Accreditation continued
Higher education accreditation in the US is a peer review process that began in the late 1800s. The federal government became involved with the accreditation process when the GI Bill legislation was in review in 1952. The result: students could only use the GI Bill at accredited institutions included on a list published by the US Commissioner of Education. Accreditation is overseen by the US Department of Education (DOE) and a non-government body called the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Regional Accreditation
- 98% nonprofit & degree granting
- Academically oriented
- More strict oversight/requirements
- Institutions based on geographic region
- 98% successful credit transfer
The six regional accreditors are:
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- Higher Learning Commission
In 1974, The American Council on Education created the College Credit Recommendation Service (CREDIT) program to award college credit to formal training taken outside a traditional degree-granting program.
American Council on Education (ACE) Accreditation
- Transfer credits accepted at over 90% of all Regionally Accredited institutions
- Students transcripts reflect an ACE pass or fail recommendation
- Does not affect grade point average
- Programs include:
- Integrity College Solutions (ICS) Courses
- Advanced Placement (AP) Courses
- College Level Examinations Program (CLEP) Testing
“ACE has played a major role in shaping higher education in the United States for more than a century. Since its founding in 1918, ACE has spearheaded programs, advocated for legislation, and led initiatives that have shaped the nation’s post-secondary landscape.”
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National Accreditation
- 76% for-profit
- 35% degree granting
- 65% certifications
- Single purpose institutions
- Vocational oriented
- Seldom transferable to regional institution
The three national accreditors are:
- National Faith-Related Accrediting Organizations
- National Career-Related Accreditation Organizations
- Programmatic Accrediting Organizations