How to Spot a Diploma Mill

How to Spot a Diploma Mill

The Online College Adviser is here again with some vital information about how to spot a diploma mill. I’ll tell you what diploma mills are, why they should be avoided at all costs, and give you some resources to help you spot diploma mills.

Diploma Mill: A Definition

For those of you who have never heard the term “diploma mill” before, let me start with a definition taken from the U.S.: “n. Informal. An unaccredited institution of higher education that grants degrees without ensuring that students are properly qualified and acts without proper supervision from a state or professional agency” (taken from Answers.com). So, if you purchase a fake degree from one of these institutions, it is similar to buying a fake Rolex or an imitation Gucci bag, and trying to pass it off as the real thing. Sooner or later, you will get caught, and the consequences for showing fraudulent educational credentials are severe. IT IS A CRIME! It is fraud and is punishable by a fine and in many states also will require jail time of up to a year.

Diploma Mills: Just don’t do it!
Just do a Google search and you can come across many cases of educational fraud. Some people may choose to get these types of degrees unknowingly, and that is regrettable. But others intentionally invest in these types of degree in order to get promotions or other forms of recognition. Choosing to buy a degree from a diploma mill is very short-term thinking.

I always talk about education as a long-term investment (see my post entitled, A College Degree: Not "Just A Piece of Paper", for a compete discussion). Even if you are one of the lucky few who don’t get caught, you will spend your life living with the guilt that you are a fake, that you bought your credential rather than earning it. Don’t shortchange yourself like that. Yes, the road is longer to get a legitimate degree, but there are legal ways to speed up your college degree and you will sleep a whole lot better in the end. You will also experience a deep sense of satisfaction and increased confidence at having completed your college degree the right way. Not only that, you will gain real and valuable knowledge and skills to help you continue to move forward in your career and in your life.

How to Spot a Diploma Mill

There are several tell-tale signs to help you spot a diploma mill.

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you run across an advertisement promising a college degree in a week or an unrealistically short amount of time…that’s a pretty good sign that you are dealing with a diploma mill. Others are a little more subtle, saying that they will give you a degree for your work experience. Please understand that a college degree is more than just a piece of paper (click to see my post of the same title). I will do a post about the different parts of an American university degree in the near future, but for now understand that some classes you take will not directly relate to your major. General education or liberal arts courses will give you a solid foundation in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Many of these subjects cannot be learned through work experience. So, a college degree only based on work experience is very narrow in scope and limited in nature. A big part of the process of getting a college or university degree, whether online or in class, is to be able to read critically, write effectively, and communicate clearly. The classes you take are designed to give you opportunities to develop and hone those skills. These skills, more than anything else, are the ones that will help you move ahead in your career. The degree itself without the skills to back it up will not take you far.

2. The schools’s name is very similar to a prestigious or well-known college or university. Degree mills are scam artists, pure and simple. So they will use every technique to convince you to hand over your hard-earned money to them. A common technique they use is to give the school a name that sounds very similar to a legitimate one. One of the best known examples is Hamilton University, a diploma mill named to be similar to the highly-reputed Hamilton College. One of the best resources and most complete lists I am aware of is this PDF document naming colleges and universities which are not currently accredited by an agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

3. The school charges tuition for a full degree, not just course by course or credit by credit. Diploma mills are notorious for saying, “Give me $XXXXX.XX and we will give you a diploma, transcripts, and a number to call in case anyone wants to check on the validity of your degree. In addition, the school will require little or no contact with professors (including online contact) and will also require minimal coursework before rewarding the degree. Legitimate colleges and universities list tuition based either on a per-course or a per-credit basis.

4. The schools boasts an impressive list of accrediting agencies. A diploma mill will do everything possible to convince you that it is a real, trustworthy, and reliable school. I talked about accreditation in a former post entitled All About Accreditation. You should always do your research before giving your money to a college or university. A trustworthy list of accrediting agencies can be found at this U.S. Department of Education website.

These are the four main ways I know for how to spot diploma mills. I hope that this helps you to stay aware and alert to possible scams as you move ahead toward your goal of getting your college degree. Until next time, Online College Adviser invites you to check out my collection of resources to help you hop on the fast track (but not unrealistically fast) toward college or university degree completion.

Onward and upward!

Look for my next post entitled: Anatomy of a College Degree

Get a College Degree with Someone Else's Money

New Year’s Resolution #1: Get a College Degree With Someone Else’s Money

The Online College Adviser would like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

And while I’m on the subject of the New Year, let me say that one of the best New Year’s resolutions you can make is to go back to school and get a college degree. Whether it is your first degree, or your fifth, or if you want to just take a few classes in order to develop a new skill or hone one that you already have…investing in your education is one of the best ways that you can spend your hard-earned money. I talk a lot about education as a long-term investment in my post entitled A College Degree: Not "Just A Piece of Paper"

And the good news is, sometimes you don’t even need to spend that much of your own money to do it. In fact, depending on your circumstances, you may be able to get a college degree paid for with someone else’s money. You can’t get much better than that, can you???!!!!

