Have your ever been tempted by an email or an advertisement that claims you can “earn a college degree based on life experience?” Take a deep breath. Chances are good that the ad is from a “diploma mill,” a company that offers “degrees” or certificates for a fee, one that requires little course work, if any, and awards degrees based solely on life experience.

Many employers and educational institutions consider it lying if you claim academic credentials that you did not earn through actual and relevant course work. That’s risky behavior. If you use a so-called “degree” from a diploma mill to apply for a job or promotion, you risk not being hired.. If you attempt to make the same claim in a job application at another company, remember that Human
Resource people talk to one another.

Be warned. Diploma mills may even claim to be “accredited.” Colleges and universities accredited by legitimate organizations undergo a lengthy and rigorous review of the quality of their educational programs. Nevertheless, many diploma mills claim to be “accredited,” even though their accreditation
is from a bogus but official-sounding agency that they have created.

If you are at all suspicious, use the internet to check if the school is accredited by a legitimate organization the data base of accredited academic institutions posted on the internet by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (www.chea.org/search). Similarly, accreditation data can be sought via the U.S. Department of Education.

Watch out for sound-alike organizations. Some diploma mills set up names that are similar to well-known colleges or universities. A “dot.edu” web address does not guarantee legitimacy. Some diploma mills use credible-sounding foreign names. Researching the legitimacy of a foreign school can become a challenge but it can be worth the effort and the time. One possible shortcut if you are having difficulty checking out a particular school: contact the registrar of a local college or university and ask if it would accept transfer credits from the school you are considering. Their response may turn out to be your most valuable litmus test.

How can you tell if a school is legitimate? Here are six tell-tale signs: “No Attendance.” Legitimate colleges or universities, including online schools, require substantial student course work.

“No Studies, No Examinations. Get a Degree for Your Experience.” Mills grant so-called degrees for “work or experience” alone. Accredited colleges may give a few credits for specific experience that pertains to to a college degree program, but not an entire degree.

“Flat Fee.” Many diploma mills charge students on a per-degree basis. Legitimate colleges charge by the credit, course or semester; not a flat fee for a complete degree.

“No Waiting.” Operations that guarantee a student a degree in a few days, weeks or even months are not legitimate. If an advertisment in print, email; or by letter promises that you can earn a degree very quickly, it’s probably a mill.

“Advertising through Spam or Pop-ups.” If a school caught your attention through an unsolicited internet email or pop-up, it may be a diploma mill. Most legitimate institutions, including distance learning programs, will not advertise through spam or pop-ups.

“Click Here to Order Now.” Some diploma mills push themselves with aggressive sales tactics. Accredited colleges don’t use high pressure telemarketing to market their offering. Mills advertise in newspapers and magazines, too, and in the same pages where legitimate schools run their ads..

The development of the internet has fostered the growth of online learning. Online degree programs offer freedom and flexibility not generally found in many traditional residential programs. If these features have attracted you to distance learning, you will be well served by a careful approach to where you enroll.

Ask yourself these questions at the start: Are you looking for a way to earn the college degree that will help you get started in the career you’ve always wanted? Or a working professional looking for a way to update your job skills and advance your career, without having to take time off from work?

Legitimate online university programs make it easy for you to earn the college degree that you need. You can attend classes, interact with faculty, complete your assignments from your home, according to your own schedule.

Dee Smith gives you more info about online degrees at:
http://www.onlinedegreeprof.com