Regionally Accredited Online Colleges

regionally-accredited-online-colleges

Regionally Accredited Online Colleges

More than ever, it is important you ensure that you choose a regionally accredited online college. By checking a school’s accreditation up front, you will avoid finding out later that your credits may not transfer to another school. Or worse, that your employer does not recognize your degree.

TYPES OF ACCREDITATION

There are actually two types of accreditation: institutional and programmatic. Institutional accreditation makes sure the college itself meets certain standards, while program level accreditation makes sure a specific program meets its particular industry’s standards.

Accreditation is further broken down into national and regional. National accreditation is typically used by colleges looking to get their students started in careers as soon as possible. These include technical, vocational and religious schools. Trantransfer credits are not widely recognized by regionally accredited colleges and universities.

Regional accreditation, on the other hand, is the standard recognized by most traditional colleges and universities, and is therefore more widely accepted. Both national and regional accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, but regional accreditation makes it easier to transfer college credits to other regionally accredited institutions.

SchoolAgency
Colorado Technical UniversityHigher Learning Commission
Strayer UniversityThe Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Southern New Hampshire UniversityNew England Commission of Higher Education
  
Liberty UniversitySouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Purdue Global UniversityHigher Learning Commission
Grand Canyon UniversityHigher Learning Commission

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WHY IS ACCREDITATION IMPORTANT?

According to the US Department of Ed, college accreditation is used by both students and universities to:

  • Verify that a college or university meets established standards.
  • Help students identify acceptable colleges or universities.
  • Allow colleges and universities determine the acceptability of transfer credits.
  • Set goals to raise the standards among educational institutions.
  • Establish criteria for professional certification and licensure and for upgrading courses offering such preparation.
  • Set a basis for receiving federal financial aid.

You can check your school’s accreditation by visiting the following:

To check distance learning accreditation, visit:

Beware of these phrases when considering a school’s accreditation:

  • “Pursuing Accreditation”
  • “Chartered”
  • “Licensed”
  • “Registered”
  • “Recognized”
  • “Approved”

These terms do not necessarily mean a school is accredited. To verify regional accreditation of a school, visit the CHEA.

© Education Connection 2023. All Rights Reserved.

*https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_311.15.asp

Sources for school statistics is the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics.

Disclosure: EducationDynamics receives compensation for the featured schools on our websites (see “Sponsored Schools” or “Sponsored Listings” or “Sponsored Results”).  So what does this mean for you? Compensation may impact where the Sponsored Schools appear on our websites, including whether they appear as a match through our education matching services tool, the order in which they appear in a listing, and/or their ranking.  Our websites do not provide, nor are they intended to provide, a comprehensive list of all schools (a) in the United States (b) located in a specific geographic area or (c) that offer a particular program of study.  By providing information or agreeing to be contacted by a Sponsored School, you are in no way obligated to apply to or enroll with the school.

This is an offer for educational opportunities, not an offer for nor a guarantee of employment. Students should consult with a representative from the school they select to learn more about career opportunities in that field. Program outcomes vary according to each institution’s specific program curriculum. Financial aid may be available to those who qualify. The financial aid information on this site is for informational and research purposes only and is not an assurance of financial aid.

1 You must apply for a new loan each school year. This approval percentage is based on students with a Sallie Mae undergraduate loan in the 2018/19 school year who were approved when they returned in 2019/20. It does not include the denied applications of students who were ultimately approved in 2019/20.

2 This promotional benefit is provided at no cost to borrowers with new loans that disburse between May 1, 2021 and April 30, 2022. Borrowers are not eligible to activate the benefit until July 1, 2021. Borrowers who reside in, attend school in, or borrow for a student attending school in Maine are not eligible for this benefit. Chegg Study® offers expert Q&A where students can submit up to 20 questions per month. No cash value. Terms and Conditions apply. Please visit http://www.chegg.com/legal/smtermsandconditions for complete details. This offer expires one year after issuance.

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