Accredited College Degrees - How Important Are They?

Accreditation is the assurance to the public that the educational program and/or college has met at least the minimum standards of quality set by the accrediting agency. There are national and regional agencies that accredit institutions of higher learning. Most public four year colleges and universities are accredited by a regional agency. Trade colleges or technical schools are usually accredited by national accrediting agencies; however they can be regionally accredited instead.

Programmatic Accreditation- This term is used to describe a specific program offered by a postsecondary institution that has met specific standards set forth by the agency. An example would be a dental program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). CODA's website states their mission as follows:

"The mission of the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) is to serve the public by establishing, maintaining and applying standards that ensure the quality and continuous improvement of dental and dental-related education and reflect the evolving practice of dentistry. The Commission, established in 1975, is nationally recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) to accredit dental and dental-related education programs conducted at the post-secondary level."

Institutional Accreditation - This type of accreditation is applicable to the institution as a whole - as the name implies. The institution would have met not only general program standards but operational standards set by the accrediting agency as well.

NOTE: For purposes of the information provided here, knowing if your prospective college or technical school maintains institutional accreditation is of great importance. References to "national" or "regional" refers to institutional accreditation only.

As far as the United States Department of Education is concerned there is no difference between national or regional accreditation when it comes to institutional accreditation. Accrediting agencies that are recognized by the Department, regardless of type, are accountable to the United States Department of Education. They are audited and must meet performance guidelines as do other agencies that have governmental oversight.

Here are 4 reasons getting an accredited college degree matters.

REASON #1

A college, technical school, or university must be accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education in order to be eligible for participation in Title IV Federal Financial Aid programs. Bottom line, going to an unaccredited institution of higher learning means no access to Federal Grant programs (free money) as well as low interest Federal Student Loans (which do require repayment). This is otherwise known as Financial Aid.

REASON #2

If you plan on obtaining an advanced degree, most schools will not accept transfer credit unless the college you attended was accredited.

REASON #3

Some occupations, licenses, and certifications will only accept applicants who received their education from an accredited institution.

REASON #4

Should you have issues with the school, you have an additional avenue to which to file a complaint. You should still start with the school itself so that you can reach an amicable resolution pretty quickly. However, If that is not possible then move on to the state agency to which the school is accountable. If that fails or there is no such agency, you will end up at the accrediting agency who is typically quite responsive.

The only way you will know for sure if a school is accredited is by contacting the agency that they claim to have the affiliation. Schools typically publish this information in their admissions or program catalog. The accrediting body is listed with their contact information.

When you contact the accrediting agency you will need to confirm the current standing your prospective school has with its accreditor. You should proceed cautiously if the school is not in good standing. Simply being accredited is not enough. If the school is in danger of losing its accreditation this is clearly a red flag.

Once you have confirmed that the school is indeed accredited you will confirm the accreditor's affiliation with the United States Department of Education. You can do so by visiting http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. The Database of Postsecondary Institutions and Programs is a nifty tool in your quest to find the answer to this question.

Yes, getting an accredited college degree does make a difference. Considering the high cost of education and its potential rewards, wise consumers should do their homework before school starts.