Accredited Online Colleges

Online universities provide students with a wonderful opportunity to earn a degree and begin or advance new careers, all from the comfort of home. However, the rise of online universities has been paired with the growth of less beneficial institutions. These so-called “diploma mills” care little for actual quality of the education they provide. They simply take money from students, run them through some hoops, and award degrees that are barely worth the paper they are printed on. These degrees are near worthless on the job market and are a tremendous waste of time and money. Students interested in online education should be aware of the dangers of blindly sending tuition checks to shady institutions. You’ll find all the schools on the top online colleges lists are accredited online colleges.

Accrediting Councils

To protect students, regional accrediting councils evaluate schools of higher learning to ensure the quality of education. There are six regional councils depending on the geographical location of the school. Other kinds of accreditation exist, but are not as prestigious as regional accreditation. Both online and offline schools must pass the rigorous tests and requirements to gain accreditation. Once the criteria are met, the school can award degrees that actually carry value.

Finding Accredited Schools

Do not trust a school simply because it has a fancy or official looking website. Many diploma mills and other unaccredited institutions will attempt to disguise their treachery, but don’t fall for it. Do your research, either with the regional accreditation councils or with the US Department of Education. Both organizations will highlight the legitimate institutions and identify predatory ones. There is usually little reason to attend a school that has not earned accreditation. Not having the rubber stamp of quality does not mean that a school is poor quality; it will mean, however, an uphill battle to prove the legitimacy of your degree to future employers and graduate schools.

At the same time, do not be fooled into thinking that all accredited schools are created equal. Accreditation means that the school has met basic, minimum standards. Beyond those basic requirements, schools will vary along the spectrum of poor to high quality. Make sure you do your proper research to choose which school is right for you.