ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Higher education accreditation

Imagine you are in school and your teacher gives you a test. When you get your test back, your teacher grades it to see how well you did. Accreditation is kind of like this grading system for colleges and universities.

When a college or university wants to be accredited, a group of people who are experts in education will visit the school to see if it meets certain standards. These standards include things like having qualified and experienced teachers, having good academic programs, and providing necessary resources and support for students.

If the college or university meets all these standards, it gets accredited. Think of it as getting an A+ on the exam. Accreditation is important because it tells students and employers that the school is providing a quality education.

Some jobs require that you have a degree from an accredited college, so it's important to make sure the school you are attending is accredited. There are different types of accreditation, but the most common is regional accreditation, which is given by groups that oversee schools in different regions of the country.

So, in short, accreditation is like a report card for colleges and universities to make sure they are providing a good education, and it's important to look for schools that are accredited so you know you're getting a quality education.