Statement of Accreditation Status
as of March 29, 2023
Appalachian Bible College
161 College Drive
Mt. Hope, WV 25880-9554
(304) 877-6428
http://www.abc.edu
The information on this page describes the accreditation relationship between this institution and the Higher Learning Commission. General information about the Commission and the accreditation process is provided at the end of this document. In addition, links to definitions are provided for many of the terms used.
Accreditation Information
Current status: Accredited
• Action Letter - Reaffirmation of Accreditation
| Candidacy date(s): |
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| Accreditation granted: |
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Most recent reaffirmation of accreditation: 2014 - 2015
Next reaffirmation of accreditation: 2024 - 2025
Upcoming or In-Progress Reviews
| Date | Event | Description |
| 03/31/2025: | Comprehensive Evaluation | |
Most Recent History With HLC
| Date | Event | Description |
| 07/13/2021: | Focused Visit | Accepted |
| 07/30/2019: | Comprehensive Evaluation | Continue Accreditation with Monitoring - The most recent completed audit, FY18, says "these factors raise substantial doubt about the college's ability to continue as a going concern". This doubt comes from recurring net decrease in net assets, no currently available line of credit, and payments to one vendor substantially in arrears. The institution has been running operating deficits consistently causing a decrease in net assets. Unrestricted net assets have decreased each year since FY14. The institution has substantial debt service with debt services of about $55,000 per month. The most recent debt was a $600,000 line of credit which they maxed out and had to convert to a loan. According to the audited FY18 financial statement, the institution has been "borrowing" from the endowment so that there are 22 donor restricted funds that are deficient by a total of $844,000. The endowments total $869,000, so the value is down to $25,000. Though enrollment now appears to be increasing, the institution, has increased its discount rate dramatically, now 52%, so that net tuition revenue continues to decrease. The institution has a financial recovery plan, but there is still not substantial evidence that it is effective. |
| 08/23/2018: | Monitoring, Financial Indicator | |
| 11/01/2017: | Interim Report | Accepted with Continued Monitoring |
| 11/10/2015: | Monitoring, Financial Indicator | |
| 07/27/2015: | Comprehensive Evaluation | Reaffirm Accreditation - The topics in the interim monitoring are important and need to be reviewed sooner than the next Assurance Review and Comprehensive Evaluation, which is why the date was set for two years from date of action. Since 2005, the HLC has reviewed the institution's finances eight times through a series of progress reports, monitoring reports, financial panel reviews and most recently a focused visit in April 2014. Since the curriculum revision in 2007-2010, there has been no systematic program reviews. The team documented a lack of clarity about the roles and responsibilities of the five department chairs including review of proposals, working on challenges, personnel authority, and access to budgetary information. |
| 08/12/2014: | Focused Visit | Accepted |
| 08/13/2013: | Financial Panel Recommendation | Required focused visit in Spring 2014 on finances |
| 02/26/2013: | Financial Panel Recommendations | Required a monitoring report due 5/25/13 on finances that addresses the specific concerns noted in the Financial Panel Analysis of 12/4/12 |
| 10/18/2010: | Approval of Financial Panel recommendation | Added Monitoring report on finances |
General Institutional Information
This section provides brief, general information about the institution’s organization and scope as self-reported by the institution through its annual Institutional Update to HLC.
The U.S. Department of Education publishes a College Scorecard (available at https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/), which allows students to search and compare colleges: their fields of study, costs, admissions, results, and more. Additional information can also be found at nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/.
Please note: All institutions are required to represent themselves accurately and consistently to multiple agencies. However, some information about institutions may appear differently among agencies depending on the timing of the institution's updates to those agencies or those agencies' definitions or standards. Such agencies should be consulted directly for further information. For example, an institution's "Control" (or "Type") may be categorized differently by the U.S. Department of Education for other purposes under its standards.
Control: Private NFP
Degree programs (number in each category): Associates (1), Bachelors (1), Masters (1)
Certificate programs (number offered): 1
Off-Campus Activities (This listing was last updated: 02/24/2022.) The institution’s accreditation includes courses and programs at these approved sites. (This includes sites that are active and inactive (meaning approved but currently without students):
| In-State: | Campuses: | None. |
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| Additional Locations: | Mount Olive Correctional Complex - Mt. Olive, West Virginia |
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| Out-of-State: | Campuses: | None. | ||
| Additional Locations: | None. | |||
| Out-of-U.S.: | Campuses: | None. | ||
| Additional Locations: | None. | |||
| Location | Campuses | Additional Locations |
| In-State: | None. | Mount Olive Correctional Complex - Mt. Olive, West Virginia |
| Out-of-State: | None. | None. |
| Out-of-U.S.: | None. | None. |
About HLC and Accreditation
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditation agency that accredits degree-granting colleges and universities that are based in the United States.
Institutional accreditation validates the quality of an institution as a whole and evaluates multiple aspects of an institution, including its academic offerings, governance and administration, mission, finances, and resources. HLC’s accreditation includes all degree levels as well as onsite and online course delivery. Institutions of higher education in the United States may also seek accreditation through specialized or programmatic accreditation agencies, which accredit programs, departments or schools within a college or university.
Institutions that HLC accredits are evaluated against its Criteria for Accreditation, a set of standards that institutions must meet to receive and/or maintain accredited status. HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation reflect a set of Guiding Values.
The accreditation process is based on a system of peer review. Approximately 2,000 educators from institutions of higher education serve as HLC peer reviewers conducting accreditation evaluations for other institutions. They make recommendations to HLC’s decision-making bodies, which take final action on institutional evaluations and are made up of both peer reviewers and public members.
Evaluation Process
HLC accreditation assures quality by verifying that an institution (1) meets threshold requirements and (2) is engaged in continuous improvement. In addition, all institutions are required to data annually in the Institutional Update, undergo annual monitoring of financial and non-financial indicators, and adhere to HLC policies and practices, including Assumed Practices and Obligations of Membership.
Decision Making
HLC’s decision-making bodies evaluate and make decisions, called actions, on recommendations from peer review teams that review institutions for their compliance with HLC's Criteria for Accreditation and other requirements. The decision-making bodies are comprised of institutional representatives and public members. See Decision-Making Bodies and Processes for more information.
Public Information
HLC is committed to providing information to the public regarding accreditation decisions made regarding individual institutions.
Actions that are taken by HLC regarding an institution’s accreditation status are disclosed to the public. In cases of reaffirming continued accreditation, placing an institution on or reviewing a sanction, or withdrawing accreditation, the Action Letter issued to the institution is made available for viewing on the institution’s Statement of Accreditation Status, found by searching the institution’s name through HLC’s online directory. Public Disclosure Notices are also issued and posted in the directory in cases of sanction, assigning or removing an institutional designation, resignation of accreditation or candidacy, institutional closing or withdrawal of accreditation by HLC. The PDN provides the public with the most applicable information from the posted Action Letter. HLC decision-making outcomes also are summarized on the HLC Institutional Actions page.
Complaints Against Institutions
HLC has a formal complaint process, consisting of an online complaint form on the HLC website, for faculty, students and other parties to submit information regarding a member institution’s potential non-compliance with HLC requirements. HLC does not accept complaints through mail, email or over the phone. As stated in HLC policy, the complaints process is designed to enable HLC to review, in a timely and fair manner, information that suggests potential substantive non-compliance with an institution’s ability to meet HLC requirements.
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