ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

Does going to an “accredited” school really matter?  It does any time you need to transfer credits.  More importantly, potential employers may not view your qualifications as valid if you received a degree from a non accredited school.  Find out and know where you stand.

An accrediting body must be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to authorize accrediting status to a school.

Regionally accredited schools are predominantly academically oriented, non-profit institutions.    The majority of Colleges/Universities, both public and private, hold this type of accreditation.  The U.S. is divided into 6 geographic regions.  Schools seeking Regional Accreditation can only become accredited through the accrediting body serving their geographic region.  Transferring credits from one regionally accredited school to another is common, regardless of which region the school belongs to.

Nationally accredited schools are predominantly for-profit and offer vocational, career or technical programs.  Upstart schools and those specializing in distance learning; also tend to hold this type of accreditation.  A Nationally accrediting body may award accreditation to any school, regardless of geographic location.  Nationally accredited schools recognized credit transfers between schools of like accreditation.

Regionally accredited schools and Nationally accredited schools serve different purposes.  The academic standards are different and the process for accreditation is different.  Students should NOT expect credits to transfer from a Nationally accredited school to a Regionally accredited school.

Apart from accreditation, each college has the right to set policy and accept or refuse credit transfers. 

Genius without education is like silver in the mine.
Benjamin Franklin