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If you’re ready to go to an online college but haven’t decided where to enroll, you’ll want to take some time to investigate your school of choice. There are plenty of degree mills out there ready to exchange your money for a counterfeit degree. A degree mill is an institution that offers degrees from fake colleges. Unfortunately, unsuspecting students enroll at these “colleges,” unaware that the “degree” they’ll receive is invalid.
Buyer Beware
Some degree mills actually offer substandard classes, giving the student a false sense that they’re earning a credible degree. Others offer credit for “life experience.” Steer clear of these programs. You’ll spend a lot of money for a piece of paper that is essentially worthless. Many people don’t realize that they’ve been scammed until they learn from prospective employers that their degrees are not valid.
Don’t believe everything you read. Degree mills will often cite that they are an accredited institution of learning, but it only takes a few minutes to learn if their accrediting agency exists. By going to the Council for Higher Education’s website, you can verify if the college is actually accredited by an authentic accrediting institution. While some people knowingly purchase fake degrees to establish “credibility” in their career fields, others are simply unaware that the degree they’ve paid for is not valid until it’s too late.
Another red flag to take note of is when the name of the institution has a name that is similar to other well-known institutions, and its promotional literature is full of grammatical and spelling errors. Most notably, these institutions will use e-mail spam to advertise their services. You can look up the registration information of the website by checking into their Whois Record. If you do not see full disclosure of contact information, such as a physical address, chances are you’re dealing with a degree mill. Fake schools will often list a third party as the main source of contact.
Avoid getting scammed by earning your online degree from a fully accredited bricks and mortar college. Since many–if not most–colleges and universities offer online options, you can be assured that any accredited state institution is a safe bet. Call the college’s enrollment office and ask questions about the program. Enrollment officers are more than willing to meet with your or speak with you over the phone regarding their college’s programs. Take note that credible college programs will offer free contact with their instructors by phone, e-mail, or in their offices while enrolled in courses. Fake programs offer no contact or very limited contact with the “instructors.”
As you embark on your college career, it’s important to be a wise consumer. Accredited colleges charge fees based on credit hours not types of degrees. Protect yourself. When in doubt, contact the state’s Attorney General to see if the school is legitimate. If you’re planning to transfer your credits to another college, contact the other college’s transfer coordinator to see if the credits will be accepted. Finally, don’t be fooled by colleges that offer “life experience” credit. Any institution that offers to sell a degree rather than give you the opportunity to earn it is not likely credible. Any “degree” worth having is worth working for.
