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Accreditation is the boring word that quietly decides whether your money, time, and degree are worth anything. Before you enroll anywhere — university, online program, or trade school — here's what it controls and how to verify a school is the real thing.
It controls your federal aid
Only students at accredited schools can receive federal Pell Grants and student loans. Enroll somewhere unaccredited and you pay 100% out of pocket — no FAFSA money applies, no matter how good the marketing looks.
It controls whether your credits transfer
Most accredited colleges will only accept transfer credits from other accredited schools. Credits earned at an unaccredited school often count for nothing if you later move to a university — your time and money evaporate.
It controls whether employers and licensing boards respect the degree
Nursing boards, teaching certification, the bar exam, engineering licensure, and many employers require a degree from an accredited program. An unaccredited degree can be worthless for the exact career you trained for.
Institutional accreditation (the school as a whole)
Since 2020 the old "regional vs. national" split is officially gone — the federal government now treats all recognized institutional accreditors equally. What matters is that the accreditor is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or CHEA. Historically "regional" accreditors (like the Higher Learning Commission, which covers Arizona) were the most widely accepted, and their schools still transfer most smoothly.
Programmatic accreditation (a specific major)
Individual programs carry their own seal — ABET for engineering, CCNE/ACEN for nursing, CAEP for teacher prep, AACSB for business. For licensed fields, programmatic accreditation can matter more than the school's overall status. Confirm the specific program is accredited, not just the college.
Comparing real options? See online degree programs, how to pay for trade school, or the full glossary of college terms.