How to Avoid Phony Colleges

There are hundreds of phony colleges or "diploma mills" around the world. Most operate mainly through the Internet and offer degrees for little money and little to no coursework. These degrees are worthless and illegal to use in some states. A serious student must avoid falling for such a scam.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Look for the term "life experience" in their ads. Offering degrees based on "what you already know" is the biggest red flag.
2. Find out if the school is recognized by the US Department of Education. Some legit colleges aren't accredited, like Bob Jones University, but not many.
3. Check the school's accreditation, if it has any. Many phony colleges create their own organizations to license them.
4. Don't assume the college is legit if its Web site ends in ".edu." Some phony colleges find a way to get that Internet suffix approved.
5. Find out where the school is really located. Many phony schools have an address in one state and a phone number in another to throw off law enforcement.
6. Know the licensing laws in the state in which the college is located. Some states are lax in enforcing accreditation laws.

Tips & Warnings

• Oregon has become a leader in fighting phony colleges. The Oregon Student Assistance Commission supplies a lot of information on diploma mills and how well other states fight them.
• The use of degree mill diplomas is restricted in Oregon, Washington, Texas, Nevada, North Dakota, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Rhode Island and Maine.
• Mississippi, Alabama, Hawaii and Louisiana have the lowest standards on preventing phony schools.

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