Texas Higher Ed Program Cuts Highlight Importance of College Accreditation
Recently, the Texas Higher Education Board ended 545 programs at public universities - meaning that those graduate degrees wil no longer receive the organization’s stamp of approval for college accreditation. Many of the cuts were made to Historically Black Colleges & Universities in Texas because the universities were not graduating enough students. This situation brings to light a very important lesson to those applying for college: make sure your program is accredited! Here’s an explanation of it’s importance:
1. Getting a job one day. Having a degree has become a very basic requirement for gainful employment - let alone completing internships and having relevant experience. If an employer discovers your program wasn’t accredited, especially in the health field, you will be out of the running immediately.
2. Getting the best education. If a school or program has accreditation it ensures that you’ll receive learning and training that is up to snuff with national standards.
3. Getting transfer credit for completed course work. Most colleges will only accept credits from students who completed that work at an accredited university.
4. Getting money for school. Unaccredited schools do not offer federal financial aid, nor are they allowed to. If you’re in need of some federal financial aid, make sure the school is accredited or you’ll be left out in the cold.
Imagine the surprise of all those college students in Texas who had the rug swept out from underneath them when their programs were cut. If you want to avoid being placed in such a predicament, make sure each school you send an application to has the proper college accreditation.
