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No matter the type of American higher
education you're seeking-- traditional degree or new wave training,
on-campus experience or distance learning, four year diploma or six month
certificate-- choosing an institution and program can be
difficult as well as time consuming. With thousands of choices available, it can also be risky.
You can simplify your evaluation and make better decisions
by
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Accreditation is a fundamental consideration
when evaluating a US
school or program.
There is no central government authority that
controls American postsecondary educational institutions. While individual
states assume some degree of control, generally institutions of higher education
operate with great independence. As a result, American educational institutions
can vary widely in the quality of their programs.
In order to insure basic quality, evaluation by private
regional and national accreditation associations is conducted.
Accreditation
associations
- Develop criteria to evaluate institutions
and programs
- Assess institutions and programs to
determine whether they meet the criteria
Evaluated institutions and/or programs that meet an association's
criteria are "accredited" by the association.
Accreditation is helpful to several communities
-
Prospective students can identify
acceptable institutions to attend
-
Employers can identify
acceptable training when reviewing the resumes of job candidates
-
Institutions can determine the acceptability of
transfer credits
-
Agencies can grant professional
certification and licensing based on established criteria
There are two types of educational accreditation,
institutional and specialized. Institutional accreditation usually applies to an entire
institution. Specialized accreditation usually applies to programs, departments
or schools within an institution.Accreditation
websites
You can learn more
about accreditation or verify the standing of an institution or program by
visiting the websites listed below.
Regional associations
Regional associations accredit institutions that are located within groups of states and
territories. Generally regional associations accredit traditional institutions
such as universities and colleges.
MIDDLE STATES
Middle States
Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) -- Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands
NEW ENGLAND
New England Association of Schools and
Colleges (NEASC) -- Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island, and Vermont
NORTH CENTRAL
North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) -- Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New
Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin,
and Wyoming
NORTHWEST
Northwest Association of Schools and
Colleges (NASC) -- Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and
Washington
SOUTH
Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools (SACS) -- Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia
WEST
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC) -- California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Palau, Micronesia,
Northern Marianas, and Marshall Islands
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National associations
National associations accredit institutions located anywhere in the US.
Generally
they accredit institutions that offer degree programs in specialized
subjects, or ones that use nontraditional methods of delivery.
National associations for selected fields
ART AND DESIGN
National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
BIBLE COLLEGE EDUCATION
Association for Biblical Higher Education, Commission on Accreditation
DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Distance Education and Training Council, Accrediting Commission
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM
Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
LAW
American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
PHARMACY
Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
PHYSICAL THERAPY
American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
VETERINARY MEDICINE
American Veterinary Medical Association, Council on Education
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Professional or specialized accrediting associations
Professional or specialized associations accredit specific degree programs offered by institutions that
are regionally or nationally accredited. Professional or specialized associations
generally do not accredit entire institutions.
Professional or specialized associations for selected fields
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
American
Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
COMPUTER SCIENCE
Computer Science
Accreditation Commission (CSAC), Computing Sciences Accreditation Board (CSAB)
CULINARY ARTS
American
Culinary Federation (ACF)
DENTISTRY AND DENTAL HYGIENE
American
Dental Association (ADA), Commission on Dental Accreditation
ENGINEERING
Accrediting
Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
LIBRARY SCIENCE
American
Library Association (ALA), Committee on Accreditation
NURSING
Commission
on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
PSYCHOLOGY
American
Psychological Association (APA), Committee on Accreditation
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Additional accreditation
resources
Council for Higher Education
Accreditation (CHEA)
U.
S. Department of Education
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Using
statistics to
compare institutions
American educational institutions can be rated
and compared using a variety of insightful statistics. The most common are listed
below.
An easy way of locating data to evaluate a particular school is by visiting the school's official website. As a rule accredited institutions
operate websites in the .edu domain. These can be found through .edu
whois.
Alternatively, you can find data by referring
to ratings and rankings guides.
Common statistics
GENERAL INSTITUTIONAL
- Years in existence
- Enrollment
- Highest degree awarded
- Number of degrees offered
- Student teacher ratio
- Average class size
FACULTY
- Percentage who are fulltime
- Percentage with doctorate
- Percentage tenured
- Average salary
- Average hours
teaching per week
ACCEPTANCE
- Number of students accepted annually
- Percentage of applicants accepted
- Average high school class rank of accepted
applicants
- Average high school GPA
- Average
standardized test score
RETENTION AND GRADUATION
- Freshman retention rate
- Graduates per year
- Graduates as percentage of student body
STUDENT BODY
- Male-female ratio
- Average age
- International
student percentage
- Percentage of students by ethnicity/race
- Percentage of students who are full-time
- Percentage of students living
on campus
LIBRARY
- Number of books
- Number of subscriptions
RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- High school record
- High school class rank
- Recommendations
- Standardized test scores
- Essay
- Interview
- Extracurricular activities
- State residency
- Work experience
- Community service
COST
- Tuition and fees
- Room and board
- Books
and supplies
FINANCIAL AID
- Percentage of students receiving aid
- Average amount received
- Average percent of total expense covered
AFTER GRADUATION
- Percentage of students employed within 6
months of graduation
- Average starting salary of graduates
- Student placement budget per graduate
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Ratings and rankings guides
Peterson's Four-Year Colleges: 2008
Complete Book of Colleges, 2008
(Princeton Review)
U.S. News Ultimate College Guide 2008
The Insider's Guide to the Colleges,
2008 (Yale Daily News)
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2008
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