I promised you a post about financial aid, so here it is in a nutshell. There are many different sources of money out there for people who want to go back to college and earn a degree. Of course, depending on the type of aid there may be different criteria that you have to meet, but you can potentially have a portion or sometimes all of your college expenses paid for with someone else’s money. By college expenses I mean things like tuition and fees, textbooks, school supplies, and maybe even a computer or computer software to support your studies. There are lots of opportunities out there, but I will focus on a few of the most common ways that people can go back to school using someone else’s money. These ideas will help you start thinking about how you can afford to go back to school.

1. Grants (also known as FREE MONEY)
While grants are not available for everyone, people in lower income brackets may be able to qualify for financial aid money in the form of grants. This is literally FREE MONEY which the United States government makes available to people for the purpose of helping them pay for school. Of course, this is taxpayer money, so your school will monitor it fairly closely and require you to use it for educationally related expenses, but you don’t have to pay it back. How great is that???!!!! There may also be state, local, or private grants available in addition to federal grants, so make sure to ask what types of grants are available at the school you select.

2. Scholarships
When most people think of scholarships, they usually imagine that these types of monetary awards are only for the best and the brightest. While it is true that many scholarships are academic in nature and may have special criteria to meet such as certain ACT/SAT scores or minimum GPA requirements, there are a surprising number of scholarships available which target different types of students. For example, most people are aware of athletic scholarships, awards for people who excel in sports such as football, basketball, tennis, or golf. However, did you know that many schools have athletic scholarships for less “popular” sports such as soccer, judo, or even bowling? Other scholarships may be available for people on the cheer squad or dance/drill team. Leadership scholarships are offered at many schools for people who have been involved in student government or are involved in on-campus clubs or professional organizations. Scholarships exist at many schools for first-generation college students, or students with certain ethnic or cultural backgrounds. Some schools have scholarships for part-time students or non-traditional students (meaning working adults like you). And you may be able to qualify for multiple scholarships, so make sure you find out the rules about that as well.

In additional to internal scholarships which are offered by the school itself, there may be external scholarships available as well. Websites like FastWeb.com allow you to complete a detailed personal profile and then gives you a list of scholarships and opportunities which match your unique background and situation. For example, there are scholarships out there for people whose parents have worked for the U.S. Postal Service or for people who graduated from a certain high school or for people who can demonstrate an active involvement in community service.

WARNING: If you decide to look at online scholarship clearinghouses, be careful to check the reputation of the site. Some of them are phishing for your personal information, so use these types of sites with caution.

3. Tuition Assistance
Tuition assistance programs are great opportunities to have some else pay for your college expenses. Many employers offer tuition assistance programs, especially if the degree program you choose will enhance or improve your ability to perform your job responsibilities. If you are working in the area of human resources for example, your job may be willing to offer partial or complete tuition reimbursement for courses taken toward a certificate or degree in Human Resource Management. In the area of healthcare, many hospitals will help CNAs and LPNs who want to continue their education by paying for some or all of their tuition in RN or BSN programs.

Another way to get tuition assistance is through service in the U.S. military or National Guard or one of the reserves. Programs such as the G.I. Bill and other military educational benefits are designed to reward servicemembers with money for college both while they are on active duty and after they have left the armed services. Most colleges and universities have an Office of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) with trained professionals to help walk you through the somewhat complex process of getting things set up so that you can maximize your use of these valuable benefits. Another great resource is Military.com’s education section of their website. They offer a lot of detail and vital information for taking advantage of military tuition assistance.

4. Work for a college or university
This is similar to Suggestion #3, but I wanted to drive home the point that most schools will offer some type of free tuition or deeply discounted tuition to its staff members. Sometimes there are limits as to the number of classes an employee can take per year, but this is one amazing way to go if you want someone else to pay for your classes. The great news is that often these tuition benefits will be available not only to the staff member but also to his/her spouse and children. Again, before saying yes to the job, make sure that you understand the benefits that pertain to tuition at that school.

5. Workstudy Program
The federal workstudy program is a type of financial assistance that requires you to work for your money, but most of the jobs are located on campus, the employers agree to be flexible with you regarding your school schedule, and the salary you receive is tax free. This is a federally funded program, and there are a set number of hours that you are awarded each semester. You must work the hours in order to get the money. You can get more information about this program by talking to your college’s Office of Financial Aid (or Financial Assistance).

6. Federal and Private Student Loans
These are loans, so you will eventually have to pay them back, but these types of programs allow students to pay for their college expenses now and pay back the loans later. Many loan programs offer the option of starting repayment after graduation. I could probably do an entire post on the different types of loans available, but just to keep it simple, the two main types of loans are federally funded and private loans. Your school will be able to explain the different types of loans and the options available to you, so make sure to ask lots of questions and understand the restrictions and requirements for receiving student loan monies. This is “other people’s money” but eventually you will have to pay it back, so make sure to only borrow what you need.

These are the six main types of funding available for paying for college tuition and expenses. There may be other opportunities out there as well, so keep your eyes open and do your research. Until next time, Online College Adviser invites you to check out my collection of resources to help you hop on the fast track toward your goal of getting your college degree.

Onward and upward!

Look for my next post entitled: How to Spot a Diploma Mill