Preparing a document for submission as part of your ACCSC accreditation process should not be taken lightly. Each application becomes one PDF document organized as per the document instructions. Once the document is ready, it must be submitted through the ACCSC’s College 360 Database Portal. For information regarding the submission process or requesting a College 360 password, visit ACCSC’s School Submission Center Page. You may also review ACCSC’s Blueprints for Success: Organizing an Effective Electronic Submission.

Review faculty and staff files to follow a standardized checklist. Confirm files include all requirements as per ACCSC standards. Staff and faculty are to receive an orientation before starting their employment. Admissions personnel have specific training related to recruitment, disclosures, and code of conduct. Download our ACCSC School Guide - Employee File Documents.

This is a good time to audit your student files. Student files should follow a standardized checklist. Elements to audit: enrollment agreements, admission documentation, entrance exams, transfer of hours/credits, satisfactory academic progress evaluations, transcripts, externship evaluations, attendance, leave of absence requests, exit reviews, employment verification, ledger cards, withdrawal calculations, and grievances. Download our ACCSC School Guide - Graduate File Documents and ACCSC School Guide - Withdraw File Documents.

Aligning your institution with ACCSC Standards starts with establishing the policies and operations that will address compliance on a department level for your school’s size and scope. Your policies should guide the day-to-day operations and be easily understood by all personnel. When well-designed, they will answer most of ACCSC’s questions regarding procedures and practices at your institution. The policies and operations manuals are the foundation for preparing the Self Evaluation and the IAIP Reports. Download our ACCSC School Guide - Policies and Procedures Manual and ACCSC School Guide - Operations Manual.

Surveys will provide your institution with the evaluation of many aspects required for accreditation.

Recommend Surveys

Course Survey (end of course or term)
Student Survey (end of the academic year)
Graduate Survey (upon graduation)
Employer Survey (upon employment)
Employee Survey (annually)
Policies and Procedures Survey (annually)

Download our ACCSC School Guide - Annual Surveys. Ensure your surveys include the evaluation statements necessary to demonstrate compliance with ACCSC standards. Survey Monkey is a great application where you can set up the surveys once and then create the reports presented at the quarterly and annual meetings.

4 - ACCSC Readiness Self-Assessment

YOUR INSTITUTION’S BUDGET

ACCSC Application for Initial Applicants Part II requires many exhibits, including ACCSC Faculty Reports, ACCSC Personnel Reports, financials, Program Chart, third-party employment verification, permits, licenses, insurance, and program applications for each one of the programs licensed at your institution. This application is due within six (6) months of receiving ACCSC’s Application Part I acceptance letter.

6 – Preparing for ACCSC Visits

11 – ACCSC Consulting Services

CONDUCTING MEETINGS ACCSC COMPLIANT

8 – What to Expect After Initial Approval

1 - ACCSC Eligibility Self-Assessment

PREPARING DOCUMENTS FOR SUBMISSION

Employment verification is required for the last completed ACCSC Graduation and Employment Chart by an independent third-party company. Visit ACCSC’s Independent Third-Party Employment Verification Page for detailed information about the requirements. You may google “ACCSC Third-Party Employment Verification Services” to locate companies available for this task. Check their reviews before contracting their services. This documentation is required as exhibits for the SER and Application Part II.

Once your institution achieves accreditation, it is all about doing exactly what you have been doing to demonstrate compliance with ACCSC standards annually. Follow your operations calendar, and conduct the meetings, surveys, and reports as expected. Do not forget the annual responsibilities with regulatory agencies, including the Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges. Make sure to attend workshops and conferences annually. For a sample list of activities to conduct annually at your institution, download our ACCSC School Guide - Annual Operations Calendar.

3 - ACCSC Standards

HOW TO PREPARE ACCSC’S INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVEMENT PLAN (IAIP)

7 – Aligning Your Institution with ACCSC Standards

YOUR INSTITUTION’S OPERATING ANNUAL CALENDAR

CREATING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ALIGNED WITH ACCSC

STUDENT FILE BEST PRACTICES

Reference guides are one of the many resources we provide our consulting clients. We have prepared one for each key player in ACCSC's accreditation journey. We invite you to download them free of charge:

5 - Completing ACCSC Applications and Reports

REQUEST A COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION

ACCSC: FULFILLING THE STANDARDS OF ACCREDITATION TRAINING

PREPARING ACCSC APPLICATION PART II

HOW TO PREPARE ACCSC INITIAL SELF-EVALUATION REPORT (SER)

