Accreditation Blog Series: What is Accreditation?

Carrington College® California is very proud of its institutional and programmatic accreditation, but what exactly does it mean to be accredited? We’ve decided to feature a blog series on accreditation to explain just that.

Accreditation is a recognition process that affirms the quality of an educational institution or program of study. All aspects of the institution, including academic quality, administrative effectiveness and other types of services are reviewed by representatives of the accrediting body.

There are two major types of institutional accreditation: Regional and National. Regional accrediting agencies only accredit U.S. schools and there are six regional accrediting organizations that are responsible for specific regions of the country. National accrediting organizations accredit schools in all regions of the U.S. and may also extend accreditation to schools abroad and will evaluate any school that is interested in seeking accreditation.

Carrington College California is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC/WASC).* This demonstrates that we operate with a high level of quality in all areas of our institution, including faculty, administration, curriculum, student services, and overall financial well-being.

Institutional accreditation is an important factor to consider when choosing a college. An institution that has received accreditation status from a national or regional accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education can provide students with a quality education and impact financial aid opportunities, ability to transfer credits and employment opportunities. Next week, we will be going over programmatic accreditation.

Got questions? Leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you.

*Carrington College California is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC/WASC), 10 Commercial Blvd., Suite 204, Novato, CA 94949, 415 506 0234. WASC is an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education.