"Accredited" College Education

An accredited college education should be what every student of higher learning strives to undertake. Institutions which are accredited simply meet a standard of quality, determined by an independent and private organization, for use by students to better understand what level of education their undertaking and that those levels of excellence will be upheld through time. Some examples of accreditation organizations are the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools and the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training.

The procedure which institutions must undergo in order to obtain accreditation includes standards devised by accreditation organizations in collaboration with educational institutions and the Department of Education, on site evaluations of those standards, as well as publication of those standards along with continued monitoring and reevaluation to ensure the utmost quality in learning.

Accreditation can occur at the institutional level, meaning all degrees are an accredited college education, or specialized or “programmatic” accreditation, which means only specific programs or classes meet the accreditation standards. Accredited college classes will ensure quality, but also the ability to receive financial aide at the state or federal level, while non accredited institutions are not approved by the U.S. Department of Education for financial aide eligibility.

With the expansion of online education, accredited college classes are taking on even more importance due to the increasing numbers of available higher education institutions. Research as to which schools are accredited is vital for potential students, since non accredited degrees can cause future employment and financial problems. For example, there are currently no online law schools accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), and 49 states require a degree from an ABA accredited law school in order to take the Bar Examination which is required to practice law. Also, international schooling and institutions follow different standards, with some governments taking a more direct role in accreditation policy.

The U.S. Department of Education provides a continually updated database of accredited post-secondary institutions and programs which meet state and federal standards in accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, a tool established by law for transparency in higher education standards.

With the importance of a college degree in today’s society, coupled with the steep economic sacrifices necessary to obtain a higher education, finding accredited college classes is extremely important when beginning one’s advanced learning. Enrollment in accredited college classes both online or at a traditional campus will ensure students receive the best quality of knowledge and the credentials and prestige which come along with the achievements of higher learning.