It is Vitally Importan

It can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening, to say the absolute least, to spend a year or two, and much money as well, working towards a certificate, or acquiring undergraduate program pre-requisites only to discover that, as the school is not accredited, the courses are not transferable to their college of choice. That means that hours and hours of coursework and potentially thousands of dollars have been wasted, as all the work will need to be repeated, and the fees paid again, in a program that is recognized by other learning providers.

When looking at distance learning providers, it is important to keep in mind the end goal. If it is certification or a diploma in a trade, make sure that the school is recognized by that trade’s licensing board. If it is to earn pre-requisites or transfer credits for a college or university, be very sure that the program, the distance learning provider and the specific classes fit the criteria and are accepted by the school. And if courses are being taken in order to upgrade skills or knowledge, again, check before even enrolling that the courses are accepted by the employer.

Some private distance learning providers, especially those who are well established, will be recognized by other institutions, but this does not always, or even often, happen. It is up to the student to ensure that their school and program is accredited, or recognized. There is little recourse if they complete a program only to discover that their time and money have been wasted.