Question about accreditation?

Question

I have a friend whom I am trying to help enroll in a college program. I am very "leary" of online institutions that do not have a ground campus program especially for a bachealors degree. (My friend has a busy schedule, so he needs a school that has an online experience b/c of the flexibility they offer.) I have considered one school that has an online and ground campus that is accredited by an agency called the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS).

I have never heard of these accrediting agency. The only two I have heard of is North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

QUESTION TO YOU
1. Have you heard about this accrediting agency?
2. Is it legitimate?
3. Can go on to grad school with with a degree from a school like this?

Please offer any other advice.

Answer 1

TRACS is a specialized national accreditor - useful if you plan a career or higher education in religion, not so much if you don't. TRACS is recognized by the USDoE and CHEA which makes them legitimate.

They are not equivalent to regional accreditation. The six regional associations are:

* New England Association of Schools and Colleges - NEA
* Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - SACS
* Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools - MSA or "Middle States"
* North Central Association of Colleges and Schools - NCA or "North Central"
* Western Association of Schools and Colleges - WASC
* Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges - NASC or "Northwest"

These are the only regional accreditors and any school not accredited by one of these is not regionally accredited.

Regional accreditation is essential if maximum transferability and post graduation utility are desired.

Specialized accreditation is required in some fields - preferably in addition to, not instead of, regional accreditation.

Answer 2

Regardless of delivery method (on ground, online, hybrid), a higher ed institution in the US can have 3 institutional accreditation statuses.

1. Regionally accredited - the highest and most useful.
2. Nationally accredited - real, but not as recognized or useful. Yes it is less than regional accreditation, which isn't intuitive.
3. Unaccredited

Be sure to check here before you enroll: http://www.chea.org/search/

EDIT: The accreditor you mention is national in the list above

Answer 3

I have not heard about this agency before.

It is legitimate. (http://www.tracs.org/)

You will be able to go on to a graduate program with a degree from this institution.

Here is another link with a searchable database. TRACS is listed as one of the Institutional Accrediting Agencies:

http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.asp

Answer 4

No, I doubt it, and doubly no.

Answer 5

No, no and no.