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Beware of Online Degree Mills!

By Kenneth Anczerewicz

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Published: 08Feb2008
Word count: 663
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There is more to online education than formal diploma and degree programs. There are courses for everyone, including courses which develop job skills, for general enjoyment, and broadening horizons. Why do students take courses online? Online education allows students to avoid commuting, work at their own pace, and work from home or the job site. Also, online education courses may be less expensive than classes taken on a campus. However, most students take courses in pursuit of a college or university degree. But, if you are considering entering a degree program, you must beware of online diploma and degree mills!

A degree mill is a fake university that sells college degrees without requiring the education to earn it. As you can imagine, fake degrees have become big business on the Internet. Vicky Phillips, CEO of www.GetEducated.com, LLC states, "Prestigious unaccredited university? No such creature. Not online...Accreditation is the highest mark of academic quality. Without accreditation a bogus online university can begin awarding degrees overnight. More than thirty bogus universities currently sell online degrees in the United States and Canada." How can you tell if an online education program is real or bogus?

Online Degree Mills: 10 Warning Signs of a Bogus Program

1. The U.S. or Canadian online program is not accredited. An accredited program will state it on the website. The website looks flashy, but doesn't mention accreditation.

2. The online program claims to be accredited, but not by an agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (http://www.chea.org). Bogus degree mills will claim accreditation, but only CHEA has the names of valid accreditors. The U.S. Department of Education Higher Learning Commission recognizes the following as national accreditation agencies:

*Middle States' Association of Schools and Colleges

*New England Association of Schools and Colleges

*North Central Association of Schools and Colleges

*Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges

*Southern Association of Schools and Colleges

*Western Association of Schools and Colleges

3. To be admitted to a bogus program, you are only asked for your credit card. Your academic records, GPA (grade point average), and test scores are not requested.

4. You are offered a degree based on your resume, giving you course credit for "life experience." Accredited colleges do offer some course credit (up to 30 credits) for career experience, but no accredited college will give a degree for life experience only. "If you encounter an online graduate school that advertises master's or doctorate degrees based solely on life experience, check accreditation carefully. You are almost certainly dealing with an online degree mill. Degree mills are fake colleges that "mill" or crank out worthless paper degrees to...students each year." (Source: "College Credit for Career Experience" by Vicky Phillips, CEO, GetEducated.com, LLC) There is one exception to this. Thomas Edison State College of New Jersey, USA does award an associate or bachelor's degree based on career experience, military service, corporate training, and course challenge exams. To get a degree, all your experience must be carefully documented and validated.

5. You are promised a degree (i.e.; a piece of paper) within thirty days of application regardless of your background. Usually, you are not required to take any classes or tests.

6. You are promised a degree for a specific cost, such as $2,000 for a bachelor's or $3,000 for a graduate degree. Accredited colleges do not do this; they charge per credit.

7. The program you are considering has many complaints on the Better Business Bureau website: http://www.bbb.org.

8. An employee of the college swears that online colleges can't be accredited by the CHEA or any agency.

9. The college has no faculty or lists professors who have attended colleges that are not officially accredited by the CHEA.

10. The college offers degrees to anyone, but is located in a foreign country that has no accreditation agencies.

If you are considering entering a U.S. online education program, check it out carefully for accreditation by the CHEA and avoid the bogus, online degree mills!

Ken Anczerewicz is an author and publisher devoted to providing time & money saving resources designed to help students of all ages achieve their financial goals. Learn how to create your own income stream by clicking here now: http://www.resourceriver.com

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