General information is given about the accreditation of postsecondary institutions by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The pamphlet contains the following sections: (1) introduction which explains institutional and specialized accreditation; (2) the purpose of the North Central Association; (3) the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (mission, personnel, forms of affiliation, the evaluation process, and obligations of affiliation; (4) answers to questions frequently asked of the Commission; (5) general institutional requirements; (6) evaluative criteria for accreditation; and (7) evaluative criteria for candidacy for accreditation. Publications available from the Commission are listed. (KM)