Why Do Schools Want to Be Unaccredited?

If you're a current or aspiring college student, you've likely been taught to look for colleges with regional or national accreditation. In most cases, college accreditation ensures a quality education.

College accreditation keeps students safe from scams like diploma mills. It tends to matter most for heavily regulated fields, like nursing and engineering. But while accreditation makes schools look more attractive, some colleges prefer to remain unaccredited.

What Does It Mean When a School Is Unaccredited?

College accreditation is a peer review process in which accrediting agencies evaluate programs and degrees offered by higher education institutions.

A college earns accreditation once an accrediting body has determined the school meets the agency's high standards for quality education, whether the program takes place online or on campus. This accreditation process ensures students receive the education they pay for while avoiding scams and low-quality schools.

Accrediting agencies must have recognition from the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to be considered legitimate.

When a college is unaccredited, it means it has either failed the accreditation process or opted not to apply for accreditation.

Unaccredited Schools Avoid Regulation

College accreditation is voluntary in the United States. Some colleges prefer to remain unaccredited to avoid oversight from accrediting agencies.

Choosing an accrediting agency is no simple task. Each college must closely examine each agency's standards to determine which meets the quality level the schools want to reach.

It's a time-consuming process that could result in failure if the school doesn't meet accreditation standards.

Some schools want to avoid limitations in curriculum choices, building requirements, and fees. Being unaccredited also gives colleges more options in the types of teachers and administrators they can hire.

Being Accredited Can Get Expensive

When seeking accreditation, colleges pay an initial eligibility application fee that's often less than $500, according to CHEA.

Many accrediting agencies charge a variety of fees throughout the accreditation process. There are four types of fees:

These fees vary widely but often fall below $5,000.

Additionally, colleges pay between $3,000 and $5,000 for site visits. Once a college has earned accreditation, it must pay annual fees, additional application fees, and miscellaneous fees to maintain accreditation.

The Accreditation Process Is Long

A college may be unaccredited simply because it's in the process of earning accreditation.

The length of time generally depends on how long the institution has been open and the size of the school, among other factors.

But since accreditation is a peer-review process that rigorously examines schools' curricula, buildings, and faculty, the process tends to take at least a year, even if the school is online.

For example, the Distance Education Accrediting Commission's accreditation process can take 18-24 months. The process can take longer if the school needs to make improvements, like changes to its curriculum.

Unaccredited Colleges Could Be Diploma Mills

While accreditation is a great way to ensure a college or university offers a quality education, some schools cannot meet the standards set by accrediting agencies.

Some educational organizations are not legitimate colleges, so a lack of accreditation can mean the organization is actually a diploma mill.

Diploma mills operate without oversight while granting fake certificates and diplomas. These are profit-driven schools that are not concerned with providing a good education.

So whether you apply to accredited or unaccredited colleges, research carefully to ensure the program you enroll in has the resources to help you meet your unique educational and professional goals.

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