| Formal diploma and degree programs are not the only | | | | asked for your credit card. Your academic records, |
| goal of an online education. There is something for | | | | GPA (grade point average), and test scores are not |
| everyone, including courses for general enjoyment, | | | | requested. |
| developing career skills, and just about any purpose | | | | 4. A degree is offered based on your resume, |
| that you can imagine. What motivates students to | | | | granting class credit for "life experience." Accredited |
| take classes online? Some reasons include working at | | | | colleges do offer some course credit (up to 30 |
| your own pace, no commuting, and general flexibility | | | | credits) for career experience, but no accredited |
| with your working location. In addition, taking classes | | | | college will give a degree for life experience only. |
| online may be less expensive than taking classes on | | | | Check accreditation closely if you find an online |
| campus. However, if you would like to pursue a | | | | graduate school advertising degrees based only on |
| degree, you should beware of degree mills and online | | | | life experience. You are almost certainly dealing with |
| diplomas! | | | | an online degree mill. Fake colleges that print |
| A degree mill is a fake university that sells college | | | | worthless paper degrees are considered degree |
| degrees without requiring the education to earn it. As | | | | mills...students each year." (Source: "College Credit for |
| you can imagine, fake degrees have become big | | | | Career Experience" by Vicky Phillips, CEO, |
| business on the Internet. Vicky Phillips, CEO of LLC | | | | GetEducated.com, LLC) There is one exception to |
| states, "Prestigious unaccredited university? No such | | | | this. Thomas Edison State College of New Jersey, |
| creature. Not online...Accreditation is the highest mark | | | | USA does award an associate or bachelor's degree |
| of academic quality. Without accreditation a bogus | | | | based on career experience, military service, |
| online university can begin awarding degrees | | | | corporate training, and course challenge exams. To |
| overnight. More than thirty bogus universities | | | | earn a degree, you must carefully document and |
| currently sell online degrees in the United States and | | | | validate all your experience. |
| Canada." How do you know if an online degree | | | | 5. You are promised a degree (i.e.; a piece of paper) |
| program is genuine? | | | | within thirty days of application regardless of your |
| Online Degree Mills: 10 Warning Signs of a Bogus | | | | background. Usually, you are not required to take any |
| Program | | | | classes or tests. |
| 1. The U.S. or Canadian online program is not | | | | 6. You are promised a degree for a specific cost, |
| accredited. An accredited program will state it on the | | | | such as $2,000 for a bachelor's or $3,000 for a |
| website. The website looks flashy, but doesn't | | | | graduate degree. Accredited colleges do not do this; |
| mention accreditation. | | | | they charge per credit. |
| 2. The online program claims to be accredited, but | | | | 7. The program you are considering has many |
| not by an agency recognized by the Council on | | | | complaints on the Better Business Bureau website: |
| Higher Education Accreditation ( Bogus degree mills | | | | 8. An employee of the college swears that online |
| will claim accreditation, but only CHEA has the names | | | | colleges can't be accredited by the CHEA or any |
| of valid accreditors. The U.S. Department of | | | | agency. |
| Education Higher Learning Commission recognizes the | | | | 9. The college has no faculty or lists professors who |
| following as national accreditation agencies: | | | | have attended colleges that are not officially |
| *Middle States' Association of Schools and Colleges | | | | accredited by the CHEA. |
| *New England Association of Schools and Colleges | | | | 10. The college is located in a foreign country with no |
| *North Central Association of Schools and Colleges | | | | accreditation agencies, and offers degrees to anyone. |
| *Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges | | | | If you are considering entering a U.S. online degree |
| *Southern Association of Schools and Colleges | | | | program, accreditation by the CHEA should be |
| *Western Association of Schools and Colleges | | | | checked carefully to avoid worthless, online degree |
| 3. To be admitted to a bogus program, you are only | | | | mills! |