Why Accreditation?
Accreditation is a voluntary method of quality assurance developed more than 100 years ago by American universities and secondary schools. The goal of accreditation is to evaluate, verify, and improve an institution’s quality.
Accredited schools need to make decisions to see results and they also need to external audits that assess their performance and welcome feedback from the peer.
Why is Accreditation Important?
Accreditation is important because it:
- • Helps determine if an institution meets or exceeds minimum standards of quality.
- • Helps students determine acceptable institutions for enrollment.
- • Assist institutions in determining acceptability of transfer credits.
- • Helps employers determine the validity of programs of study and whether a graduate is qualified. Employers often require evidence that applicants have received a degree from an accredited school or program.
- • Helps employers determine eligibility for employee tuition reimbursement programs
- • Enables graduates to sit for certification examinations.
- • Involves stafff, faculty, students, graduates, and advisory boards in institutional evaluation and planning.
- • Creates goals for institutional self-improvement.
- • Provides a self-regulatory alternative for state oversight functions.
- • Provides a basis for determining eligibility for federal student assistance. Students must attend an accredited institution to apply for federal grants or loans.