Accreditation and Colleges in Washington

If the school you choose is not accredited, employers and other learning institutions will be reluctant to take it seriously. For this reason, accreditation is one of the first things you should look for when choosing colleges in Washington. Read on to learn about what accreditation means, which schools in Washington are accredited, and why accreditation is so important.

Accreditation Explained

Accreditation is a mark of quality for educational institutions. Accreditation is bestowed by accrediting agencies, which are organizations that evaluate schools and programs every few years to verify that students are receiving the quality of education they should. Accrediting bodies can be national or regional and often are specific to fields of study. For example, the American Bar Association is responsible for accrediting law schools. These accrediting bodies set forth certain standards to which the school and/or program must adhere in order to maintain its accreditation. It's important to remember when choosing colleges in Washington that the accreditation a school receives is only as legitimate as the accrediting agency that issued it.

Examples of Accredited Institutions

Capella University, DeVry University, and the University of Phoenix are all examples of colleges in Washington that are nationally accredited. These schools are usually mostly online, but they also sometimes have physical campuses in major Washington cities like Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, and others. Gonzaga University is an example of a traditional Washington college that also has an online program-Gonzaga University Online. Gonzaga University Online is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the Department of Education. Gonzaga University Online's accreditation is different from that of most online Washington colleges because it is affiliated with a brick-and-mortar learning institution.

Finding Accreditation Information

Most colleges in Washington have their accreditation information on their websites. The school should explain if it is accredited and by whom as well. The degree program in which you're interested should also be accredited by a specialty accrediting agency. Once you know the accrediting body, you can research it to verify its legitimacy. The Department of Education is in charge of evaluating accrediting bodies, and potential students can find a list of reputable accrediting organizations on the website of the Department of Education. Unless the accrediting body is listed on that site, the accreditation is probably invalid. Remember that terms like "recognized," "approved," or "chartered" are not the same as "accredited" and are often used to deceive prospective students.