What Are Accredited Online College Courses and Why Do I Care?

Long-distance learning is now enjoying prolific popularity for many good reasons. Flexible scheduling, wider range of available curricula, and vast savings are just a few of the major "pluses" offered by online studies. To maximize enrollment levels, institutions are increasingly jumping on the Elearning bandwagon. You see, educational institutions are actually businesses.

You may have imagined those hallowed halls as havens of altruism and intellectual insights. Why would folks whose names are followed by more letters contained in a bowl of alphabet soup ever consider money! Well, wake up and smell the coffee, kiddo. Schools have bills to pay like everybody else. After all, do you think all those Mercedes and Jaguars in the faculty parking lot are just generous gifts from Santa? Think again, and again. Break out the notepads for some serious scholarly scrutiny into some hard-core realities. Class has now begun.

All schools are not the same

Many schemes, scams, and flimflams abound to exploit those who are desperately seeking degrees. Many are operated by outright con artists who issue a worthless piece of paper for your valuable green paper - US currency, that is.

Others are more subtle, however. Their plausible presentations as legitimate institutions are perfect. You can actually learn a lot at some of them, and graduate with heightened horizons and high hopes. Only to find them dashed.

Pay close attention, class: just employers and licensing boards require certain credentials from you; the school which confers your pretty piece of paper must also be vouched for. If the institution or specific program you completed does not carry the right rubber stamp, you may as well line the kitty box with your diploma.

Accreditation is key

What is accreditation? It is an official, recognized endorsement that a school meets minimum quality standards of educational excellence. Accredited online college courses are picked apart with a fine-toothed comb and examined under a giant "electrocational" microscope. Physical facilities, faculty academic credentials, adequacy of research and clinical facilities, budget figures, etc.; the list goes on and on. After being picked apart and put back together, the school is granted accreditation if it satisfies all minimum criteria.

What does this mean to me?

A lot, kiddo! Unless your school offers accredited online college courses, it - and you - may as well be ghosts. Accreditation is a standard requirement for professional licensing in virtually every state. Employers also put little stock in your degree if your school is not accredited. Neither will Uncle Sam grace you with his ten-million-mile financial aid wand - unless your school is accredited.

In a nutshell, you will shell out a lot of money, effort and time for what amounts to a useless wall decoration. Class, believe me when I say that you can do a lot better at the $7.95 sale at your local Bargain Basement.

Sidestep the Traps

First, insure that your school offers only accredited online college courses. You can search the US Dept. of Education's database at http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.htm to verify any school's accreditation.

You want to see "regional" accreditation in a school's credentials. There are six officially-recognized accreditation agencies within the US. Each agency covers a different part of the country. These are the only recognized accreditation agencies.

Beware of schools that boast "national" accreditation. Agencies that issue national "accreditation" are typically owned and funded by the institutions they certify. It does not take a rocket scientist to readily realize the relative worthlessness of such "accreditation".

Now for the Bonus Question

Ok, your homework is complete. Everything checks out. The school is accredited by the proper agency. Before you start zooming through online admission applications faster than the speed of light - wait! There's one more detail that definitely demands further verification.

Your particular program of study within an institution should also be accredited. This is especially vital for those pursuing fields of study that require licensure after graduation. The Dept. of Education site also provides easy verification of specific institutional programs. You can search by type of program, or by geographical location.

The Final Test

You are now properly prepared to evaluate any school or program before enrolling. You are on a surer path with a much firmer foundation for academic success. Here is today's test question: Where is the only place where you find success before work? Answer: the dictionary! Class dismissed.


My Colleges and Careers helps students connect with the best schools to earn their college degree and embark on a rewarding career! A powerful resource for individuals of all walks of life, My Colleges and Careers connects people with the programs that help them earn degrees on campus or online.

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