If you ask me what is the one most important fact to look for in auniversity while planning to study abroad. ‘Accreditation’ is my answer, Handsdown! Accreditation is now-a-days ‘the most important’ word while planning toapply for schools. Earlier I was of the view that scholarship providing schoolsor schools in big cities are the best options but I have started believingthat, for a 2 year scholarship or for the sake of living in a big town, no oneshould or can afford to put the entire career in jeopardy. Accreditationdecides your career and life in a major way when you are on a foreign soil. Afriend of mine who was junior to me in medical school went to a non- accreditedschool in UK. After his graduation he was not considered for any jobs or higherstudy options. On the contrary, his classmates who were of British origin gotjobs although they had a lower GPA. It does matter for an international studentas natives have opportunities irrespective of the accreditation status of theschool they went to.

In common terms, accreditation is the official recognition of a school,university or institution for provision of satisfactory education, training orexam preparation. This in turn can help employers/ hiring agencies to know whothey are hiring when you complete your education. Should an institution decideto procure accreditation, agencies mentioned below give opportunity to makechoices, to exercise volition regarding accreditation. The process ofaccreditation requires the school to meet certain norms and criterion that areestablished by various regional accrediting agencies enlisted as follows-

New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)ProvidesAccreditation to schools in-

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont,Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA)ProvidesAccreditation to schools in-

Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan,Minnesota, Missouri, Navajo Nation, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio,Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA)ProvidesAccreditation to schools in-

Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York,Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Central America, Europe, andthe Middle East.

Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS)Provides Accreditation toschools in-

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina,South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Latin America.

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)Provides Accreditation toschools in-

California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Palau, Micronesia, NorthernMarianas, Marshall Islands, and other Australasian locations.

Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU)Provides Accreditationto schools in-

Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

There is no legally designated accrediting agency in the United States andEurope. The only safe route in USA for applying to schools is a thoroughconsideration of the aforementioned agencies.I don’t deny the existence ofnumerous agencies in USA but the once which really are acknowledged widely arementioned here.

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