The concept of earning a degree online is gaining more and more popularity which is drawing the attention of a number of students interested in distance learning towards such programs. Unfortunately, most of the students don't perform a proper research and gather information relevant to this issue, leading to failure in determining the right choice. So, it is extremely essential for every individual to analyze all factors before going through the registration procedure in any institute.
Students have a diverse choice of online study courses which makes it quite tricky for them to make the most ideal decision. You must have heard the saying, "All that glitters isn't gold". So, in the light of this phrase you can easily understand that blindly believing the claims and promises of any institute before getting a clear idea about its accreditation status is like inviting trouble. Yes, only accredited universities and colleges can make your future safer and brighter. Opting for an unaccredited university/college for your degree would surely be risky and insecure.
Here is all one must be aware of regarding the "accreditation phenomenon" in the United States. Chiefly, there are two kinds of accreditation recognized by the US i.e. National Accreditation and Regional Accreditation. Specialized Accreditation is however another kind but is less common. Both regional and national accreditations are completely convincing and valid but differ in nature.
Basically, regional accreditation is limited to a particular section of U.S. with supervising agencies that have the approval of the U.S. Department of Education or Council for Higher Education Accreditation. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, New England Association of Schools and Colleges are included in the accreditation agencies at the regional level.
National accreditation agencies issue certification to any institution interested in getting accredited. There are several national accreditation agencies in the US such as Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT), Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and Association of Biblical Higher Education to name a few.
Coming to specialized accreditation, it is the accreditation issued by some accredited institutions, generally at the professional level. For instance, some medical universities support specialized accreditation for the provision of license to practice as doctors or pharmacists.
Now, regional and national accreditation have some points in common. Firstly, both the forms of accreditation make use of similar procedures that institutes seeking accreditation have to go through. Once the agencies have carried out a deep analysis of all the educational factors of the institutes, the accreditation is given to the specific institutes. Secondly, both are non profit organizations. Besides, the two types of accreditation institutes have facility of giving financial support to students via loans or other resources.
On the other hand, the two possess certain points of dissimilarity as well. A noteworthy difference between the two is the level at which accreditation is held i.e. regional accreditation is held at the regional level and thus regional agencies administer traditional schools and colleges restricted to a particular section. Similarly, national accreditation agencies certify all interested institutes that have common motives and themes.
Keep in mind that both national and regional accreditation will suit your needs. The authorization of previous degrees or qualifications when applying for admittance in an institute is yet another issue to be measured. Finally, remember that most of the employers will willingly hire you merely because of the fact that you have an accredited study background i.e. they give a damn whether your accreditation is regional or national. So, make the right decision and save your future.
Sheila Danzig is founder of Degree.com, http://www.degree.com and Career Consulting International, http://www.TheDegreePeople.com and BG Publishing International. Danzig holds a Bachelor's degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York, a Masters degree from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, and a Doctorate from Universidad San Juan de la Cruz where he is currently a professor. Danzig has co-authored a paper on the acceptance of the 3-Year Indian degree which has been published at IMMIGRATION DAILY among other publications worldwide. The books she has written include, One Year to Your College Degree, The Big Book of College Scholarship and others.
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