Despite the escalating costs of higher education, getting a master's degree is becoming more of a necessity in many career fields. Many people try to cut costs by getting their graduate degrees online. In some ways, this is great: convenient and less expensive. In other ways, the Internet graduate school explosion has led to a scam explosion. Don't be caught getting a grad degree from a "diploma mill." Look for an accredited graduate school. Here are some ways to find one.
- Ask Uncle Sam. Check out the Federal Trade Commission site. This site gives you the government's hints on looking for accredited schools. It also explains the pitfalls of non-accredited schools including how they con people. These are all good things to know as you look for a real graduate program, and certainly, before you pay anyone anything.
- Ask the Accreditors. Check EducationIndex for a list of links to the organizations which accredit graduate schools. These are the regional organizations that set and check standards and accredit graduate schools. There's also a great list of links to sites that will help you avoid being fooled by "schools" that create their own accrediting boards to make themselves look good. Stick to the pointers given on this site.
- Look for low standards. As many websites concerning diploma mills will tell you, there are certain signs to keep an eye out for if you wonder if your school's on the up and up. First, look at the time of study. I've never heard of a master's degree you can earn in one or two semesters. Second, look at the admissions standards. If anyone and everyone can get a master's degree at this college, forget it. Good graduate schools require students be serious and prepared before enrolling. This often means having good GRE scores, taking pre-requisite classes, having a good GPA as an undergraduate, and filling out a serious application. Certainly, some accredited grad schools are easier to get into than others and there will be variations in the numbers, classes, and application processes involved. But if your grad school looks simply too easy to be true, or if it seems to have NO standards, then you may be about to get a master's in losing money for a phony degree if you're not careful.
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Author: B. Danesco