Accreditation is the starting point when you compare two universities. It tells you whether an outside agency has checked the school against set standards. The details matter because accreditation affects financial aid eligibility, credit transfer, and how employers view a degree.
The University of Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Its own catalog lists this accreditation along with many program-level accreditations.
Continents International University is at an earlier stage. It was granted candidacy for accreditation by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) in July 2024, with the candidacy period running through July 31, 2029. Candidacy is not accreditation. It means the school is working toward the review, and its business programs are not yet accredited by IACBE.
The original version of this article claimed both schools were regionally accredited. That is not confirmed for Continents, so the claim has been removed here.
Support services are the other half of the comparison. Large public universities tend to publish detailed lists of advising, tutoring, counseling, and career offices. Smaller online-focused schools differ in what they offer and how it is delivered. Before you decide, check each school’s own site for current details on academic advising, mental health counseling, disability services, and career support, and ask how those services reach online students.
Read more about why accreditation matters, the difference between regional and national accreditation, and Continents International University’s IACBE candidacy. Our guide to finding accredited online universities can help you check any school’s status.
