Almost every time someone thinks about going to a faith-based school, they ask a question that has nothing to do with theology or campus life. It has to do with credentials. That question is very important for students thinking about Harvest Christian University.
Accreditation is more than just a stamp from the government. It tells you if your credits will transfer, if employers will accept your degree, and if you can even get federal student aid. When someone looking at your transcript asks you a question you weren’t ready for, that kind of detail feels like it’s just something that needs to be taken care of.
It’s easy to get the wrong idea about Harvest Christian University and other schools that work with Christian ministries from the outside. A lot of people in the United States think that regional accreditation is the best, and some faith-based schools have it. Others have national accreditation, which many universities and licensing boards recognize but see in a different way. Some also work with religious exemptions or institutions that have been approved by faith-based groups. There are differences that are more important than most students realize when they start applying.
It’s possible that potential students make this choice based mostly on how well it fits with their spiritual beliefs—how well it fits with their mission, how it fits with their community, and how they feel like this school is built around more than just job placement numbers. Your gut feeling is right. But the question of accreditation doesn’t go away just because things seem to be going well.
The real tension between the institution’s mission and its credentialing infrastructure is what makes Christian higher education so complex. It’s common for schools like these to have smaller administrative staffs, smaller budgets, and a focus on getting students ready for ministry over career networking. For students who are going straight into church ministry, missionary service, or faith-based nonprofit work, that model works great. There are more rules to follow if a graduate wants to go to a secular research university or get a graduate degree in counseling.
A lot of students who have been down this path have said they wish someone had told them the fine print earlier. Not to stop them from making their choice, but to help them plan around how credentials really move around the world.
If you are really interested in Harvest Christian University, you should call the admissions office and ask for proof of their accreditation. This should include information about who granted the accreditation and when it was last reviewed. You should also check with any graduate schools or employers you might be interested in later on to see if they accept degrees from that accrediting body. Being careful in that way isn’t cynicism. It was just well thought out.
For more than one hundred years, Christian higher education has turned out smart, skilled graduates. There is real faith formation going on in these places, and it changes people in ways that most universities can’t match. To properly handle Harvest Christian University accreditation, one must consider both the importance of what takes place inside the school and the practicalities of how that importance is shown after a student graduates.
