When it comes to deciding what university to attend, it is extremely important to choose a university with a program that is accredited. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education website states that the “goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality.” This means that when a program is accredited, it meets at least the minimum requirements placed by the accrediting agency.

Why is this important? Well, if you attend a university for four years and the school either has “fake” accreditation (which has happened) or doesn’t have accreditation at all, you just wasted four years of your life. Many employers and universities do not accept degrees from unaccredited universities. If even if you earned straight As, the school’s lack of accreditation means you didn’t meet the minimum requirements in the “real world.” Thus it is very important for you to research the school you are planning to attend and the program you are interested in.

Accreditation affects your life during and after college. The U.S. Department of Education ensures that students receiving federal or even state scholarships, grants and loans are attending an accredited school. If you are not attending an accredited school, you will not be able to receive these monies from the state or federal level.

I believe the most important reason for attending an accredited school is you! Attending an accredited school means the school has been inspected to ensure it is teaching at least the minimum requirements for your degree. Since I am a nursing major, this is very important. Attending an accredited university means they are preparing me with all the tools I need to take care of a patient. Just because nursing students graduate from nursing school does not make them a nurse. Nursing students need to take the NCLEX-RN exam to be considered a legally registered nurse. Students who have not attended an accredited nursing program are not eligible to take the examination.

Though every school and program has different sources that allow you to investigate their accreditation, the best route is through the Department of Education. Unfortunately, there are universities that have bought fake accreditation and there are companies that give fake accreditations. All students should research their schools’ accreditation prior to signing their life over to them.

I think attending college is definitely a milestone in anyone’s life. It is a time of change and growth. However, it can also be a time of despair, confusion and nervousness, especially for the military vet that hasn’t attended a “civilian” school in more than five years. For the military student, everything is different – from how other students talk to the level of respect that is shown to the professors. Military students tend to unconsciously bring their military life to campus and incorporate it into school. While this sometimes works, other times it doesn’t.

When I started attending school full-time, I was fortunate to be surrounded by older college students, some of whom were also in the military, retired or separated. The main difference that I noticed about civilian students was their attitudes. Many were under a lot of stress, and this made them act a bit irrational. Some of them showed no respect for our professors and other students, and this bothered me greatly. I was used to being in an environment where we respect everyone, especially those who are above us either in rank or position, i.e., a professor. I noticed many of the students would break under pressure; veterans didn’t. I noticed prior military members were more organized and responsible than other students and it reflected in their grades and their ability to meet deadlines. There is a lot of work, but being in the Navy mentally prepared me for situations like these. Thus the transition for me was smooth.

The most difficult part for me was “the basics” – basic math, reading, writing and science. Since I was not a full-time student, I wasn’t practicing my basic skills 24/7. The first day of my pharmacology class, we had a quiz that incorporated changing fractions to decimals, reducing, ratios, etc. I was lost because it had been such a long time since I did this type of math. I also noticed I forgot some of my basic writing rules such as when and where to place commas. Even though I received an “A” in my last English course, it was three years ago.

It would have been beneficial to me if a summer course had been offered prior to the start of the school year. Unless adding fractions is part of your everyday job, most people forget how to do it. It would have greatly benefited me if I had the opportunity to take a refresher course. Many universities offer courses, but they are semester courses. If you’re headed for a university that doesn’t offer summer refresher courses, I highly recommend you take it upon yourself to go to the library and borrow a book of basic math and English. Deciding to go back to school is a milestone for most people, so don’t go in unprepared.