Before you consider the possibility of putting your writing aspirations, and some cherished hopes and dreams, into the hands of a writing school, it is advisable to determine that the school’s credentials are solid. This advice applies to any school, including ours: It’s important to have clear evidence that the school you select is professionally qualified and approved by official educational and business organizations, and that it has the good will of its students and graduates. 

Following are credentials that Long Ridge Writers Group and our program, Breaking into Print, have established over the years since our founding in 1989.

Official State Educational Approval Our course, as well as our organization, its business practices, and our educational program, is approved by the Connecticut Commissioner of Higher Education, which is the authority that licenses all proprietary schools, technical institutes, junior colleges, colleges, and universities in the state of Connecticut, including Yale and the University of Connecticut.

High Satisfaction Ratings  Of 1,400 colleges and universities surveyed over several years by U.S. News & World Report magazine, the highest-ranking institution, in terms of student satisfaction, scored 73%. By comparison, 89.7% of those who recently completed our program report that they were “very satisfied”; 98% “would do it all over again”; and 97.7% “would recommend our program to a good friend.”

You Earn College Credits  The Connecticut Board for State Academic Awards recommends that students who complete our program be awarded seven college credits.  No matter where you live, these credits may be obtained from Charter Oak State College, which functions under the degree-granting authority of the Connecticut Board. You can have these credits submitted on a Charter Oak transcript to any college or university. (If you are a teacher, your transcript will be sent to your school board, at your request.)

Professional Faculty  All of our instructors are highly professional published writers or editors whom we have trained to teach our program. They have written more than 20,000 stories and articles that have appeared in a wide range of national magazines and newspapers, and on the Internet. They have also published over 900 books.

Verification from Our Students  Hundreds of current and former students in the U.S. and Canada have volunteered to give new applicants the benefit of their experience in the program. If you pass our test, call our Information Services toll-free at 800-624-1476 for the names and addresses of students in your area you may contact.

Student Success  On average, more than 300 of our students, including those who have completed our course, are published every year.

Expert Consultation  Our Student Counselors are available five days a week to answer your questions about any aspect of the program, the textbooks and teaching materials, and your assignments. Call weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Eastern time.

Admission Eligibility  Since our founding in 1989, we have followed the U.S. Federal Trade Commission Guides for Private Vocational and Home Study Schools without exception: Only those applicants who pass our Writing Test are eligible to enroll in our course. 

You may wish to keep this “checklist” handy until you’re ready to select a writing program. We hope it will prove helpful to you in making point-by-point evaluations of our program in comparison with any other program available to you.