Guest Author - Elizabeth Stuttard
When deciding upon a distance learning school to attend, it is very important to know what your goals are for your career. When you know what those goals are, then you can check with employers or people who do the same type of work to find out what the best route to that career is. You may not need to attend an accredited school for some careers such as those in technical or art fields. However, most careers do require a degree from a college or university that is accredited. There are a number of reasons why it is important to get your online degree from an accredited college or university.
1. One of the main reasons, of course, is that you will be certain to receive an education that at least meets a certain level of standards that are set by the accrediting agency. Even though it may mean that you have to work harder, I think that most people want to learn the most that they can from their studies.
2. Another important reason is that employers will check to see if the degree you have is from an accredited institution. If it is, then they will assume that you have met higher standards and that you have developed some crucial work skills such as the ability to organize your time well, good communication skills, information skills, and the ability to work under pressure.
3. If you decide to go to graduate school, you are more likely to be able to transfer your credits from an accredited institution. It may be difficult to transfer credits from any institution, even accredited ones. If you are working toward a particular profession, it is best to check out whether your school credits will be acceptable by your professional association before you sign up with a school.
4. Financial consideration is another excellent reason for ensuring that your degree is from an accredited school. You will be paying for your education in large part so you need to make sure that it is valuable and worthwhile just as you do when you make any purchase. In this case it is possible that you will earn much less money in your career if your degree is not from an accredited school. Another financial factor is that you may qualify for federal grants and loans as well as private or public scholarships if you are attending an accredited institution. These are not available to you for schools which are not accredited.
You do not want to put your future plans in jeopardy by neglecting to carefully check out the school(s) you are considering. Ask your friends, relatives, and people in the field you want to work in to learn whether it is the best school for you. As well, find out if the ones you are seriously interested in are accredited by the appropriate governing body in your field.
