Frequently Asked Questions
Concerning
HLC Accreditation 
Isn’t GBSC already accredited?
Yes. God’s Bible School and College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). The ABHE is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as the national accrediting agency for Bible colleges.
What is HLC accreditation?
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges is one of the eight regional accrediting agencies in the U.S. This is the regional accrediting agency that accredits such institutions as Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati, as well as Christian colleges and universities, such as Cincinnati Bible College and Indiana Wesleyan University.
What are the benefits of HLC Accreditation?
First, we are expecting that HLC accreditation will make us a better institution by leading us on a path of continuous improvement through better assessment and planning. Second, it will give us and our students better standing and recognition in the educational community. We want to make GBSC credits easily transferable. Third, it will help us make better corporate connections, in that many institutions use regional accreditation as an initial threshold for their giving. Additionally, for this reason, some of our donors will have their gifts to GBSC matched by their employers.
Will it change our mission?
Absolutely not! All of us who have attended the HLC Annual Meetings, and those of us who have met with HLC staff, have all been impressed by the determination of HLC to hold us to OUR mission. Additionally, ABHE-accredited Bible colleges who are also HLC accredited affirm that HLC simply wants us to clearly state who we are as an institution and what our mission states and to make sure we do not deviate from that.
What has been accomplished thus far?
GBSC has passed several steps in the process. First, we made an initial submission. Second, a group of us had an interview with HLC staff in Chicago. Third, we submitted a Preliminary Information Form (PIF) – a rather extensive document detailing how GBSC meets the 23 General Institutional Requirements. We then set about working on a comprehensive self-study. This was completed in 2007 and an evaluation team visited campus from September 19-21. In February 2007, GBSC was granted candidate status.
Isn’t GBSC working on another self-study?
Yes. After institutions receive candidacy, they are required to submit a follow-up self-study and have another team visit two years later. We are therefore working on this self-study and will host the HLC evaluation team on campus September 24-26, 2007.
When you become HLC-accredited, will you let your ABHE accreditation lapse?
No. It is our goal to maintain accreditation from both ABHE and HLC.
What can I do to help?
There will be opportunity for GBSC graduates, former students, and general constituency to be involved by participating in alumni surveys, employer surveys, and making Third-Party Comments concerning GBSC. Plus – and this is most important of all – pray with us that God will guide us through this entire process!
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