College Accreditation and Employability

College accreditation is undoubtedly one of the most important things to consider when applying to colleges, be it online or on-campus. Accreditation is a voluntary, independent review of colleges and programs done by a neutral accrediting organization to determine whether the education offered is of uniform and sound quality. It is important to note that the accreditation process is completely voluntary which is done at the school’s request.It should also not be confused with a licensure.

A licensure is relatively easily to procure and it merely states that the respective college or university has the legal right to function. It means that the institution has the legal right to offer on-campus and/or online degrees. While accrediting agencies cover a few general areas during the process, such as faculty, curricula, facilities provided at the institution, student support services, program length and tuition, administrative and fiscal capacity etc. The college received accreditation if it meets the set criteria.

The Importance Accreditation Holds in Academic Life

As discussed above, accreditation is a stamp of quality education provided by the college or university. You can be confident of the education you receive is up-to-date and of sound quality. When you have the stamp of an accrediting organization, you can be sure to not be taken for a ride by your college. However, accreditation also plays a big role in deciding whether you are eligible for federal or state funds as it is a requirement of the federal and state governments.

Diploma or Degree Mills

A diploma or a degree mill is an ‘unaccredited’ organization that provides students with academic degree and diplomas for little or no real education. It is also not recognized by the official educational accrediting bodies (the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education (CHEA)); which means that a person can actually purchase a degree or a diploma for a certain amount of money. However, these degrees or diplomas hold no value in the professional world as employers always give preference to students with credentials from accredited colleges and universities recognized under either the USDE or CHEA. The

Importance of Accreditation in Professional Life

As you delve deeper in to college accreditation, you’ll find the importance it will eventually hold in your professional life and how it will eventually affect your employability. To put it simply, attending an accredited college on-campus and/or online ensures that your employers and associates or even other colleges and universities will recognize your degree. Employers give preference to students who have studied at accredited colleges or universities because it is through an accreditation that they can be sure of the credibility of your degree and the quality of education you received.

Accreditation and Employability

When a company looks to hire new employees, their C.V’s are reviewed and the credentials and professional certifications receive thorough scrutiny. Employers are always on the lookout for questionable credentials from unaccredited colleges or degrees from diploma mills and are also wary of hiring unqualified people in positions of responsibility who might not the required skills. They want to be confident of the people they hire to manage their jobs responsibly and effectively and the only way they can be sure of an employee’s academic credentials is to hire someone who has a degree from a recognized, accredited institution. You don’t want to waste your hard earned money on a degree from a college that is not accredited, only to be turned down by your employers in the future. Therefore, a degree from an accredited college or university will be a significant advantage during the hiring process and hence, be beneficial to your employability.

Unaccredited colleges and universities

As discussed earlier, accreditation is a completely voluntary process and on occasion you might find some legitimate schools which have not been accredited. You must remember that in some fields, a degree from unaccredited school will keep you from professional licensure and practice. You should also watch out for phony organizations that might call themselves accrediting agencies and might very well not be ‘recognized’ organizations. As a result, you might end up spending a great deal of money without even receiving quality education or a valuable credential.And as you already know, if your college or university does not have the right accreditation, you might very well be turned down for future jobs. The Council for Higher Education (CHEA), a private agency accredits the accreditation agencies. The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) also maintains a database of institutions and specialized accrediting agencies by the federal government. So the best way to judge an institution’s accreditation is to find out if the accrediting body is recognized by either of these 2 agencies mentioned above.

Accreditation and Online Degrees

An increasing number of students turn to online (also known as Distance Learning Degrees) offered by colleges due to several reasons such as familial or financial restrictions. Whatever the reason, online degrees have steadily gained popularity and it should be noted that you can be sure of the quality of education you receive through online colleges if they, too, have been accredited. Stevens Henager College, for example, offers on-campus and online programs. The college is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges(ACCSC), recognized by the United States Department of Education which makes it a trustworthy destination for students. Healthcare programs offered at Stevens Henager College have received accreditation by specialized accrediting bodies. (For more information about Stevens Henager College’s accreditation visit their website.) Whether you choose an online degree program or a traditional college set up is subjective. What you need to keep in mind is that with a degree from an accredited college, you can scale your career to greater heights!