Online degree programs is becoming popular every day. In every ten students, there are at least eight people who are studying one or more degree courses online. Speaking of online studying, we can earn valid college degrees online via online universities. It is worthy of note that not all these online colleges and universities are accredited. Even a brick-and-mortar school needs accreditation too so don?t start thinking this is a problem only online degree programs faces. Accreditation is a process which assures applicants that a school is standard and every dime and time spent studying there is worth the certificate earned afterwards.
Who Accredits These Institutions?
A school is deemed qualified after being accredited by certain organizations on a no-nonsense level. Oops! That sounds harsh right? I actually meant to say that schools are accredited on a neutral ground without any political or religious influence. The United States Department of Education is burdened with the task of accrediting tertiary institutions. It?s not only the United States Department of Education (USDE) that accredits online universities but they are the major organizations actively involved in accrediting schools. If an accrediting agency is not recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or United States Department of Education (USDE), it is not a legitimate accrediting agency. You can literally call theses accrediting agencies ?the bad guys? who derives joy in kicking the ?ass? of not-up-to-par school, but I bet this is not as bad as spending your time and money in a bid to earn some college degree online only to find out the school you attended is not credible. So when they say a school has been accredited, you should be confident that your time, money, and effort spent studying there is worth it.
On What grounds are They Accredited and How Do I Identify an Accredited School?
The criteria they check for a four-walled school might be slightly different from an online university/college but be rest assured that they are also checked thoroughly before being accredited.
It is important to know if your choice of online institution has a stamp of approval, though this can be a painstaking process to undergo. Sometimes, one will find it difficult to successfully transfer from an online institution to a four-walled school unless the school they are about to leave is accredited. Quality is not guaranteed by accreditation, so when a school is accredited, it doesn?t mean it offers quality academic instructions/materials; you might be tempted to ask ?What is the essence of accreditation then?? well, it assures one that the instructions and authority to issue degree is being supervised and legitimate.
So when you are searching for universities that offer online degree, make sure it is accredited.
These are just a scope of what are being reviewed by accrediting agencies before giving them the stamp of approval.
- Student support services
- Finance
- Educational Facilities and tools.
- Standard Instructional materials
- Easy access to study
And much more.
Wait! I hope I didn?t scared the spirit out of you? Remember that earning a college degree online is cool as it allows you to learn while earning.