We recommend starting the preparations for the ACCS’s On-Site Visit as soon as the final SER and Application Part II have been submitted. Detailed instructions regarding the preparation are included in the Self Evaluation Report (SER) - Appendix B. This appendix describes the on-site evaluation best practices and specifications for the team room. There is a list of 30 exhibits to be uploaded before the on-site visit, 19 exhibits to be ready in the Team Room, and a list of materials to be available upon evaluators’ request. Follow all instructions from the visit coordinator; requirements and exhibits are subject to change.

BEFORE YOU START

PREPARING A RESPONSE TO ACCSC VISIT FINDINGS

PREPARING FOR THE ACCSC ON-SITE VISIT

The Institutional Assessment and Improvement Plan (IAIP) is the most challenging document schools prepare as part of their initial accreditation process. It reflects an ongoing process of self-evaluation completed annually. Preparing an IAIP Report requires aligning your school’s policies, assessments, benchmarks, surveys, and meetings with ACCSC standards. The IAIP Report is one of the SER exhibits. Download our ACCSC School Guide - Preparing the IAIP Report.

The initial ACCSC accreditation process can be summarized as follows:

Submit the Pre-Workshop Application.
Receive ACCSC’s acceptance in writing confirming eligibility to register for the mandatory Accreditation Workshop.
Attend the Initial Accreditation Workshop.
Submit the Application for Initial Accreditation Part I within six months of attending the workshop.
Receive ACCSC’s Application Part I acceptance letter.
Submit the Application for Initial Accreditation Part II and Initial Self-Evaluation Report within six months of receiving the Application Part I acceptance letter.
Receive an on-site orientation evaluation within 12 months of the application acceptance letter.
Receive ACCSC’s orientation evaluation report letter.
Submit revised Application for Initial Accreditation Part II and Self-Evaluation Report.
Host a Full-Team-On-Site Evaluation Visit within 24 months from the application acceptance letter.
Receive an Official On-Site Evaluation Report.
Submit a Response to the On-Site Visit Evaluation Report within 30 days addressing visit findings (if any).
The Team Leader reviews and comments on the school’s response.
ACCSC’s commission reviews the application for initial accreditation and grants or denies accreditation.

hand and wooden cubes with certificate sign

We recommend new ACCSC applicants complete the ACCSC101 – Fulfilling the Standards of Accreditation: Administration course and ACCSC102 – Fulfilling the Standards of Accreditation: Academics to get started in the right direction. Visit ACCSC’s Online Training Center for additional courses. You may want to consider the Certified Accreditation Professional (CAP) Program for your personnel.

9 – Download Our Free ACCSC Reference Guides

Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges Information

ACCSC THIRD-PARTY EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION

The Initial Self-Evaluation Report (SER) demonstrates your institution’s compliance with ACCSC’s standards. The SER is due within six (6) months of receiving ACCSC’s Application Part I acceptance letter. Having a Policies and Procedures Manual that aligns with ACCSC standards will make preparing the SER an achievable task. Download our ASCCSC School Guide - Completing the Self-Evaluation Report.

We hope the information included on this page has answered your questions regarding ACCSC’s eligibility and application process. Still needing assistance? We are glad to help! Request a free consultation by calling 786-618-2277, emailing [email protected], or completing the free session request form. During this session, we will conduct a preliminary assessment and introduce you to the requirements and process for your school to become accredited and be ready to apply for federal financial aid Title IV funding. We are available to assist your school with the ACCSC accreditation process.

HOW TO PREPARE ACCSC INITIAL APPLICATION PART I

The Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) is an institutional accrediting body recognized by the US Department of Education. It has become a popular choice for it has a broad scope of accreditation for institutions offering vocational programs and associate, bachelor, and master’s degrees.

This page includes an overview for new applicants organized in the following sections:

ACCSC Eligibility Self-Assessment.
ACCSC Accreditation Process.
ACCSC Standards
ACCSC Readiness Self-Assessment.
Completing ACCSC Applications and Reports.
Preparing for ACCSC Visits.
Aligning Your Institution with ACCSC Standards.
What to Expect After Initial Approval.
Download Our Free ACCSC Reference Guides.
Reference Guides and Publications.
ACCSC Consulting Services.

