When looking at a correspondence school or distance learning programs online, check the website's name. Educational institutions that carry the dot-edu (.edu) top level domain name have to meet the U.S. Department of Education's list of Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies requirements for schools. Although many dot-com online schools are legitimate, double-check with the Distance Educational Training Council's (DETC) website to ensure that the online school is recognized by this agency.
Always check and crosscheck the school's credentials. Many disciplines require that students attend certified schools for licensing purposes, particularly in the fields of health care, construction and education. The U.S. Department of Education relies on private agencies that specialize in specific fields to evaluate the legitimacy of the schools. If the agency finds that the school meets the standards for the curriculum and instructors, the school can state that it meets the requirements for accreditation in that field. Go to the accrediting agency's website or call them to ensure the school you are researching is actually registered with the agency.
A school may have certifications for some of its programs, but from time to time, certifying agencies can pull the approval if the program lowers its quality or violates an accrediting standard. Not only are students at risk of losing the ability to transfer credits, but also the students are likely to lose any financial aid and have to take the classes over when attending another school if certification and accreditation are essential for licensing.
When evaluating a school for legitimacy, it is a good idea to verify that you can transfer the educational credits you earn to another institution, whether private or public. Taking classes that other institutions do not recognize can cost you time and money. Calling the distance or correspondence school to find out if you can transfer the credits is an essential step when selecting a correspondence school. Double-checking by calling a public university, college or community college in your area verifies the information.