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Is the Value of Accreditation Overrated?

Home >> Articles >> ELearning >> Is the Value of Accreditation Overrated?

Education is a lifelong process. Your Nursing education won’t stop when you receive your diploma; you’ll keep sharpening your skills and adding to your qualifications throughout your career, whether in or outside of the classroom. However, the education that takes place within the classroom — or rather, the degree you receive based on that education, directly affects your professional opportunities. In other words, not all degrees are equal.

Since your Nursing degree is a result of hundreds of hours of hard work and can cost thousands of dollars to attain, you want to be sure that it adds genuine value to your resume and enhances your career prospects. Institutions that offer accredited programs claim that degrees earned from them have substantially more value. Is this true, or is the value of accreditation overrated?

Virginia Western Community College would say so. In 2007, the Virginia Western nursing program decided against trying to qualify once more for accreditation by a national nursing association, which they’d lost the previous year. In a news release, the school announced, “Virginia Western has determined that the endorsement of the NLNAC does not provide added value to the nursing program or to our students, and will therefore no longer pursue it.”

Admittedly, accreditation requirements can sometimes present a challenge, and not every requirement necessarily improves the quality of the program. Masses of non-essential yet required paperwork can be a drain on staff and faculty resources. In addition, accreditation can increase the program fees for students.

Most health care professionals, however, feel strongly that the downsides of accreditation are far outweighed by the benefits it provides. Two years after Virginia Western pulled the plug on pursuing accreditation, nearly 60 current and former nursing students filed a lawsuit against the college. The students stated they had been deceived by the school, which continued to publicly claim accreditation from the nursing commission even after the accreditation had been lost. In addition, said the lawyer representing the students, the students’ educational degrees are no longer granted by “a nationally accredited program which would enable them to compete at the highest levels for job and educational opportunities nationwide, including those with the government and our armed forces.”

If accreditation doesn’t provide added value to an educational program, why would Virginia Western lie about it? And why is the topic of a school gaining or losing accreditation considered newsworthy? It seems clear that accreditation is not just a catchphrase. In a real sense, whether or not non-accredited programs provide the same quality as accredited ones is irrelevant. The important question is, what does accreditation do for you?

Top Five Benefits of Earning Your Degree From an Accredited Institution and Program:

1. Meet the Criteria for Graduate School and Job Applications
If you want to advance your formal education further or qualify for certain jobs, accreditation is a must.

2. Be Eligible for Federal Financial Aid
Federal financial aid programs are exclusively reserved for students at accredited institutions.

3. Transfer Credits to Another Institution
Accredited institutions typically will accept transfer credits only from other institutions that have been likewise accredited.

4. Qualify for Tuition Assistance Plans
Some employers will only grant tuition assistance if you’re studying through an accredited program.

5. Earn Professional Licensure
Depending on your field of specialty, a degree from an accredited program may be a prerequisite for professional licensure.

The Results Are Clear

Despite assertions to the contrary from non-accredited institutions and programs, accreditation really does add tangible value to your nursing degree. Since all degrees are not created equal, it’s up you to ensure your nursing degree offers the best possible value.

One final word of caution: even if your overall institution is accredited, you will also want to make sure that the program itself is accredited. In the example of Virginia Western, the institution itself retained accreditation, but this did not help the nursing program’s loss of accreditation by a national association. Furthermore, not all accrediting bodies are recognized equally, so make sure that the program is up to par.

** EDITOR`S NOTE: Nursing Schools and universities offering accredited online degrees and on-campus programs featured on RnDegrees.net are accredited by accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. To check the accreditation of an institution or program that interests you visit the the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) online institutional database. By entering the institution`s name or state you can conduct a search and identify if it is accredited by a recognized and reliable accrediting agency.

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Start your nursing career with The College Network. Earn your NLNAC/CCNE Accredited nursing degree online from one of our partner universities: Regis University, Indiana State University, Angelo State University and more at 1/2 the cost and time of traditional universities with no campus attendance, no wait list and local clinicals.

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LPN/LVN to RN - BS in Nursing - Indiana St. - (Licensed LPN/LVNs only)
Paramedic to RN
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University of Phoenix
Campus

As the largest private university in North America, University of Phoenix has more than 200 locations, and is available online in most countries around the world. Whether you're seeking a college degree at an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral level, we can help you reach your academic goal—and sooner than you might think.

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Keiser University
Campus

Keiser University eCampus Online offers degrees in fields that are in high demand and provides job placement assistance to all its students and alumni.

Programs:

Nursing, MS
Medical Assisting, AS

Campus Locations:

Fort Lauderdale

Dover Business College
Campus

Launch a business, healthcare, or technology career with Dover Business College. Train with the most current technology programs at one of our two (Dover and Paramus, New Jersey) campuses.

