Finding An Online Accredited College

In the US, accreditation in an educational context refers to when an institution is approved by non-profit regional and national accreditors who essentially approve the institution as providing a reasonable level of service and education.

The purpose of accreditation is to help consumers choose between legitimate education providers and less-than-stellar providers who might advertise diplomas or degrees that can be obtained in a few weeks or months and often aren't worth the paper they're printed on.

As with other aspects of life, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is so keep this in mind when considering online education.

Just because an institution is advertising itself as an online accredited college, doesn't mean this is a true statement.

If an institution is offering "university degrees within weeks" and things of nature, ask yourself how valuable such a "degree" really is, not only to you but in the eyes of a company you're interviewing with.

Do you think they'll be impressed with you holding a "degree" you completed in weeks from a school they've never heard of?

This is true of both online and regular traditional colleges and universities so be careful when choosing educational providers who have not heard of or are not familiar with.

Certainly when you are considering well-known state colleges and renowned institutions you can usually feel safe knowing that the level of education they provide is legitimate but when it comes to online options, it can be hard to tell especially if you've never heard of a particular institution you are considering.

If you're unsure of an institution's claims of being an online accredited college consult with your local or regional educational authority (ie. Department of Education, etc) for their advice regarding how you can determine whether or not the institution is accredited.

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