University Diplomas, quick and
easy! - Can you really get one as advertised on the Net?
Emails
promising that anyone can get a University Diploma within days of applying circulate
the net frequently. A typical email reads as follows:
U
N I V E R S I T Y D I P L O M A S ! ! !
Obtain a prosperous future, money
earning power, and the admiration of all.
Diplomas from prestigious non-accredited
universities based on your present knowledge
and life experience.
No required tests, classes, books, or interviews.
Bachelors, masters,
MBA, and doctorate (PhD) diplomas available in the field of your choice.
No one is turned down.
Confidentiality assured.
CALL NOW to
receive your diploma within days!!!
1 - *** - *** - ****
Call
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including Sundays and holidays.
Many
of our readers write in to ask whether the claims of this email are legitimate.
The answer is probably no.
The notion
of getting a University degree in a couple of days is appealing to those individuals
who might not have the time to get one. However, what a person might get for his
or her payment is a piece of paper not worth the paper it is written on.
Now
there are universities that offer courses over the internet which can permit one
to get a degree and such degrees are legitimate since the student is in fact working
towards a degree. Such universities are different from the fly-by- night telemarketers
who are selling worthless paper.
So how do you know whether you are dealing
with a fly-by-night telemarketer and not a legitimate accredited university?
Here
are some clues:
- Degrees
that can be earned in less time than it would take by going to regular university.
It takes time and a tremendous amount of studying to obtain a degree. The email
that I quoted above promised a degree in a few days. This is a sure sign that
one is not dealing with an accredited learning institution.
- Referring to accreditation by organizations
that are not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Some emails like
the one quoted above come right out and indicate that the institution offering
the degree is not accredited. If the university is not accredited or is not recognized
by the U.S. Department of Education then the degree is worthless. When in doubt
contact the Council on Higher Education Accreditation at www.chea.org.
- Promises that no one is turned down. Obtaining
a diploma requires some method of testing to ensure that the student understands
his or her material. A promise that no one can fail is a good sign that one is
not dealing with a legitimate organization.
- Degrees
that can be obtained for present knowledge or life experience. Universities are
generally thought of as higher learning centres. If one can obtained a degree
simply by virtue of what one already knows, the reason for having a university
would disappear.
- Advertisements
that allow one to call at any time of the day of the week including holidays.
I am not aware of any university that is open on weekends or holidays.
- Tuition is charged on a per-degree basis
and not based on the number of hours, semesters or courses. Be wary of organizations
that offer discounts for multiple degree enrollments.
- No designated professor with whom you can
speak.
- The addresses
of such organizations are post office box numbers.
Any
diploma which is not a legitimate degree from an accredited university will be
worthless and a great embarrassment to any one trying to use it. There is only
one way to get a university degree: by the effort of hard work. If you have any
doubts, contact the local attorney general's office in the area in which the organization
is located and ask plenty of questions to ensure that you are dealing with a legitimate
accredited university.
