Information concerning accreditation in higher education--a process of quality control and evaluation of institutional program development, effectiveness, and improvement that is based on established criteria and standards--is presented. Thirty-three questions and answers on accreditation are provided to clarify many concerns regarding the status or nonstatus of the institution at which a student is currently enrolled, that a prospective student is considering, or from which an alumnus has graduated. The process of accreditation is voluntarily initiated by the institution and is completed and continuously monitored with the accrediting agency. Historical developments concerning accreditation are briefly traced, and information is presented on the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation (COPA); the U.S. Department of Education and its Eligibility and Agency Evaluation Staff (EAES); the National Association of Private Nontraditional Schools and Colleges (NAPNSC); regional (institutional) accrediting associations; national (specialized/programmatic--in some cases also institutional) accrediting agencies and associations; and statewide (institutional) accrediting bodies. Information is presented on the costs of accreditation. Specific concerns regarding the NAPNSC are addressed, including its status and relationship to EAES and COPA and the way that private, free-standing, nontraditional universities and colleges have responded to this association and the prospect of affiliation. Organizational and bibliographic sources that can provide additional information are listed. (SW)