When a School Loses Accreditation

You may have heard horror stories of students whose school lost accreditation: financial aid withdrawal, worthless degrees, and wasted money are just the tip of the iceberg. Nothing compares to the frustration of a student who has put in hours of work into a degree program, only to have their achievements yanked out from under them when their school loses accreditation.

Thankfully, most schools are never in danger of losing their accreditation; it is a very rare occurrence. It is a possibility however, so a thorough investigation into the schools you are considering is a must. However, should the worst happen, students need to understand their options.

Here are some frequently asked questions that students have about accreditation loss.

How will I know if my school loses accreditation?

You may or may not be notified by your school if it loses accreditation. Some schools actually neglect to inform their students of this critical occurrence. If you are suddenly ineligible for financial aid (assuming you previously received it and your financial circumstances have not changed), or there is a major decrease in educational quality, those are clues that something might be wrong. You can check your school's accreditation status via the U.S. Department of Education Database. If you see a “Terminated” notification, your school has lost its accreditation.

Can I get my money back?

Sadly, it is not that easy. There is rarely a direct avenue to reclaim your money; in fact, some schools lose accreditation over financial mismanagement, so your money may have vanished entirely.

Will my credits transfer?

It is unlikely that your current credits will transfer; however, you may find that other schools are willing to accept credits earned before the accreditation was lost. Credit transfer policies vary significantly from school to school even without accreditation loss being thrown into the mix. Contact the institution to which you want to transfer for further information.

Can I sue?

You can, but there is no guarantee you will win. However, there have been several cases where students have brought suits against their schools for fraudulent behavior, such as pretending that credits will transfer easily when they will not, or by deceiving students about their accreditation status. In some cases, students were able to receive some compensation, but since lawsuits are lengthy, complicated, and expensive, it is better to simply make sure your school is not in danger of losing accreditation in the first place.

How can I find out if the school I plan to attend might be on the verge of losing accreditation?

Since accreditation includes a lengthy review process and is renewed over time, schools are put on probation or warning status by accrediting bodies before they actually lose accreditation. Probation gives schools a chance to address problematic issues that the accrediting agency notices. You can find out if a school is on probation by checking with the appropriate regional or national accrediting body.

Also, find out what other students have to say about the school. If you hear a lot of complaints about the educational quality it might be a clue that your school is in trouble. Similarly, if the school engages in high-pressure sales tactics to get you to enroll, they may not have your best interests in mind. If they seem desperate for students (rather than just friendly) that is also a signal that something is wrong.

Do not let cheap tuition seduce you into committing to a school that might lose its accreditation soon. Check your program carefully before you make a decision—it could affect the rest of your life.

Article References

The Roanoke Times
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/144269

Connecticut Attorney General's Office
http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?A=1949&Q=307750

Puget Sound Business Journal
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/