Finding a Degree That Counts and Avoiding Degree Mills

With the latest in technology, you can earn a college degree online. There are reputable and accredited universities offering online degrees from home. Unfortunately, there are also companies out there that are ready to take your money for a degree that will offer you little value. These degrees will not be accredited in any ways that matter, and they will not help you to gain better employment.

Deciding between the true colleges and those that are just a scam is not always easy. You need to have some idea of what to look for in order to make an informed decision. Colleges offering life experience degrees can be found all over the Internet. They claim that you can earn a degree based on your working and volunteer experience without ever setting foot in a classroom. They tell you that you can earn your degree in as little as seven days. Anyone offering you this type of degree is most likely a degree mill. You are not actually earning a degree, but rather buying a piece of paper in the form of a diploma stating that you have earned a degree.

Life experience degrees are generally not accredited. If a college has accreditation that is recognized, you will be able to verify the accreditation with the Council For Higher Education or the Department of accreditation. Some life experience degrees will state that they have accreditation. However they are not recognized and you would not be able to transfer credits. In these cases whatever accreditations they list will not have any value out in the world.

A degree mill will offer you a degree for hundreds of dollars. There is no actual breakdown of tuition provided for you. In addition, you will not be able to apply for any financial aid. If you see an ad for this type of degree, do not proceed any further. A legitimate online school will have a break down of tuition and you should be able to apply for financial aid or at the very least student loan programs. If this option is not available, you are most likely not dealing with a college that counts.

A legitimate online school will be one in which you must complete regular coursework. You will earn credits for your courses. There will also be semesters or blocks of time in which you will complete a certain number of classes. If you are not required to read any text books or to take any exams, this degree is not real. Avoid any online college claiming that you can earn your degree without earning credits or taking examinations.

There is another important way that you can usually recognize a degree mill. They will be set up in such a way that you just send some information about yourself, your work and volunteer experience and any other facts about yourself that you see as being relevant for the degree for which you are applying. Within hours, you will often receive a reply that you have been accepted to the University and that you will receive a diploma in a few days. Promises like these are not practical.

Some colleges do offer credits for life experience. However, you will need to apply your experience to specific coursework. If you do not meet requirements for that course, you will not be granted credits. In addition, you often need to complete a project or portfolio to earn these credits. The credits are not granted automatically. It is also important to note that you would not be able to earn all or even most of your credits through life experience for any true college.

Take the time to find an online school offering an accredited degree. There are colleges that offer degrees entirely or primarily online. These schools will require you to earn credits and to complete coursework in order to receive your degree. This process can take 24 months or more, not just 24 hours. Be on the lookout for degree mills who really are offering you very little for your money.