| "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose." was written by | | | | it guarantees that they have been examined and that |
| Gertrude Stein as part of the 1913 poem Sacred Emily, | | | | they have met the standards of excellence that have |
| which appeared in the 1922 book, Geography and | | | | been determined by the accrediting organization. |
| Plays. In Stein's view, the sentence expresses the fact | | | | Accreditation for a college or university is maintained |
| that simply using the name of a thing already invokes | | | | by continuous adherence to set criteria. The purpose |
| the imagery and emotions associated with it. | | | | of 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 accreditation. |
| college" or a "University is a university is a university is | | | | Some colleges state that they are accredited, but they |
| a university." There are people that believe that just | | | | are accredited by fake accrediting agencies. It is critical |
| because someone calls something a "college or | | | | that you make sure that any college you look at |
| university" it is just that. | | | | seriously is accredited by one of the six regional |
| Because of this belief and with the advent of the | | | | agencies that are listed below. Be sure you look at |
| Internet, diploma mills have blossomed. There are | | | | their websites, which lists all the colleges and |
| diploma mills that try to look like a "rose:" excuse me, a | | | | universities that they have accredited. |
| "college" even an "accredited university," but nothing | | | | Regional accreditation is the most recognized and |
| 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 the | | | | programs: |
| 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 an | | | | North Central Association of Colleges and Schools - |
| accredited school. An unaccredited degree is a time | | | | Accreditation of colleges in Arkansas, Arizona, |
| bomb in your resume. Today, employers are carefully | | | | Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, |
| scrutinizing information on job applications and they do | | | | Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, |
| 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 claims | | | | Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South |
| to be accredited by an organization that is not listed as | | | | Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. |
| an accreditor approved by the Department of | | | | Western Association of Schools and Colleges - |
| Education, the school boasts of accreditation, i.e., (fully, | | | | Accreditation of colleges in California, Hawaii, the |
| nationally or worldwide accredited,) but has no | | | | territories of Guam, American Samoa, Federated |
| legitimate accreditation agency to back up the claim. If | | | | States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, |
| what you have to do to earn your degree seems "too | | | | Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana's Islands, the |
| good to be true," it is a warning sign of a diploma mill. | | | | Pacific Basin, East Asia, the Pacific and East Asia |
| Why is it so important for a school to be accredited? | | | | where American/International schools are. |
| Accreditation is an independent examination of college | | | | You can easily find out if a college or university that |
| and university programs to confirm that the education | | | | you are interested in is accredited by simply visiting the |
| that is provided is consistent and of the highest quality. | | | | specific regional accrediting board's website depending |
| When a college or university is awarded accreditation, | | | | on where the college or university is located. |