By Victoria Patrick -
eLearners.com Avoid judging an online university by its home page. Legitimate academic institutions offer
online programs, but there are fake businesses that make a profit by simply selling falsified academic credentials. A phoney online school is referred to as a degree mill. Degree mills pose as genuine colleges and universities, but degree mills are not real and do not provide you with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in your career.
The list located below are ten strong signs you have found a degree mill.
1. The “school’s” Web site does not mention accreditation from an agency authorized by the U.S. Department of Education. When in doubt, refer to the official site of Council for Higher Education Accreditation at http://www.chea.org.
2. The e-mails and Web site promise to award you a degree based on experience only. Though many legitimate colleges and universities may award you credit hours for your professional experience and knowledge, no school awards degrees and diplomas based on experience alone.
3. The “school” charges a lump sum flat fee for your degree or diploma. Genuine colleges and universities charge by credit hour and not by a single flat fee.
4. You are asked to pay for everything upfront. Legitimate schools typically establish payment plans for students.
5. You are only able to make payments using credit cards or PayPal. Colleges and universities accept more than one form of payment, including personal checks.
6. You notice spelling mistakes, syntax and grammatical errors throughout the “school’s” Web site and e-mail messages. Syntax errors and misspelled words are clear indicators that you are not viewing the site of a legitimate academic institution. Though human error can allow for mistakes to go unchecked, the Web sites and e-mails from degree mills have numerous errors.
7. You are not able to locate where current students go to log into online classes. Degree mills do not offer real classes, unlike legitimate colleges and universities. Most legitimate online schools have areas where prospective students can login as guests to see what their online classes look like, but not degree mills.
8. The “school’s” Web site has no mention of any administration, faculty, or student support staff. The instructors, administration, and enrollment counselors are the heart of colleges and universities. They are the individuals that provide students with the guidance and instruction for higher learning. If the site gives little to no mention of these folks, then it is likely that you are looking at a degree mill.
9. The “school” lacks a career center. Genuine colleges and universities work to provide their graduates with career and employment support. Degree mills are not real schools, so they invest no time in your success.
10. There is no information regarding how long it will take to earn your diploma or degree. Degree mills will take your money and send you a diploma in a month or so. Legitimate colleges and universities publish the average rate of academic progression on their official literature or Web site. The average degree program typically lasts no less than one year.
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