The eLearners News Blog : Diploma Mills

Every Time a Diploma Mill Is Sued, I Smile

AndriaL — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 GMT

To See if a School Is Accredited:

Just search for them in CHEA's database — that's the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. They're a pretty big deal. :)

I've got accreditation on the brain today from reading this story about a high school diploma mill called Belford High School that was recently exposed because it's being sued by someone in Michigan. (By the way, here's a list of K-12 online schools in the United States with legitimate accreditation.) Basically Belford has been accused of charging customers (I'm sorry — their "students") $250 for high school diplomas with no authority to do so.

These stories irk me to death because of the inherent dishonesty of buying a diploma outright, or worse, being ripped off by these con artists. Also, each time a diploma mill is outed publicly, I think it reinforces people's suspicions of and prejudices against online learning, or more specifically, the notion that if you got it online, it can't be genuine. We obviously know that to be false, but it just sets us a couple steps back in our crusade to convince people that e-learning is a reputable, reliable, effective way to complete one's education goals.

If you want to brush up on your ability to tell a diploma mill from a legitimate school, read this page on eLearners, then check out the Belford High School web site to see how apparent it would be to you that this site is a scam. Check out those made up accreditation agencies! All done with "high school?" Don't worry — Belford University is right next door! Ack!

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An Unlikely Graduate From an Unworthy School

JonM — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:30:00 GMT

Milestone in Feline History

The debate over who's smarter, cats or dogs, may have met its end. Though dogs were the first to enter space (on Sputnik II, 1957), the pup had no formal education to speak of. The feline species, however, is proud to officially be the first outside of the humans species to boast a high school degree. Oreo C. Collins from Macon, Georgia was proud to be the first in her family to graduate high school. And to Oreo’s amazement, it wasn’t even that hard. After a life experience essay, a quick test, and a $200 registration fee, Oreo became a proud graduate of Jefferson High school Online.

Yet, Oreo had a little help. Due to her lack of opposable thumbs and inability to use a Mac her human companion, Kelvin C. Collins, (President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of central Georgia) had to help her out. Collins fronted Oreo the $200 and helped fill out the test and essay. The essay was actually based on Oreo’s humble beginnings as an adopted member of the family. Although Collins gives credit to Oreo for being really smart (and at least sitting on his lap while he took the test for her). As Collins “went to school” or took a quick exam which often gave the answers to you, he realized that Oreo was actually a victim of Degree Mills and the degree was virtually worthless. Even with the obvious setback, Oreo has reached quite an achievement by bringing a serious issue in Degree Mills to life, as shown in this MSNBC article Clever Cat Earns High School Diploma Online.

According to Collins, Oreo’s online diploma isn’t the same as a certified GED diploma. You can’t receive a certified GED online; they are only available at an Official GED Testing Center. "We (the BBB) do a lot of stories on these diploma mills, but a lot of times consumers really don’t get it until you show them an example of how they (the diplomas) aren't worth much."

These “Feauplomas” aren’t just for high school either. There are many “schools” that give out diplomas for the right price (usually ranging $800-$1200) at the consumer’s expense because they soon go into the interview only to find that the diploma was useless. Therefore it is up to the prospective student or interview to find as much information on the university as possible and to make sure the university has been accredited by a legitimate agency. If anything learn from Oreo’s mistake, look at what school/program will most help your career instead of thinking, “How fast can I get a degree?” A legitimate school is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Is your school accredited? Find out!

Although a clever cat may have gotten fooled, you can bet a dog never would have and neither should you.

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Buh-Bye ... and Good Riddance! Warren National/Kennedy-Western University To Cease Operations

helenh — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:24:00 GMT

It gives us great pleasure to share the following with you: Warren National University, formerly Kennedy-Western University, has announced that it will cease operations effective March 31^st, 2009.

Although Warren/Kennedy-Western tried to achieve both national and regional accreditation, it never operated as an accredited institution during its 25 years of operation. Its unaccredited status caused some in the distance learning community to view the school as either substandard or as a degree mill. A 2004 U.S. General Accounting Office investigation (see the full report, in .PDF) found that the school had awarded “life experience credit” based upon little more than student applications and descriptions of prior course work. After running into problems with the state licensing board in California, the school moved its operations to Wyoming. Kennedy-Western University changed its name to Warren National University in 2007, and last year stopped admitting new students.

In a lengthy, rambling explanation posted on its web site, Warren National University blamed its problems both on the current economic downturn in the U.S. and its failure to gain regional accreditation. Warren National began its quest for regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association in 2005. According to Warren National’s web site, the HLC on-site visit was conducted last October. On December 15^th, Warren National was informed that it did not receive a recommendation for candidacy.

As part of the state of Wyoming’s crackdown on diploma mills (which we heartily applaud), schools operating in the state must either be accredited or a candidate for accreditation. Warren National’s failure to gain candidacy for accreditation means it can no longer legally operate in the state of Wyoming.

Really, we're crying on the inside.

Warren National notified its current students on its web site that they can transfer and continue their studies with Preston University, another unaccredited institution which is based in Alabama. Ironically, Preston University moved its operations to Alabama from Wyoming due to the same crackdown on diploma mills which has led to the impending closure of Warren National University.

Don't want to get snookered by a diploma mill? Search for online schools at eLearners.com - each and every online degree program listed with us is accredited by an agency recognized by the US Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Accept nothing less.

Special thanks to tcord1964 for this eLearners News Blog post!

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Government Crack Downs on Diploma Mills

Liz — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:31:00 GMT

Online education is more popular than ever, and – as eLearners can attest - it’s changing the lives of millions of people who can’t afford to put everything on hold for a “traditional” college degree. Nationwide, enrollments and course offerings continue to grow, as does the abundance of reputable, innovative programs. Unfortunately, some cynics still question online education’s design and credibility. Much of their doubt stems from the existence of so-called “diploma mills” – online colleges and universities that take students’ money in exchange for bogus, unearned diplomas.