ACCSC standards are published in their Standards of Accreditation Manual, available on ACCSC's Standards of Accreditation Page. Accreditors usually review their standards annually. Keep an eye out for new publications, and make the appropriate adjustments to your school's policies and procedures in a timely manner.

CONDUCTING SURVEYS ACCSC COMPLIANT

ACCSC ACCREDITATION CONSULTING PACKAGE

Looking to confirm if your institution meets eligibility? Download our free ACCSC Eligibility Self-Assessment to verify your current status and the steps needed to be ready for the initial application.

2 - ACCSC Accreditation Process

Accreditors update their publications and applications on an ongoing basis. Schools are expected to submit applications and forms using the latest version available on their websites. We recommend regularly checking the Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) website.

We can help you with the first step in the accreditation journey: aligning your institution's operations with best practices and ACCSC standards.

This consulting package includes:

Policies and Procedures Manual.
Operations Manual.
Meeting Guidelines.
Survey Guidelines.
Sample Student and Employee Files.
Catalog Review.
Ten Zoom Training Sessions.
Ten Additional Consulting Hours.

EMPLOYEE FILE BEST PRACTICES

ACCSC Pages and Publications

Bayside Projects Related Pages

An annual calendar is a great way to ensure your institution stays in compliance and on target yearly. Choose a month/week of the year for each required activity. This will give you peace of mind, for the list of things to do grows exponentially once you start the accreditation process. Download our ACCSC School Guide - Annual Operations Calendar.

This consulting package includes four modules that align with ACCSC's accreditation process. This approach allows your institution to commit to one objective and consulting fee at a time. You may cancel our services at any time without penalties. Each module focuses on a specific topic and includes ten (10) Zoom training sessions:

Module 1 - Compliance and Operations.
Module 2 - Meetings, Surveys, Program Outcomes.
Module 3 - Institutional Assessment IAIP Plan.
Module 4 - Standards, SER, and Exhibits.

Interested in learning more? Contact us for a complimentary consultation. Module 1 is the equivalent of our ACCSC Compliance and Operations Consulting Package. Clients that have already completed that training only contract Modules 2 through 4.

The Application for Initial Accreditation Part I requires your institution’s basic information, such as a license to operate, current accreditation approvals, and corporate affiliations. Exhibits include within others copies of the two most recent financials, ACCSC Program Chart, licenses, approvals, and ownership. This application must be submitted within six (6) months of attending the Accreditation Workshop.

Download our free ACCSC Readiness Self-Assessment. It includes 38 key elements for any institution to achieve and maintain accreditation. Still with a long way to go? No worries. This page contains tips and reference guides to assist you in achieving your goal.

BAYSIDE PROJECTS

10 – Reference Pages and Publications

ACCSC COMPLIANCE AND OPERATIONS CONSULTING PACKAGE

Besides the usual list of line items your CPA will recommend for the annual operating budget, it must include categories for each one of the areas of evaluation by ACCSC: academics, admissions, learning resource systems, financial, human resources, technical infrastructure, institutional planning, student services, operations, and maintenance. Once an institution starts the accreditation process, the projected budget should be revised against the actual quarterly with your CPA.

ACCSC Accreditation

ACCSC provides accreditation to career schools and degree-granting institutions. Download our eligibility and readiness assessments. Learn about the application process. Free reference guides.

After the visit, schools receive an official On-Site Evaluation Report via email, including a list of findings (if any). Schools must address the findings and submit an official response within 30 days of receiving the official On-Site Evaluation Report. Visit ACCSC Blueprints to Success: Preparing a Comprehensive Response for Commission Consideration for instructions on preparing this document.

Conducting and documenting meetings is one of the cornerstones for achieving and maintaining accreditation. Meetings minutes document the evaluation of required topics and the participation of staff, faculty, and advisory members.

Recommended Meetings

Program Advisory Committees (PAC) (annually)
Program Reviews by Faculty (annually)
Financial (quarterly)
Academic (quarterly)
Institutional Planning (quarterly)
Staff (annually)

Download our ACCSC School Guide - Annual Meetings. We recommend creating a guideline for each meeting, including a standing agenda and meeting exhibits. Visit ACCSC’s Monograph Series: Maximizing Program Advisory Committees for insights on how to best prepare and conduct your PAC meetings.

4 - ​ACCSC Readiness Self-Assessment