One of the major decisions a student has to make is choosing the right university or college, especially when it comes to online education. Before enrolling, you want to ensure that you’re selecting a legitimate online school. If you’re worried about the reputation of the degree you see online, one way to check its quality and credibility is by confirming its accreditation.
Online colleges and universities usually undergo voluntary accreditation to prove their education programs’ legitimacy and that they adhere to certain levels of quality and standards. Although it’s not really difficult to find out if an online program is accredited, it’s important that you do the necessary research to ensure that you’re choosing a school that has the standard and accepted accreditation.
The key to finding the best online degree for your educational and career needs is taking the time to understand what accreditation is. Learning why it’s important will be beneficial whether you’re looking for options for your first college degree or pursuing advanced education to boost your career and widen your opportunities. But before you dig deeper into why accreditation is important, you must first know what it is and why it could be a big deal.
What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a formal recognition from an education authority or accreditation agency to ensure that an educational institution is credible and has met a certain level of academic standards. Simply put, accreditation means quality check. Before a school gets accredited, it has to go through rigorous checking by a third-party accrediting body. The accrediting bodies develop educational criteria for post-secondary universities or institutions and conduct evaluations to assess whether the criteria they set have been met. After evaluation, they award accreditations to qualifying universities or colleges, like Utel University, a leading online university that offers students quality, flexible, and affordable online higher education.
Utel University has accreditation from international accreditation agencies and is a member of many organizations on higher education. It has been authorized by the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) to confer official degrees that have also been recognized as academically equivalent by foreign credential evaluators in multiple countries around the globe, including a NACES-accredited agency in the USA. Moreover, Utel University is accredited by the Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges & Universities (ASIC) of the United Kingdom and by the Federación de Instituciones Mexicanas Particulares de Educación Superior (FIMPES).
Utel University has also partnered with industry and NGOs to boost the university’s program relevance and competitiveness, including UNESCO, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the Mexican Association of Continuous and Distance Education (AMECYD), the Ibero-American Association of Distance Higher Education (AIESAD), and the Latin American and Caribbean Institute for Quality in Distance Higher Education (CALED).
To help you know more about accreditation, below are some reasons that can help you understand why it is important:
It Ensures the Quality of Education
According to the U.S. Department of Education, accreditation aims to ensure that colleges or universities meet acceptable levels of quality. By choosing a university that has been accredited by governing bodies, you can have the peace of mind that the program or course you’re taking is legitimate. Accreditation helps you ensure that you’re earning a course or degree from a recognized institution. Likewise, it also ensures that your degree comes from a high-quality university and that the credits you receive are transferable to another school.
It Can Help You Qualify for Financial Aid
Taking an online bachelor’s degree or program can be quite expensive. This undertaking can cost thousands of dollars and may take several years. To help lessen the financial burden that going to an online university may cause, it’s ideal to apply for financial assistance. However, some financial aid organizations only offer assistance to students studying in accredited schools. So if you’re looking into applying for a financial aid program to help you pay for your schooling, you can increase your chances of qualifying if you choose an accredited online institution.
It Can Set You Up For Success
A school’s accreditation will not only help you ensure that you’ll receive a good and quality education but also help you secure a better career after finishing your chosen degree. When you have graduated from an accredited online university, there’s a high chance that employers and institutions will trust that you have been sufficiently educated without having to put you through several tests and interviews. Accreditation can give companies confidence that they are making the right decision by hiring you. It may not seem like a big deal, but it is! So, if your goal is to have a successful career in the future, enrolling in an accredited online program or university is one of the best ways to help get you there.