The Aspiring Student's No-Nonsense Guide To Online College Degree Mills

New degree mills spring up nearly every week. These are companies that essentially sell degrees without requiring students to complete academic courses. They operate as profitable business ventures with little regard for the value of the "education" they provide students.

This model may work fine for people who want to fast-track their way to a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree. For those who want to earn a legitimate online business degree, these companies should be avoided.

There are different types of degree mills (DMs). This article will first clarify the differences between an organization that does little more than sell degrees and one that lacks accreditation. We'll then take a look at different DM types, and how to avoid them on the path toward earning a high-quality online college education.

Accreditation means that a school's programs have met certain criteria. Its purpose is to give students and employers confidence in the coursework. Students know they'll receive a quality education; employers can be confident the person they are hiring has the academic background needed to perform a specific function. But accreditation is only as valuable as the agency that awards it.

Diploma and degree mills typically lack accreditation since the coursework required to "graduate" is either sparse or nonexistent. In cases where a DM claims to offer accredited programs, the accreditation is usually awarded by a new, or even fictitious, agency.

There are many online colleges that lack accreditation, yet offer students high-quality programs. In some cases, they are going through the process of becoming accredited. Other times, they have decided to avoid it in order to operate with more flexibility. It is worth emphasizing that these schools are not mills.

Many online schools that operate as degree mills are upfront regarding how students earn their degrees. A cursory glance through the company's literature will reveal that you can essentially purchase them. With these colleges, the student is completely aware that his or her degree is not earned through academic achievement.

There are also distance learning programs that try to hide the fact that they operate as mills. Their literature often mentions quality coursework while offering to extend credit for relevant experience the student has gained throughout his or her life. Be wary. The courses usually serve as a pretense to legitimize their programs. Sadly, many online learners are unaware their degrees are practically worthless.

Learn to recognize the telltale signs of a typical degree mill. For example, these companies will often neglect to list their phone numbers or street mailing addresses on their websites. They may also offer to deliver a degree within a month or two.

Look through the company's website for the names of course instructors and department deans. If you are unable to find this information, call the school to inquire further. If the instructors and deans are listed, learn their histories to determine whether they are qualified to teach the subjects.

You should also be cautious about online schools that do not require students to take tests. Since testing is the only way to properly gauge whether a student has mastered the course material, colleges that preclude it should be regarded as suspect.