Many, but not all, universities offer accreditation. Accreditation is recognized at different levels: national and regional. In fact, 85% of colleges and universities recognize regional accreditation. When you complete a course that is regionally accredited, they are essentially accepted at universities across the nation as prestigious and quality academia. Any credits taken at a regionally accredited school will be accepted by virtually any other regionally accredited institution. However, regionally accredited institutions may not accept credits from nationally accredited schools.
What is accreditation?
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation defines academic accreditation as the review of the quality of higher education institutions and programs. In the United States, accreditation is a major way that students, families, government officials, and the press know that an institution or program provides quality education.
There are multiple kinds of accreditation but there are two main categories.
Regional
Regional accreditation is often thought of as the highest level of post-secondary education. There are six regional accrediting agencies, and each serves a specific geographic region of the United States. They accredit postsecondary institutions and primary and secondary schools.
National
“National accreditation typically applies to specialized vocational schools, technical schools, religious institutions, or for-profit schools. This kind of accreditation accounts for less than 6% of all schools.” Regionally accredited institutions are reluctant to accept transfer credits from nationally accredited institutions, mainly because they haven’t met the stringent standards of faculty qualifications, library resources, and other guidelines.
When it comes down to it, regional accreditation is always better.
Accreditation is an indication of the quality of education, along with the transferability. Regional accreditation is held to the highest standard, therefore is the most widely accepted.
If you plan on going to school, a regionally accredited institution is the way to go. If you would like to transfer to another school, regionally accredited credits are almost guaranteed to transfer anywhere. Lower accreditation might equate to wasted time and money. Nothing can be more frustrating than taking a step backward and having to repeat classes you already worked so hard to pass.
No matter where you’ll be attending college, read up on all your prospective schools’ accreditation and make the right choice for yourself and your future.