Penn Foster is one of the most preferred online schools for many. The school has different training programs to improve your skills in your chosen field to provide job services. Online education is highly demanded, and here you can enjoy it.
It is an institution located in Scottsdale, AZ, is an institution where they find both a vocational school and a high school. However, it is a 100% online option; there is no physical campus to take classes.
Is Penn Foster a good university or college?
Penn Foster is an accredited institution, but not the same way as other universities; its accreditation is through the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, the national body in charge of evaluating distance and 100% online education institutions.
Its accreditation was obtained in 1974 and is valid until the end of 2020; the difference with the rest of the accredited institutions is that the rest are usually evaluated and accredited by regional accreditation commissions.
The problem is that national accreditation does not typically have the same weight as regional accreditation; this is important for students because they may have problems transferring credits when they decide to study at another institution and their degree is not recognized in some fields.
On the other hand, the positive thing is that when institutions have national accreditation, the admission process is not as strict, and sometimes tuition is more affordable.
It is significant to note that the Penn Foster High School program does have regional legit accreditation through the Commission on Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
In addition, Penn Foster High School and Penn Foster Career School are licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Licensed Private Schools. It is essential to check for authorization at the institutions where you study because, without proper licensure, you cannot receive a degree or diploma.
Benefits and disadvantages of studying at Penn Foster College
When you access the reviews of the school, you may notice some negative comments. However, it is necessary to consider that it is common for people to leave a review when they have had a bad experience. It is essential to mention the benefits and notorious disadvantages of Penn Foster College to ease any doubts.
Benefits
You have the possibility of graduating debt-free, and the school’s financial policies and payment plans are very flexible; this is beneficial because you don’t usually need a student loan to graduate.
On the other hand, the Vet Tech program, accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, is an excellent advantage when you want to enter the veterinary industry.
During the study, you can work at your pace; the school’s programs will not force you to be online at specific times. In other words, you can choose the most convenient schedule, which is an advantage in terms of time management and can help you graduate sooner.
Disadvantages
Employers do not recognize the degrees because some do not consider the degrees legitimate. In addition, it is sometimes complicated to connect with the institution’s teachers to resolve doubts.