Hi

I have written about bogus online degrees ad nauseam but there is another scam that you need to be aware of. That is, one offering you a chance to do your GED (General Educational Development) online.

Sylvia E. Robinson, executive director of the GED Testing Service, the official GED test administrator, had this to say on the American Council on Education (ACE) website:

"GEDTS is deeply concerned with a recent increase in the number of web sites purporting to offer GED testing online or through the mail.

We would like everyone to know—and share with others—that the GED Tests are not currently offered online and can only be taken in person at an official GED Testing Center.

Any services that purport to offer a GED credential through any other means are not affiliated with GEDTS or ACE, may be of dubious value, and may deliver a product that is not accepted by employers, colleges and universities, or the military."

So there you have it - you can’t do a GED online or via correspondence. If you decide to the GED, visit the ACE website . You can’t go wrong there.

What you can do is get your high school diploma online - not just any ol’ diploma but an accredited one. This not only opens up opportunities for people to get a high school diploma in the convenience of their homes but provides an alternative to the GED.

Recognize that a GED holder is just that - a GED holder - not a high school graduate. In many cases, employers consider the GED to be of a lower standard than a high school diploma. All the more reason to get your high school diploma online if you don’t already have a GED.

When you add into the mix the fact that a high school graduate earns on average, $700 more a month than a non-graduate (according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics), you can see that it is one of the most basic, yet essential qualifications to have.

Get free info on a well-recognized high school diploma online.

Make it a great day.

David

Hi -

Most people will agree that getting a MBA degree is a great career move. However, getting a MBA at the University of Phoenix Online, may not be such a wise choice.

As popular as this institution is ( it’s the largest private university in America), they do not have AACSB accreditation, which is the premier accrediting body for business degrees.

Grant it, they do have ACBSP (Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs ) accreditation, which is recognized by The U.S Department of Education. Some employers though, may not view it as an acceptable qualification.

Intel and Proctor and Gamble for example, will not accept University of Phoenix MBA qualifications or any non AACSB-accredited MBA for that matter.

If you want an MBA degree that is accepted anywhere in North America, read this report to find out which are some of the best online business schools to attend.

Make it a great day

David

Hi

I have written on more than one occasion about accreditation of online degrees and courses. Although one cannot over stress the importance of this issue - I had planned on giving it a rest for the time being.

However, something has come to my attention that I feel you should know about.

There is an online university that goes by the name “Ashwood” or “Ashwood University” that claims to be accredited by the Board Of Online Universities Accreditation and World Online Education Accrediting Commission.

However, “Ashwood University” is not accredited by any agency that is recognized by the U.S Department of Education and it is safe to say that both the accrediting agencies mentioned above are as bogus as claims that Elvis is alive.

“Ashwood” itself is a bogus institution and it has been suggested that the owners/scammers came up with that name because it sounds pretty close to Ashford University, which is an accredited online university.

I had a look at Ashwood’s website and it states that you can buy a life experience degree, whether it be a bachelor’s, masters or PhD in any field your heart desires. If you are unable to find a field you like, you can simply input the field you want to get a degree in.

For a moment, I thought about applying for a Phd in Bullshit but then I quickly came to my senses. There are legitimate ways to use your life experiences to help you get a college degree.

Anyway, turns out Ashwood has advertised all over the net including spots on Google Adwords. Google Adwords are the ads you see on the right of the page when you get the results of a Google search. This might make it even easier for the unsuspecting to confuse it with Ashford University - a legitimate institution.

If you want to ensure that the online school you plan on registering with is reputable, check out my distance education accreditation report or search for accredited online degrees here.

Make it a great weekend

David

Hi -

I have previously written about accreditation of distance learning degrees and perhaps it is a good idea to give it a read if you haven’t already. Really, I cannot stress enough the need to have your school or course properly accredited.

Accreditation is a two-step process. There must be accreditation by one of these 6 regionally agencies

a) MSA: Middle States Association

b) NCASC: North Central Association of Schools and Colleges

c) NEASC: New England Association of Schools and Colleges

d) NWCCU: Northwest Commission on College and Universities

e) SACS: Southwest Association of Colleges and Schools

f) WASC: Western Association of Schools and Colleges

and then the course itself needs to be accredited by a professional body.

If you are planning to do a BSBA, MBA or MS (management) degree, it needs to be accredited by the AACSB, which is the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

The AACSB is regarded a the world’s premier professional accrediting body of business school programs.

By choosing an AACSB-accredited school, students can be sure that they will have access to a high quality library, qualified faculty staff and real-world relevant curricula that adequately prepares them for the job market.

These schools must carry out an annual review of their operations to ensure they are achieving the goals of the faculty and every 5 years, they are externally reviewed.

Prospective employers know that graduates of AACSB-accredited schools are better prepared to perform because they have received a first class education.

Here are a few AACSB accredited distance learning colleges. Simply fill out the forms  they provide to get more details on their programs.

Make it a great day

David

Hi -

Here is an email I got recently that should have ended up in my spam box but somehow got into my inbox. I would have laughed if it were not so potentially serious…

<—–Start——> 

Sorry to drop in on you, but you were referred to us by a friend / working associate.
As of January 2006 our University has started a work experience degree program.
We can offer you 3 of the following choices:

- Associate Degree
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Master’s Degree

Our work experience / life experience degrees are the same degrees we give our full time students, but we base them upon your past knowledge and therefore require no studying.

Due to back logs we will need 1-2 weeks to verify your information and send your degree with transcripts in the mail.

Our Education office has someone available 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week.

If you are still interested then call us at:
1-xxx-xxx-xxx

<——- End——>

Ads similar to this one not only flood people’s email daily but you’ll find them also in the tabloids and on some online auction sites.

Here is the unfortunate part - many people actually buy these fake degrees from unscrupulous schools -  also known as diploma mills. Diploma mills pose as legitimate colleges, often fabricating their accreditation.

Nonetheless, they are nothing more than scam artists that steal almost $300 million annually from either very naive, lazy or dishonest students who buy their worthless degrees and transcripts at $50-$5000 a pop.

Even worse, people have died as a result of these scams. Just ask Marion Kolitwenzew, whose 8 year old daughter in 1999, was given poor medical advice by a North Carolina man. He was practicing medicine without a license but had a host of medical degrees from diploma mills. Her daughter later died.

One of the hottest fake degrees on offer is the life experience degree. The “sell” is you can get a legitimate degree based on what you already know and consequently, no studying would be involved. Do not fall for this, it is a waste of time and money.

However, there are legitimate ways to earning college credits at accredited schools based upon your past work or life experiences. You will not be able to get a degree totally based on these credits of course but they could count towards earning your degree.

Run on over to my life experience degree report and CLEP report to get more details on how to do this.

Make it a great day

David

P.S - You would also want to read up on how to find out if a college or course  is accredited or not.