When we make the decision of which university to attend, how much does the school’s accreditation factor into it?

Some students would argue that it is not a factor at all. As Weber is considered a commuter school, most students will claim they made the choice to come here based on its location and price. We tend to see Weber as the convenient school in our backyard, only coming here because we didn’t feel like moving somewhere else.

The image of Weber being a commuter school affects the decision for high school students applying. Many students say they only applied because it was close and they didn’t know what they wanted to major in, so they started here.

Other students would argue that the accreditation is the primary reason for choosing Weber. There are many students who have traveled from out of state or from other countries to attend WSU. The quality of the school draws in many people, and the accreditation is a huge factor in the decision-making process.

Last week, Weber received positive feedback in all five areas of the accreditation report. All five areas received commendations and no recommendations for improvement. Some programs at Weber that are nationally accredited include the College of Applied Science & Technology, the Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities, the John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics and the Jerry & Vickie Moyes College of Education.

Other schools in the area, including both Utah State University and the University of Utah, have each received two recommendations. Weber State has not received any.

The accreditation is a key factor in making decisions because employers look at the accreditation your degree has, and accreditation makes it easier to transfer credits within other accredited schools. The factors considered in accrediting a school include: objectives, data sources, study selection, data extraction and data synthesis. Schools become accredited after the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) evaluates all five of these areas.

One aspect that factors into the NWCCU’s decision are class sizes. At other universities in Utah, professors will teach a class of up to 100 students. However, classes at Weber can be as small as nine students. When seniors begin classes specific to their majors, the class sizes get smaller and therefore the students get more attention.

Weber provides a quality education with faculty who care about student education. Students are not crammed with other students, vying for time with the professor. When a professor can focus more on our students, the students will participate more, care more about the subject matter and have time to grow.

With the latest accreditation report, Weber has become synonymous with a quality education. We feel proud of our school and proud that we go here. It’s great to be a student at Weber State.