As the demand for the online Bachelor degree rises, so do the number of fake colleges and universities. Some actually offer diplomas for sale to potential customers through bulk emails. However, many take advantage of innocent and unsuspecting students by offering lower than normal tuition fees, credit for life experiences, no tests, and an easy road to that coveted diploma. If it sounds too good to be true, it generally is the case.
Therefore, with all the confusion generated, how can students sieve out the genuine from the bogus? This may be especially difficult for distance learning programs when students practically make their choices based on what is shown on a website. In many cases, especially for international students, it may not be feasible to visit the physical site of a college before enrolling. With this, making choices will really depend on the appearance and content of a website, which sometimes may not be an accurate judge of the creditability of a college.
The first thing to do is to verify the type of accreditation the college claims to have. Only 6 government agencies have been given the authority by the U.S. Department of Education, to award accreditation to colleges and universities offering online Bachelor degrees. Therefore, if a site brags about worldwide or nationwide accreditation, beware. Unless they specifically name the agency, chances are they are not a legitimate institution of higher education.
In the U.S., college accreditation is awarded by one of the following six accreditation agencies which are all appointed by the National Board of Education - New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA), Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA), Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU). Each agency has been allocated responsibility for providing accreditation for schools in specific states. Therefore, it would be best to run checks on a particular online degree institution with the agency offering college accreditation for the state in which the college is registered in.
Another tell-tale sign of bogus online bachelor degrees offered is when the university advertises itself through mass-mailing email featuring university degrees for sale. Many bogus distance learning institutions prey on people who are desperate for a degree, but don't have the time and money to go for proper education. That is why these colleges boast of degrees without any examinations, classes, studying or even waiting. There are even websites that offer online bachelor degrees for just a few hundred dollars which can be ordered and received within 7 days. Furthermore, some of them also have dubious accrediting links, stating accreditation from agencies which are not any one of the six listed above. Additionally, they offer fixed prices for their Master's, Bachelor's, and even Doctorate Degrees. Their justification for awarding degrees will be for giving credit to life experiences such as any type of work experience, any educational background, any workshops or community services attended as well as travel experience, hobbies and even on the number of books that a person has read!
In short, with the plethora of bogus degrees already causing employers to question online education, make sure your online Bachelor degree is earned from a college or university accredited by one of the six agencies endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education.
Find more information about accredited and legit distance learning colleges and online bachelor degrees courses for your educational goals.
Comments on this entry are closed.