Understanding College Accreditation

I've seen that certain colleges are considered 'accredited', and I'm a little confused about what this implies. Would someone mind explaining how accreditation works and what it means? Do you think it should affect my decision to apply?

Accreditation in the context of colleges and universities is a type of quality assurance. It's a status granted to an institution that meets certain standards set by external bodies. These accreditation agencies evaluate various aspects of a school's operation, including its academic offerings, governance, faculty qualifications, mission, finance, resources, student support services, and more.

There are two main types of accreditation: Regional and National. Regional accreditation is considered the most prestigious and it's typically awarded to academically oriented, non-profit institutions. National accreditation, on the other hand, is often associated with for-profit schools and vocational programs. There's also programmatic accreditation which focuses on specific programs or departments within an institution.

Notably, accreditation status does have tangible implications. For instance, only students at accredited institutions are eligible for federal financial aid. Furthermore, many graduate programs only accept degrees from accredited institutions, and employers may also favor candidates who graduated from accredited schools.

Therefore, while choosing a school, checking its accreditation status could certainly be part of your decision-making process. It provides assurance that the institution has been evaluated and has met accepted standards of quality and that it is committed to maintaining those standards.