This summer, diploma mills made New Jersey headlines, when a group of school district administrators were found to have received pay raises and tuition reimbursement for degrees they essentially bought from an unaccredited college. Breyer State University, the online school in question, has been blacklisted by a series of states, where it has either been prohibited from operating, or where its degrees are flagged for public warning. For years, “bad apple” institutions like Breyer have cast a cloud of suspicion across legitimate programs, forcing conscientious online students to take a defensive stance regarding the standards and rigor that define real, substantive programs.

To a large extent, accreditation agencies (educational authorities recognized on either a regional or national level) have proved helpful in delineating which schools are above board, and which do not meet fundamental standards. But sifting through accreditation body titles can sometimes get confusing – in part because diploma mills often invent their own, phony accrediting agencies to give themselves official-sounding stamps of approval. (This was the case with Breyer State, now allegedly operating in Idaho.) Besides that, not all unaccredited schools are diploma mills. Some schools argue that their unaccredited status allows them to remain more budget-friendly because they’re able to sidestep the costs associated with the accreditation process. In the end, online students may be left wondering which programs are credible, and whether or not their degrees will be taken seriously.

The good news for online education is that state officials are cracking down on illegitimate institutions. Allentown’s Examiner reports on the case of New Jersey’s Freehold School District, where the superintendant has agreed to disavow his doctoral title and return the amount of his raise. The New Jersey Senate is currently reviewing a bill that will ensure the veracity of all advanced credentials in conjunction with tuition reimbursement or salary increases. http://examiner.gmnews.com/news/2008/1009/front_page/020.html

A similar article in The Birmingham News outlines steps being taken by Alabama officials to suppress the issuance of degrees by fraudulent online colleges. Previously a popular headquarters for dubious Internet schools, Alabama is now rigorously policing schools that claim address there. With a fulltime staff dedicated to the cause, eighteen schools have had their licenses revoked and others are being denied new applications. The Alabama State Department of Postsecondary Education reports that even tougher restrictions, whereby all degree-issuing institutions must have USDE-recognized accreditation, are slated for later this fall. http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1220343354277630.xml&coll=2&thispage=2

Currently, ten states have laws on the books that actually criminalize the use of an unaccredited degree for purposes of gaining employment or promotion. Experts predict this list will grow. But some states still struggle to regulate which schools, operating under their geographical auspices, are licensed or accredited. Like Alabama, Idaho is a state that has traditionally housed spurious online colleges. In recent years some Idaho institutions have flown under the radar, without the state required registration and/or accreditation, while using an Idaho address, and awarding their “degrees” to students.

The state of Oregon is one that’s been particularly vigilant in terms of online education’s legitimacy; their Office of Degree Authorization acts as a watchdog and a mediator on behalf of students and citizens. The Chronicle of Higher Education recently moderated an insightful, online discussion with The ODA’s Administrator, Alan Contreras. Contreras, a bona fide expert on the best and worst of online education practices, addressed many of the issues and misconceptions surrounding the degree mill problem, including ways in which society can fight degree mills and thereby help to relieve some distance learning prejudice. http://chronicle.com/live/2008/07/contreras/

So what can you do if you’re pursuing online education, and don’t want to get duped? While diploma mills might never be completely eradicated, trusted resources do exist to help protect students and employers from buying into fake claims. The U.S. Department of Education does not issue its own accreditations, but it does sponsor a database of nearly 7,000 postsecondary schools and programs that have received accreditation from an agency approved by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Searching your prospect school within this listing is a failsafe way to determine accreditation, which can potentially save you a lot of money and disappointment. http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation/

And don’t forget: we’re a great resource too! ELearners.com maintains a comprehensive database of online schools and programs - all with verifiable accreditations.

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New Jersey School Officials Earned Doctorates from Unaccredited University

Victoria — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:13:00 GMT

Earlier this morning Helen dropped a news article on my desk. The article was local, just a few counties down from our office here in Hudson County, New Jersey. The topic covered something that I've become very familiar with: professionals using the fradulent services of diploma mills to purchase an advanced degree.

The superintendent and assistant superintendent of the Freehold Regional High School District of Monmouth County in New Jersey are reported to have earned doctoral degrees from Breyer State University. The former assistant superintendent, who is now retired, is also reported to have earned a doctorate from Breyer State.

I checked the Web site of Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to see if Breyer State was listed in their database of accredited academic institutions. I was not surprised when I received "0" results for my search. Currently, Breyer State University is not accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

I encourage any prospective online and on-campus students to utilize CHEA's Web site to ensure that any school they are considering is accredited. It will prevent a lot of future heartache, I can assure you!

The article mentioned some other interesting facts about these three educational professionals who attended Breyer State. Here are some that stuck out to me:

They received tuition assistance ($8,700.00) from their employer to help pay for their tuition. Please note that their employer is a public school system funded by tax dollars.
After completing their doctorates, administrators received salary increases.
The retired former assistant superintendent claims to have reviewed Breyer State's Web site and was not aware that it was not accredited, stating that he found it "reputable."

Who approves tuition reimbursement requests? Why was their institution not checked out by one of their superiors?

After reading this article, I wonder if readers will become increasingly suspicious of online education. "All online education is fake and phoney! Just look at this example!"

I am optimistic that is not the case. I think it is more likely that readers and the public and online education will benefit from news stories like this, because it emphasizes the importance of accreditation. "I thought all schools were the same. I guess not!"

To read the article cited in this blog post, go to Schools chief's doctorate reviewed from APP dot com.

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