Warning: Diploma Mills!!!

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Warning: Diploma Mills!!!...

Is There Such A Thing As Fake Diplomas?

Many might not know that marketing fake diplomas and degrees is a billion dollar industry—800 million a year in the U.S. alone. So big is this market that various state offices, consumer protection agencies, and educational websites warn people to use caution when it comes to new schools and distance education programs.

— John Bear is a degree mill expert who co-wrote Degree Mills: The Billion Dollar Industry with former FBI agent Allen Ezell. The book documents the investigations Ezell ran in the 1980s, known as Operation DipScam. The biggest diploma mill discovered had grossed $450 million over nine years. The mill sold more than 250,000 degrees and was run by Americans operating out of Romania and Israel. In the mid-1990s, the notorious LaSalle University, run out of Louisiana, grossed $35 million in four years. An FBI raid in 1995 uncovered the scam and the founder went to prison for fraud and conspiracy.

Government and state agencies across the U.S., along with Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a private, nonprofit national organization that coordinates accreditation activity in the United States, and various other consumer protection and educational websites warn consumers that along with the boom of new schools and distance education programs offered online come certain hidden pitfalls not always easily recognized.

Bogus Certificates from diploma mills, or certificates from programs that claim accreditation, but are not accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may not be worth the paper they are printed on. Furthermore, any job placement assistance that might have been promised may consist of nothing but a copy of doctors listed in the local area's Yellow Pages (if that much!)

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Potential students should inform themselves to avoid hidden pitfalls before signing up for a program. For example, if a website promises vocational training online to earn a diploma in just 6-8 weeks, and promises that upon completion a person will be ready to hit the workforce without additional training, or an internship—then consumer beware! Caution and awareness is always good policy when it comes to online education and degrees. Just because a program offers education or training for a fee it doesn't automatically mean it is a good program, or legit.

Experts discuss whether online learning programs offered by cyber-schools offer real degrees and in what way they differ from traditional degrees: Distance Learning and Online Degrees: Are They Worth It? (Video)

This is not to discourage anybody; indeed, there are many excellent distance education programs offered online, including for the healthcare professionals. Plenty of people have taken them and achieved success. However, in their quest for better education, or specialized vocational training there is a chance that an uninformed consumer might encounter so-called "diploma mills"—dubious providers of education that ends in certificates and degrees that are considered worthless on the job market. Bogus certificates from diploma mills aren't worth the effort, time, money, or paper they are printed on. Websites that feature such proclamations right on their home page should be critically examined to determine whether these claims are merely common catch phrases, or the assertions are legit. CHEA states that diploma mills are a disservice to the public, and specifically warns about diploma and accreditation mills:

— Diploma and accreditation mills mislead and harm. In the U.S., degrees and certificates from mills may not be acknowledged by other institutions when students seek to transfer or go to graduate school. Employers may not acknowledge degrees and certificates from diploma mills when providing tuition assistance for continuing education. “Accreditation” from an accreditation mill can mislead students and the public about the quality of an institution.

Read CHEA warning about diploma- and accreditation mills!

The U.S. Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), the only agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a institutional and specialized accreditor for healthcare education and training says the same: Accreditation by ABHES signifies that the institution or program has met the eligibility criteria and evaluation standards of ABHES and complies with the policies and procedures for maintenance of accreditation as established by ABHES. Awareness is the key! One important aspect to consider when selecting a local or distance education or training program is the school's reputation. The institution must be honest and credible in their dealings with the public, have a clean record, and should be approved, and/or accredited by the right organization.

There ARE many legitimate institutions that offer vocational education programs on campus, and online that are not necessarily accredited (yet), but they are licensed by their local Department of Education. These institutions went through a rigorous review process by a commission of state elected officials who verify that the school meets a set standard and criteria. Online courses will not be accredited or approved by the board of education unless they truly meet or exceed established national standards. The application process for reviews and approval is tedious and lengthy! Only the best programs achieve accreditation.

Choosing Distance Education

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