Diploma Mills; How to Recognize, Avoid Them
Definition: Sell degrees without requiring true academic achievement.
In other words: Worthless degrees.
Diploma Mills are highly profitable.
$200 Million: Estimated amount that diploma mills rake in annually
500: Estimated number of Ph.D. degrees awarded by Diploma Mills monthly
400: Estimated number of Diploma Mills
300: Number of websites run by Diploma Mills
98: number of fake accreditation agencies operating in U.S. today.
Preying on the Innocent: Why having a degree matters?
Bachelor Degree holders earn 85 % more than those with “just” high school diploma
Master’s and Ph.D.’s earn 45 % more than having a B.S. (or B.A.)
Protect Yourself: 10 Warning Signs:
1. The University is not accredited
Be wary of aggressive cold-calls, spam, using jargon:
Authenticated
Verifiable
Licensed
Internationally approved
Notarized
2. No studies, no exams, no interaction
3. Admission based on having a Visa or MasterCard
4. Degree based on work experience and faxed resume
[No valid online university in U.S. will award a graduate degree (master’s or doctorate) based solely on a review of work, life or career experience.]
5. Instant degree—within 30 days of application, regardless of your status upon entry
6. Promised a degree in exchange for a lump sum — typically $399-$2,000 for an undergraduate degree and up to $3,000 for a graduate degree.
[Universities do not commonly charge flat fees.]
7. Multiple complaints on file.
8. Your online “counselor” assures you that international online universities can’t be accredited in the U.S by CHEA-recognized agencies.
[This is a lie.]
9. School’s website lists no faculty or lists faculty who have attended schools accredited by bogus agencies
10. The university offers online degrees to U.S. citizens [but is located in a foreign country]
Top 10 U.S. Locations by State for Diploma Mills
• California (134)
• Hawaii (94)
• Washington (87)
• Florida (57)
• Texas (53)
• New York (44)
• Louisiana (39)
• (tie) Illinois (29)
• (tie) Nevada (29)
• Arizona (28)
Sources:
http://www2.ed.gov/students/prep/college/diplomamills/diploma-mills.html
http://www.geteducated.com/diploma-mills-police/college-degree-mills/161-college-degree-or-diploma-mill/
http://www.havocscope.com/fake-diploma/
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0206-diploma-mills