University accrediation and ranking - can someone point me to good sources?

[SharonAnn]

I'm researching University of Richmond in London, England for a friend of mine whose daughter wants to go there. The family cannot begin to pay the tuition price $20,000 a semester(?) and she has been told she can get student loans to pay for it.

She has a 3.64 GPA and should be able to get into a good university in the United States and she can attend a Tennessee university free. However, she's been entranced by the prospect of going to London to attend this school.

Quite inappropriate, I know, but I'm trying to help her dad document this so that she understands it's not a school that's worth borrowing that kind of money for.

My friend's daughter is academically bright, but not yet wise or mature.

In any case, her parents will probably not let her do this with their support but they'd to have some information that would bolster their position.

I have googled and obtained some information but I'm not knowledgeable on evaluating universities, though I have a BA and an MBA, so I'm not quite sure what to look for.

The University of Richmond in London says that it is accredited by the Middles States Commission on Higher Education, but I don't know what that means.

Sorry to bother you all, but thank you for any information you can help with.

Please PM me with any information or links.

Thank you all.