What is an Accredited College?
Why Should I Attend?
Let me guess you’re wondering why you should bother to go on to college after you finish high school, OR you’re wondering why you should bother going back to college since you’ve been out of school for a while.
College really is more than a continuation of high school. Attending and completing college will open far more opportunities for you than just finishing high school, no matter what your age. College also provides you with opportunities to grow and mature far beyond anything that you can imagine.
Maturity Process
Most traditional-age first-year college students (around 18 years old) are not yet prepared to enter the workforce. College provides a maturing experience, both in and out of the classroom, that helps teenagers become responsible young adults ready to take on the world.
Adults considering starting or returning to college may be thinking, “I’m already mature, so why should this interest me?” However, the maturity process is also an opportunity for you. It is an opportunity for you to share your life experience with your younger classmates and assist them in seeing the world through your mature eyes, while you get the chance to see the world through more youthful eyes again, their eyes.
Don’t worry that you will be left on your own if you are stuck. Colleges strive to teach students to be more independent – selecting your classes, determining your schedule, maintaining your life. But colleges also provide you with support systems in Academic Support Counselors, Tutors, Librarians, Faculty Advisors, etc. You only have to ask them for help.
Experiential Learning (or Learning by Doing)
Most people learn things best when they have the opportunity to try them for themselves. Unfortunately, there are few opportunities in life to apply what you learn as you learn it.
P.I.T., like many other of the best colleges, builds experiential learning right into our curriculum. As a student, you have the opportunity to experience the work in your chosen field through class assignments, research projects, internships, externships, co-ops, and even job opportunities. These real-life experiences assist our students in connecting the concepts learned in class to the real-world issues and problems encountered daily in their future careers.
Extensive and On-going Training
The economy is changing with incredible speed. For example, according to new studies, the economy is just starting a boom period, where second-quarter growth could top 10%, and 2021 could be the strongest year since 1984. The second quarter is expected to be the strongest, but the boom is not likely to fizzle, and growth is projected to be stronger than during the pre-pandemic into 2022. A period of supercharged growth is just starting, and it is showing up in surging consumer spending and an increasing shortage of skilled workers. With surging demand could come inflation, something the economy has avoided for more than two decades.
P.I.T. strives to provide you with the knowledge and training you will need for the jobs available today and the broad education that will assist you in developing and learning in your career choice through the years. Employers consistently report that they want workers who have the ability to learn how to learn.
As an accredited college, P.I.T. offers certificate programs, Associate and Bachelor’s Degree programs. The certificate programs can stand alone or apply them as a component of an Associate Degree program. In addition, because the Middle States Commission on Higher Education accredits P.I.T., you can more easily transfer your credits to a four-year college or university to complete a Bachelor’s degree.
Accredited
What does that mean, and why should I care?
Accreditation is the process used to evaluate and validate colleges, universities, and other higher education institutions. A review board comprised of faculty and administrators from various accredited colleges and universities (or peer institutions) set the standards against which colleges and universities are evaluated for new or renewed accreditation. In addition, colleges and universities must meet the general standards set by the review board, which generally cover:
- The overall mission of the college, objectives, and goals.
- Student requirements for admissions.
- Quality of education.
- The reputation of faculty and services available to students.
Attending an accredited college is an essential choice for several reasons.
- Affirms that you have received a quality education
- Transferring credits to another accredited college, while not guaranteed, is more streamlined.
- Employers often recognize accredited colleges and prefer to hire those graduates.
Access to Mentors and Networking
Everyone needs advice occasionally and many of us, throughout our lifetimes, turn to our professors or instructors. Yes, digital networks (such as LinkedIn) connect you to people who may help you land a new job or develop in your career, but there is no replacement for a college that provides access to experts in their fields. Most of P.I.T.’s faculty have worked in their program fields and can provide you with excellent advice regarding future developments in the area. Don’t hesitate to go to them with your questions or to seek out their support.
The skills, knowledge, and experiences gained through your college program will teach you to better adapt to the various jobs and careers available to you.
Studies have shown that a college degree can help you:
- Obtain a job
- Maintain a job
- Obtain a promotion
- Make more money
Whatever your future goals for additional education or employment include, college can help you reach them. The faculty, advisors, counselors, and other staff members can assist you in mapping out a long-term plan or help you see new possibilities every day. Attending college can help you become your future self.
P.I.T.’s mission is student success – YOUR success!