Programs:

LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse)
Patient Care Technician
Medical Assistant

Campus Locations:

Dover

Clifton

CollegeAmerica
Campus

Finally, a college that delivers. CollegeAmerica is truly unique in that their curriculum is designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to prepare students for success.

Programs:

Bachelor of Science Completion in Nursing (Online)
Associate Degree in Nursing
Bachelor of Science Completion in Nursing Administration (Online)

Campus Locations:

Colorado Springs

Flagstaff

Denver

Fort Collins

Phoenix

Cheyenne

Keiser University Graduate School
Campus

Keiser University offers accredited degree programs in today's high-demand careers: Healthcare, Technology, Paralegal, Business, Nursing and Legal Studies.

Programs:

Nursing, MS (Online)

Campus Locations:

Fort Lauderdale

Carrington College California
Campus

Carrington College California offers the programs you need to begin a career in healthcare. Choose from Healthcare, Massage Therapy, Dental Assisting, Pharmacy Technology, or Veterinary Services.

Programs:

AS in Vocational Nursing
Certificate in Vocational Nursing
AS in Medical Assisting

Campus Locations:

Antioch

San Leandro

San Jose

Citrus Heights

Stockton

Emeryville

Pleasant Hill

Pomona

Sacramento

Stevens-Henager
Campus

For more than 119 years, Stevens-Henager College has worked to train generations of graduates for new careers. Stevens-Henager College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). Our degree programs, designed to help graduates compete in the ever-evolving employment market, include Medical Specialties, Respiratory Therapy, Healthcare Administration, Surgical Technology, Business Management and Accounting, Computer Technology and Networking, Computer Programming, Computer Science, and Graphic Arts*. Online programs are offered via Stevens-Henager College, Salt Lake City/Murray. Stevens-Henager College Idaho Falls is a branch campus of the CollegeAmerica, Flagstaff, AZ, main campus.

*Check each campus for program availability.

Programs:

Bachelor of Science Completion in Nursing
Associate Degree in Nursing Education
Master of Science in Nursing Administration

Campus Locations:

Boise

Layton

Ogden

Orem

Logan

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Saint George

Lehi

Nampa

Murray

Kaplan University
Campus

Advance your career and get the distinct competitive advantage you need with an online degree from Kaplan University. And do it without missing a day of work.

Programs:

MS in Nursing
RN to MS in Nursing
RN to BS in Nursing

Campus Locations:

Fort Lauderdale

Sanford-Brown Institute
Campus

Get everything you need for the medical career you want. Sanford-Brown Institute's advanced programs allow you to complete your certificate or degree program in as little as 9 months. Learn more today.

Programs:

Nursing
Medical Assistant
Medical Assistant Specialist

Campus Locations:

Melville

Austin

Monroeville

Orlando

Keiser University Campus
Campus

Keiser University offers accredited degree programs in today's high-demand careers: Healthcare, Technology, Paralegal, Business, Nursing and Legal Studies.

Programs:

Nursing, BS (Online Only)
Nursing, AS
Nursing, MS (Online Only)

Campus Locations:

Jacksonville

Sarasota

Orlando

Fort Lauderdale

Port Saint Lucie

Tampa

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Hollywood

Lincoln Technical Institute
Campus

Lincoln Technical Institute provides career-focused, hands-on training programs with industry experienced instructors. Get the skills for a rewarding in-demand career.

For more student consumer information, please visit www.lincolnedu.com/lincolnconsumerinfo

Programs:

Nursing
Medical Assistant

Campus Locations:

Mount Laurel

Shelton

Casselberry

Paramus

Edison

Hamden

Lowell

Saint Petersburg

Allentown

Philadelphia

Brockton

Somerville

Lincoln

Summit College
Campus

Get your career started with an education from Summit College. We offer programs in legal office assisting, licensed vocational nursing, office administration, administrative and clinical medical assisting, medical billing and coding, dental assisting, and accounting assisting.

Programs:

Licensed Vocational Nurse
Certified Nursing Assistant

Campus Locations:

Anaheim

Colton

Harrison College
Campus

Get started on your career with an education from Harrison College. We offer more than 30 degree, certificate, and diploma programs in the fields of health sciences, veterinary technology, information technology, criminal justice, and business, in addition to our culinary arts academy.

Programs:

Nursing - Associate of Science
Medical Assistant

Campus Locations:

Fort Wayne

Indianapolis

Muncie

Lafayette

Terre Haute

Anderson

Elkhart

Grove City

Columbus

Evansville

Florida Career College
Campus

Train for the real-world skills that help you launch a successful technology or healthcare career with a degree, or diploma from Florida Career College.

Programs: