Accreditation and Transfers: What to Know Before Enrolling
College accreditation, although not the most exciting topic for future college students, can be one of the most important areas to understand when deciding what school to attend. Picking a school with the wrong type of accreditation or no accreditation can have a substantial impact on a student's future. It could mean they won't be able to transfer schools or find a good job. This is because schools and employers use accreditation as a baseline in evaluating the value and quality of a college education. The types of accreditations and their impact on the ability to transfer schools are described below.
National vs. Regional Accreditation
Even though national accreditation sounds like it would have a higher value than regional accreditation, the opposite is actually true. Regional accreditation is the type of accreditation earned by traditional academic, degree-granting colleges and universities including community colleges. These accreditations are recognized nationwide as the standard of quality education. There are six regional accrediting agencies as listed here:
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
National accrediting agencies typically accredit schools that have a specialized type of learning such as distance learning, religious education, career learning or continuing education. There are ten national accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Types of Nationally Accredited Schools
Career and Vocational Schools – These schools teach a specific skill set that will enable a graduate to perform a specific job. Some examples of the wide array of careers that these schools prepare students for include Massage Therapist, Chef, Dental Assistant, Medical Billing Specialist, Paralegal, Photographer, Appliance Service Technician, Electrician and Computer Support Technician, among many others. Most schools typically specialize in providing training for a few careers or career areas, rather than a wide range of careers. Depending on the school and the program, graduates may earn an Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree, diploma or certification. Career and vocational schools are typically accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges or the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.
Online Schools -There are now hundreds of distance learning schools that offer every type of educational program including both academic and career programs. Some online programs mimic traditional academic degree programs while others have more in common with career school curriculums. The type of program however, does not necessarily determine the type of accreditation the school has. Many academically oriented online schools are accredited by a regional accrediting agency which means that students can often transfer credits to another regionally accredited school. Other schools with academic programs and most schools that offer career programs, have a national accreditation, usually from the the Distance Education and Training Council. Still others have no legitimate accreditation at all. See BrainTrack's article titled "Detecting Diploma Mills" to learn more about avoiding illegitimate online schools.
Transferring into a Nationally Accredited School
Regionally accredited schools will only accept transfer credits from other regionally accredited schools. Nationally accredited schools are more flexible and much more likely to accept transfer students from any school, regardless of the type of accreditation. Coursework that is similar from one school to another may be transferrable. Transfer credits are usually assessed on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to limitations such as the number of credits that can be transferred and a minimum grade earned.
Pre-accredited Status
Schools must go through a lengthy process to become accredited and this process must occur after the school is already operating. Thus, some schools will have a pre-accredited status while the accreditation process is ongoing. Attending a school with pre-accredited status is preferable to attending a school with no accreditation but does pose some risk. Credits earned at a pre-accredited school may or may not be accepted by another school. Additionally, if the school fails to obtain full accreditation status, those credits may never be transferrable.
Quick Accreditation Tips
- Research before enrolling – Before taking even one college course, research accreditation and course transferability.
- College websites can be misleading – Statements about the transferability of courses is sometimes misleading, so additional research is wise.
- Spend tuition dollars carefully – A low-cost school is not a good deal if it is not properly accredited.
- Online schools need close scrutiny – There is a greater likelihood of fraud or misleading information with online schools.
Resources
U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.
U.S. Department of Education: Accreditation in the United States.
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