| "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose." was written by | | | | awarded accreditation, it guarantees that they have |
| Gertrude Stein as part of the 1913 poem Sacred | | | | been examined and that they have met the |
| Emily, which appeared in the 1922 book, Geography | | | | standards of excellence that have been determined |
| and Plays. In Stein's view, the sentence expresses | | | | by the accrediting organization. Accreditation for a |
| the fact that simply using the name of a thing | | | | college or university is maintained by continuous |
| already invokes the imagery and emotions associated | | | | adherence to set criteria. The purpose of |
| with it. | | | | accreditation is to make sure that colleges and |
| That certainty seems to summarize a problem we | | | | universities achieve certain levels of education. |
| have today, "A college is a college is a college is a | | | | When looking at a school, check out their |
| college" or a "University is a university is a university | | | | accreditation. Some colleges state that they are |
| is a university." There are people that believe that | | | | accredited, but they are accredited by fake |
| just because someone calls something a "college or | | | | accrediting agencies. It is critical that you make sure |
| university" it is just that. | | | | that any college you look at seriously is accredited by |
| Because of this belief and with the advent of the | | | | one of the six regional agencies that are listed below. |
| Internet, diploma mills have blossomed. There are | | | | Be sure you look at their websites, which lists all the |
| diploma mills that try to look like a "rose:" excuse me, | | | | colleges and universities that they have accredited. |
| a "college" even an "accredited university," but | | | | Regional accreditation is the most recognized and |
| nothing could be further from the truth. | | | | accepted type of accreditation in the United States. |
| So, if your future plans include college or a university, | | | | There are six geographic regions with an agency in |
| finding out if the school where you plan to obtain an | | | | each region that accredits college and university |
| degree is a fully accredited institution is the first and | | | | programs: |
| the most vital step in the online degree process. | | | | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools - |
| What is the difference as long as it is a degree? | | | | Accreditation of colleges in Delaware, District of |
| I had a good friend who spent four years of his life | | | | Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, |
| earning a college degree. Turns out that even though | | | | Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico. |
| the institution was well known, it was not accredited. | | | | New England Association of Schools & Colleges - |
| Unfortunately because of having a degree that was | | | | Accreditation of colleges in Connecticut, Maine, |
| not accredited, he was never able to get a job in his | | | | Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and |
| chosen field, which was teaching. | | | | Vermont. |
| You are running a risk by not having a degree from | | | | North Central Association of Colleges and Schools - |
| an accredited school. An unaccredited degree is a | | | | Accreditation of colleges in Arkansas, Arizona, |
| time bomb in your resume. Today, employers are | | | | Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, |
| carefully scrutinizing information on job applications | | | | Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, |
| and they do not look favorably on diploma mills. | | | | Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, |
| Keep in mind the responsibility for spotting a diploma | | | | West Virginia, and Wyoming. |
| mill lays in your lap. Here are just a few warning signs: | | | | Northwest Association Of Schools And Colleges - |
| the school's website has no phone number, their | | | | Accreditation of colleges in Alaska, Idaho, Utah, |
| promotional materials focus heavily on credit for life | | | | Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. |
| experience, the school's name is very similar to the | | | | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - |
| name of a traditional, well-known school, a degree is | | | | Accreditation of colleges in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, |
| awarded in a few weeks or months, the school | | | | Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South |
| claims to be accredited by an organization that is not | | | | Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. |
| listed as an accreditor approved by the Department | | | | Western Association of Schools and Colleges - |
| of Education, the school boasts of accreditation, i.e., | | | | Accreditation of colleges in California, Hawaii, the |
| (fully, nationally or worldwide accredited,) but has no | | | | territories of Guam, American Samoa, Federated |
| legitimate accreditation agency to back up the claim. | | | | States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, |
| If what you have to do to earn your degree seems | | | | Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana's Islands, the |
| "too good to be true," it is a warning sign of a | | | | Pacific Basin, East Asia, the Pacific and East Asia |
| diploma mill. | | | | where American/International schools are. |
| Why is it so important for a school to be accredited? | | | | You can easily find out if a college or university that |
| Accreditation is an independent examination of college | | | | you are interested in is accredited by simply visiting |
| and university programs to confirm that the | | | | the specific regional accrediting board's website |
| education that is provided is consistent and of the | | | | depending on where the college or university is |
| highest quality. When a college or university is | | | | located. |