While the is listed by ACHEA, we believe we offer the best in traditional services and non-traditional accreditation and recognition programs available.
Earning an accreditation in the United States is voluntary & non governmental. Schools request to be evaluated and or have their programs evaluated by an independent accrediting agency. The agency sets its own standards that the school must meet in order to earn their accreditation, and since accrediting agencies vary in their quality standards, some are considered more prestigious than others. Which one a school chooses depends on what standard of quality the school hopes to achieve and to maintain.
Schools usually familiarize themselves with the agency’s standards well ahead of time and spend several months preparing for their accreditation review. If they pass the review and earn accreditation, it is an endorsement of their school as a legitimate institution of higher education that meets an acceptable level of quality. Some schools may include their accreditation status in the college information they present to potential students.
Just as there are recognized accrediting agencies, there are unrecognized agencies. This simply means that their standards have not been reviewed by the Department of Education or by ACHEA. There are a variety of reasons why an agency may be unrecognized. For example, the agency may be working toward recognition with the Department or ACHEA, or it may not meet the criteria for recognition by either organization. Whatever the reason, it’s important to keep this in mind when exploring college info.
You should view unrecognized accrediting agencies with caution until you can evaluate their reputation. An unrecognized agency doesn’t necessarily have low standards of quality, but it is important to know that many U.S. employers only recognize degrees from institutions accredited by a recognized agency.