspondence schools". The student would complete assignments and mail them in to the professor for evaluation. But with the advent of the Internet, now students can participate in virtual classrooms. You hear of many online schools now and many are legitimate. But with the Internet, it is easier for people and institutions to hide their true identity.

Verifying Accreditation: How to do it

Let's suppose you are interested in taking some classes from an Internet institution. A very well known one is The University of Phoenix. You can go to their website, or search for classes on OfficeArrow's education services page. You will see a link on their website listed as "accreditation". A pop-up window appears stating "The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (ncahlc.org)." Now you can go to the U.S. Department of Education to see if the NCAHLC is listed as a recognized accreditation agency. Indeed, the NCAHLC is listed. You should also contact your state's Department of Education to see if degrees from the University of Phoenix are recognized by your state. You don't want a degree to not be valid in the state in which you work.

There are accreditation agencies for many specialty degrees such as theology, massage therapy, and cosmetology. There is even an agency that accredits schools on funeral home management. So, if you are looking for a less conventional degree or certificate, you should also check to see if the organization is accredited. You would follow the same steps as you would if you were checking on a school such as UGA or the University of Phoenix.

Recognizing Diploma Mills

As I mentioned, diploma mills are on the rise. In today's poor economy there are numerous scams that criminals are using to get your money. Sadly, you will be left with a financial loss that you cannot recover and a worthless piece of paper.

The U.S. Department of Education website cautions us to be on the lookout for diploma mills. They, of course, encourage you to validate accreditation as I have instructed you in this article. Diploma mills are not new. Here are some red flags they warn you to look for.

• They want big money: Their sole aim is to get your money - not to grant you a sound education. That is your first clue. They are asking for money but not requiring you to invest time earning the degree.
• Short time span to earn degree: Some will even give you a degree in weeks after you simply complete a form with your personal information (which they can also use to steal your identity) and charge you an exorbitant fee.
• Charge tuition in lump sum: They also will not charge tuition on a credit earned basis, but charge you a lump sum for the degree.
• No homework: Conveniently, they will entice you with promises of little homework or classroom time.
• Impressive sounding accrediting agencies: Sometimes they will list accrediting agencies that sound impressive, but are not even valid themselves.
• Fake accrediting agencies: Many times these fake accrediting agencies are working with the diploma mills. This is why you should always verify that the accrediting agency is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If it is not on the USDOE list, I wouldn't touch it - but that is just my opinion and the advice I would give to a friend.

There are also some foreign colleges that claim accreditation. These are also very accessible on the Internet. They will sometimes state that they have been accredited by US accrediting agencies. But I advise you to be wary.

Also, avoid any opportunities to get college credit for life experience. This is also a common practice of diploma mills and it is not easily standardized in a way that can be accredited. There are, however, some legitimate institutions that may offer credit for life experience. Any school that offers credit for life experience should be researched thoroughly for accreditation before you enroll.

It cannot be overstated that education can potentially open many doors for you. My mother always told me that it's one thing no one can take away from you, which is why it is all the more important for you to research the accreditation process of ANY educational institution in which you wish to enroll. Good luck and happy studying!

With a PhD in Human Resources Organizational Development and adult education, Tess Price is here to help answer all of your training and career development questions. Utilize her expertise to help expand your skills and grow your career. Visit our Career and Education Services Section for more information on building the career of your dreams.