Before selecting a college or university in the United States, it's important that you consider whether the institution is accredited.

After you graduate and start looking for a job, prospective employees will carefully examine your educational credentials. Graduates of accredited institutions have a distinct advantage over people who have studied at non-accredited schools. Many employers may only seriously consider job applicants who have attended accredited institutions.

To help you understand this process, we've provided an overview of the US accrediting system.

How It Works
Several nongovernmental agencies are responsible for accrediting college and universities, as well as their individual academic and professional programs.

The US Department of Education periodically reviews and evaluates these accrediting agencies to determine if they adhere to established standards and practices. Although some educational institutions and programs do not seek accreditation, most strive to receive accreditation from the appropriate agency.

When assessing an application for accreditation, all of the accrediting agencies follow essentially the same procedures:

1) Institution or program prepares a self-evaluation;
2) Accrediting agency appoints a team to review the evaluation, visit the campus, and make its own report; and
3) Accrediting agency determines whether or not to grant accreditation to the institution or program.

Some institutions or programs are granted "preaccreditation" prior to receiving full accreditation. However, preaccreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted in the future.

The Six Regional Accrediting Associations
There are six regional accrediting associations in this country. Their primary function is the accreditation of educational institutions, including public and private schools; colleges; and universities. They are:

• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
• Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Each accrediting association is responsible for accrediting educational institutions in a particular area of the United States and, in some cases, other geographic areas.

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools accredits educational institutions in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

New England Association of Schools and Colleges
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges has two separate commissions that accredit schools: The Commission on Institutions of Higher Education and the Commission on Technical and Career Institutions.

These Commissions oversee the accreditation of institutions in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accredits educational institutions in 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 Association of Schools and Colleges
The Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges accredits educational institutions in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredits educational institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Caroline, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges authorizes two distinct commissions that accredit schools: the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.

These Commissions oversee the accreditation of colleges in the American Samoa, California, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and Hawaii.

Institutional Accrediting Agencies

• Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET);
• Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS); Distance Education and Training Council

Institutional Accreditation vs. Program Accreditation
In addition to the six regional accrediting associations and other institutional accrediting agencies, there are many professional accrediting agencies responsible for accrediting specific programs.

Although an educational institution may be accredited, this does not guarantee that all its programs are accredited.

As you look for a school, find out in advance if the institution and program are both accredited. To help you do that, consult the following organizations: