Bogus Online Bachelor Degrees - How Can You Tell?

With the rise in demand for online bachelor degrees, many bogus learning institutions have mushroomed over the internet with the sole intention of taking advantage of innocent students seeking for a genuine degree. These so-called "Colleges" often attract applicants with their attractive degree programs which are boasts of easy graduation, low tuition fees, no examinations and credit given for life experience, all of which just sound too good to be true. Some of them even go to the extent of prospecting for customers by sending out bulk email citing university degrees for sale.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult for aspiring students to differential between a real online Bachelor degree and the one that is not worth the paper on which it is printed.  Most students are seeking an online education because they do not have the ability to attend classes on campus.  In addition, many simply live too far away-even overseas.  Therefore, the only criterion for determining a school's validity is the website. Important decisions are made on whether the site looks professional and seems to offer the right education; but, that is no way to judge whether a college is credible or not.

One of the qualifying factors that can be utilized by students to make correct enrolment decisions is by determining the type of college accreditation that has been received by their college of consideration. If the college vaguely states itself as having "nationwide or worldwide accreditation" without stating specifically which regional accreditation body it is accredited with, then most likely this college does not possess legitimate accreditation.

Six accreditation agencies have been given the authority to award college accreditation. The agencies are divided by geographic location, so it is possible to contact the appropriate office to determine whether a college or university has legitimate standing and been registered in that district. The agencies are all appointed by the National Board of Education and include: New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA), Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA), Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU).

Another important clue to illegitimacy is mass-emails or mail offering degrees for sale. There are cases of online Bachelor degrees, Masters, or even online Doctorate degrees being obtained by a fixed tuition rate. Some bogus colleges even have the audacity to promise a degree in the mail within 7 days.  These unethical businesses take advantage of people who must have a degree in order to get a decent job, or keep the one they have in the first place.  However, others take big steps to appear above board and genuine.  Displaying evidence of accreditation from a bogus website makes the "school" look real. But, unless one of the 6 authorized agencies is mentioned, it may not be an accredited school.  In addition, the only way to earn a college degree is by honest hard work and dedication.  If a site offers credit for life experiences, travel, work experience, educational background, or even the amount of books read in the past, rest assured it may not be an institute dedicated to qiality, legitimate and excellent learning.

In short, because of the influx of fake degrees, it leaves the employers worried about the legitimacy of online Bachelor Degrees. Thus to avert these fears and ensure you get a job with an online degree, it is imperative to carefully select a college that possesses all the support and resources to provide quality education approved by the U.S. Department of Education, and granted accreditation through one of the 6 designated agencies with the authority to award proper accreditation to legit institutions.