What does it mean for an online college to be accredited?

[Peterjase]

I'm try to decide about online college and I keep finding all sorts of information about a college must be accredited. What does this mean? how does it help me?

 

[misgfool]

I'm try to decide about online college and I keep finding all sorts of information about a college must be accredited. What does this mean? how does it help me?

Some accredition body has given it a certificate for their quality, competence etc.

 

[Moonbear]

If it doesn't have accreditation, it's pretty much worthless is what it means. The question gets more complicated because of the number of different accrediting group around and which ones are recognized as legitimate or not by others. If the accrediting group is not recognized by universities accredited by another accrediting group, then you would not be able to transfer any credits from your online courses to another university.

I don't know of any entirely online colleges that are worth the cost of the paper their coursework is printed on. What you are more likely to find that could be worth your while are online courses offered through traditional universities for the non-traditional student.

 

[glondor]

Good advise Moonbear. Look for major universities that have online or at home courses.

 

[WarPhalange]

I don't know of any entirely online colleges that are worth the cost of the paper their coursework is printed on. What you are more likely to find that could be worth your while are online courses offered through traditional universities for the non-traditional student.

Yup. My sister is in community college right now and she had some sort of math class online, but otherwise her classes were well, in class.

Especially if it's a science degree being offered is when it's bogus. You can't really know something about science without doing lab work. Science depends on experiments at least as much as on theory and math.

 

[Alferd]

It means that the college is recognized by the accrediting agencies that also accredit traditional colleges, in the sense that it offers quality education that is at par with regular college. It also helps incase you want to transfer credits from one college to another, you can't do this if the college is not accredited. Also incase you'd want to apply for financial aid or other grants, this is only possible through an accredited college. Most employers also don't recognize degrees acquired from colleges that don't have legitimate accreditation.

You can get more information about why college accreditation is important to your education from: http://www.distance-learning-college-guide.com/