The value of your degree is based on the reputation of your university. That status is measured through a standardized system called accreditation.

Much rides on accreditation, from whether or not your university can help you take advantage of federal loans to whether or not your degree will be recognized once you graduate.

Astute college students analyze campus accreditations before selecting a college and while enrolled there.

What is probation and why it’s important

Accreditation probation is a sanction that puts a university on notice that one or more of their programs do not meet quality standards. It serves as a warning to both the college and to the students who must decide if they will remain enrolled in the school or matriculate elsewhere.

These five universities are in danger of losing accreditation in 2018:

• University of Missouri School of Medicine – Due to a lack of diversity, this college may lose accreditation, and students will not be able to sit professional certification exams.
• Fort Valley State University – Failure to meet financial standards for the operations of a university has earned this school an accreditation warning. Failure to make appropriate changes may mean the loss of accreditation within one year.
• University of Texas –RGV – This newly formed university is a merger of UT Pan American University and UT Brownsville, both of which were once accredited. The speed of the merger has accreditation agencies concerned, and the new school has been placed on probation.
• University of Sciences in Philadelphia – The university will likely lose its accreditation in 2018 or early 2019 due to program assessment and administration problems.
• National University of Health Sciences – Placed on notice of possible accreditation loss in 2016, this school must show compliance with all requests no later than December 2017 to retain accreditation.

How significant is a loss of accreditation?

When a university loses accreditation, the school loses credibility not only among other institutions of higher education but also among business who hire graduates.

A college with no accreditation is left with programs of study that no other university will recognize. Other schools will not accept attempts to transfer credits, and students will have to retake courses to graduate.

If students at an unaccredited university choose to stay in their until graduation, they risk earning a degree that employers do not value.

A loss of accreditation is dangerous, not just for universities but also for the students enrolled in their programs.