If you’ve been researching educational institutions then you’ve probably stumbled upon the word “accreditation” at some point. You’re probably wondering what this term means to you, the student. Put simply, accreditation can be likened to a stamp or seal of approval. It is a rating process that acknowledges an institution has met certain standards and guidelines of approval. Once an institution is accredited, it must uphold its guarantee to offer the best educational experience to its students.

Each educational institution is generally evaluated using the following criteria:

- Objective and goal of the college
- Student requirements for admissions
- Quality of education
- Standing of the college within the community
- Services on offer to the students

There are two types of accreditation – institutional and specialized. Institutional accreditation is approved by the state and national accrediting bodies. Specialized accreditation of occupational institutions is approved by national professional associations.

Accreditation is granted by two different governmental and non-governmental bodies – the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Accreditation is not just limited to traditional “brick and mortar” institutions. Indeed, online schools and distance learning programs are also evaluated and validated by the accreditation process.

Accreditation is important to you because employers will tend to favor those who have been formally educated at an accredited college. So, before you decide upon a school it is worth researching whether or not it is accredited. Employers are more likely to choose prospective employees who have received a quality learning experience from an accredited institution, instead of a graduate from a non-accredited college. They want to know that they are picking the best candidate possible.

Also, if you are considering switching schools or applying for graduate school then having gone to an accredited institution should make the process of transferring grades a lot easier.

If you’ve narrowed down your choice of schools and are concerned about the validity of the accreditation group, then it’s important to do your research to ensure that you don’t come out with a below average learning experience. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation’s website provides extensive information about accrediting bodies across the nation.