Accrediting Agencies

If you are currently receiving financial aid and wish to file a complaint:  1-800-MIS-USED

For more information on accreditation and college or scholarship scams go to:  http://www.AvoidEducationScams.org

Officials at unaccredited institutions have established dozens of accrediting bodies that are not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.  Many of the officials hope that creating accrediting bodies will help them gain legitimacy, even if they lack the infrastructure and standards that they would need for official recognition from the Department of Education.  Here are a few of them along with critiques from Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning (Ten Speed Press, 2001).  The co-author, John Bear, has tracked distance-learning institutions for more than 20 years.

American Council of Private Colleges and Universities (ACPCU) (Accredits Hamilton University)
http://www.acpcu.org
Self description:  Private accrediting association founded to serve small to medium-size non-profit institutions of higher learning with a mission to establish and enforce strict academic, ethical, financial, and evaluative standards for member schools.
Bears' Guide:  A fake accrediting agency set up by the Wyoming-based diploma mill, Hamilton University.
Response:  Officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Association for Online Academic Excellence (Accredits Trinity College & University and others)
http://www.aoaex.org/pbo.htm
Self description:  Professional accrediting association that provides employers with a resource of acceptability of college degrees attained through nontraditional means.
Bears' Guide:  An unrecognized accrediting agency claimed by Trinity College & University.
Response:  Officials did not return calls requesting comment.

World Association of Universities and Colleges (Accredits Cambridge State University, Columbus University, and others)
http://www.web-hed.com/wauc
Self description:  Selecting a W.A.U.C. accredited school is a good choice for students since the member schools of this organization must meet rigid accreditation requirements.  The schools are also constantly monitored for quality control.  In short, W.A.U.C., in existence since 1993, is the only valid global accreditation association which stands behind its schools, guaranteeing quality of instruction and reliability.
Bears' Guide:  Established in 1992...and run from a secretarial service in Nevada.  Accredits a long list of nonwonderful institutions.
Response:  "The W.A.U.C. uses an executive suite in Henderson, Nevada, only for its messages and faxes...W.A.U.C. has many excellent member and accredited school members...W.A.U.C. primarily serves universities overseas of high caliber and holds an annual meeting with all of its presidents," the association said in a written statement to The Chronicle.

The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 23, 2001