<p>The school I currently go to (Rider U) is accredited. Even after receiving my financial aid package, the cost is simply still too much for me and my mom. There is a school (Holy Family) as well as other state schools that I was thinking about applying to, but last time I checked, those business schools weren't accredited. Is accreditation that important that it would hurt me when it comes time to looking for a job after school.?</p>
<p>Which specific business-oriented accreditation does your program at Rider have that the others do not? If you’re getting a general undergrad business degree, I don’t think specific business program accreditations are likely to matter much. When you are out interviewing as a recent Bachelor’s degree recipient with a business major, I think it’s the school’s overall reputation for rigor, which specific courses you took, your grades, your references, the personal qualities you bring to the table, and your specific work and internship experiences that will matter most.</p>
<p>Rider is in NJ, not far from Philadelphia, so I would imagine that by “Holy Family” you mean the one in Northeast Phila. Your state school alternatives are probably either PA or NJ state schools. You seem to be wondering whether you can get an equivalent education at a better price in that region by transferring out of Rider. I think you probably can, although that’s a guess, because it seems that you do get some aid at Rider (not sure if it’s merit or need-based) and you might not get merit aid as an incoming transfer at another school. You would have to apply to the school, apply for aid, and see what happens. I am out of touch with Holy Family’s reputation, but I think West Chester State in PA and Rowan in NJ are at LEAST as well regarded as Rider. I am afraid that the general impression of Rider, at least among people in the region who are now in their 40s or 50s, is that it’s an overpriced party school, lacking in academic rigor. TCNJ and Rutgers would be much better regarded. Temple, too, most likely. I believe this to be the case whether their undergrad business programs are formally accredited or not.</p>
<p>Wharton is so well regarded that many paying private rates for it, but most people cannot gain admission. Rider probably isn’t worth paying private rates if it’s a struggle. For those who like the amenities at Rider, or feel that it’s a personal good fit, and can afford it, it’s a personal choice. But if someone needs financial relief and can get it at one of the state schools mentioned, I don’t think they are a step down, academically, from Rider. Not at all.</p>
<p>Many business schools are accredited by the [AACSB[/url</a>] ([url=<a href=“https://www.aacsb.net/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?Site=AACSB&WebKey=ED088FF2-979E-48C6-B104-33768F1DE01D]alternate”>https://www.aacsb.net/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?Site=AACSB&WebKey=ED088FF2-979E-48C6-B104-33768F1DE01D]alternate</a> link to list](<a href=“http://www.aacsb.edu/accreditation/accreditedmembers.asp]AACSB[/url”>Search Accredited Schools | AACSB)).</p>
<p>Another organization accrediting business schools is the [url=<a href=“http://www.acbsp.org/p/cm/ld/fid=14]ACBSP[/url”>http://www.acbsp.org/p/cm/ld/fid=14]ACBSP[/url</a>].</p>
<p>Based on the list of schools accredited, it appears that AACSB has higher standards, although even many relatively low selectivity four year universities have AACSB accreditation. ACBSP accredited business schools include some of the well known for-profit universities.</p>
<p>Rider is AACSB accredited, while Holy Family is ACBSP accredited.</p>
<p>Fieldsports, maybe I should have been more specific. I was a Computer Information Systems major, but I’ve been looking into other possible majors, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to switch to accounting. It’s either that or finance. (If that answers your first question). </p>
<p>Are you sure West Chester is well regarded.? All I ever hear is that it’s ‘strictly a party school’. My aid at rider was both merit and need-based, but again, still not enough as my mom is a single parent. I’ve spent some time looking at both TCNJ and Rutgers but I honestly don’t think I’d be admitted. (My first year, well second semester, was horrible. I have an accumulative gpa of 2.575)</p>
<p>With my GPA being mentioned, there’s no hope of me getting into Wharton. </p>
<p>But I do want to let you guys know that I don’t feel as though any of the courses I took during my freshman year were hard at all, although I managed to get only a C+ in my ‘Energy, Environment, & Man’ course and failed my Behavioral Neuroscience course (which I will be retaking.) I will be applying to Temple as well for my junior year. Do you guys think I should stay at Rider for my second year and then transfer out.?</p>
<p>I think you should go to a state school that is in state and has favorable rates for you such as Temple or West Chester. I have no problem with West CHester and would take it over Holy Family or whatever school you were mentioning. I think the cost is what is important in your particular case, as you will have to pay for it for a long time thereafter if you borrow. That is not a good business decision unless there is some reasonably good chance of some premium that comes from the extra expense. I have a SIL with a degree from Rider and a cousin with a business degree from West Chester. They will tell you that the schools are equivalent in terms of “prestige” except for Rider’s Westminster Choir school which has a renowned music program for which West Chester does not have an equivalent.</p>
<p>Accreditation is very important to make sure that your program will prepare you for a job. Some employers do take it seriously. But, more importantly it is for you – quality control.</p>
<p>On the other hand, my son is going to a top engineering school on the West Coast. All of this school’s programs are accredited except the General Engineering program. The school has purposely refrained from applying because they need to maintain flexibility, creativity and innovation for new programs and areas of concentration. Accreditation requires a specific flow chart of courses with reduced flexibility. For example, the Biomedical Engineering program came out of General Engineering as well as other now accredited programs. The General Engineering department is their “incubator” program. So, if there is a very specific reason like this for not going for accreditation and other departments in the school are accredited, then it is OK.</p>
<p>If you’re taking a more technical field than general business administration, I am not the best person to know the significance of accreditation; I would defer to people currently working in that field.</p>
<p>About the schools, it seems that you hope to transfer to Temple anyway, and ultimately have a four-year degree from Temple. As such, if you’re paying a premium to take the first two years at a private college, you can probably get a better value for yourself at a community college, or perhaps at Penn State Abington or Penn State Brandywine. Some people assume that a four-year school is always better than a two-year school and going away is always better than commuting. It’s not as simple as that. Some of those schools can offer high-quality academics and good transfer advising. You have to look at the overall plan for your degree and beyond. A successful year at such a school could improve your transfer prospects (both as to admission and merit aid). Maybe Penn State Main Campus would become an option for years 3 and 4, if that appeals to you.</p>
<p>I believe (for my own kids, at least) that college is supposed to help a young person get started on a more comfortable and fulfilling adult life. Some people see it as finishing school – a place to camp out between late adolescence and early adulthood, the expenses don’t matter, the job prospects afterward don’t matter. Most of us are not in a position to take that attitude. If it’s meant to give you a leg up on a nicer life as a young adult, debt can pull you back down in the other direction. It amazes me how some people, who would never borrow tens of thousands of dollars to take a vacation, will borrow it so that the first 60 credits can be earned in a residential setting (when the student could get the same first two years of education more affordably, transfer, and end up with the same more distinguished school on four-year diploma). There are often no real bargains available for years three and four. It seems a shame in the long run to over-spend on years one and two, and then potentially take decades digging out of it. When one graduates, one wants to be able to buy a car, maybe travel, buy a house, perhaps relocate to take a dream job and acquire the wardrobe that will be needed for the job, maybe get married and have kids – all this often within 10 years or so of college graduation. Debt can interfere.</p>
<p>In some parts of the country, it seems that people do not have two-year schools within commuting distance that offer solid academics. In the Philadelphia area, you probably do have some solid bargains available to you. If you speak to Temple (or Penn State) now about your community college options or Penn State satellite options, and explain your intended major, you can probably even get some good advice about what to take in order to successfully transfer the credits and stay on track for only needing four more semesters when you ultimately get to those four year schools.</p>