Are There Bad Online Schools for Getting a Degree?
Congratulations on your decision to graduate from an online school! Now where should you start? Are there any bad online schools to get a degree? In fact, there are some to watch. Read on to learn how to avoid bad online schools and learn about a well-known distance education university.
Choosing a school online
Deciding to graduate from an online school is easy. The hard part is choosing the right school online. There are so many options for e-learning. For example, some high schools offer e-learning programs.
There are also virtual universities that have an online presence only. To complicate matters further, there are expensive online programs and cheaper alternatives. With all the choices, it’s hard to know which online schools are bad and which ones are good.
I’m sure you’re wondering: are there any bad online schools to get a degree? Let’s just say there are some that you should avoid.
Considering non-accredited online schools?
When looking at an online school, it is important to look first at your accreditation. A school that has been accredited means that it has met certain academic criteria. The school reviewed its facilities, teachers and curriculum and successfully passed the tests established by the accreditation bodies.
There are two types of accreditation: regional and national. Regional accreditation is considered the “gold standard” of accreditation. If you graduated from an accredited school in the area, it will be accepted and recognized by other universities. National accreditation remains a great achievement for a school; however, you should know that not all employers or universities accept such a degree.
Although most students seek an accredited school, some schools are not accredited. The websites of these schools seek to impress prospective students by explaining in detail the voluntary nature of accreditation and claim that accreditation does not necessarily mean that you will get quality education.
It’s actually quite true. You could go to an accredited school in the area only to continually have bad teachers and learn very little. Of course, this can happen in any school, whether it’s an online school or a traditional school. It is even possible to obtain excellent education from an unaccredited school.
On the other hand, knowing that accreditation means that a school has passed a rigorous approval process means that the school is concerned about proving its quality to others. Most employers will not accept a diploma from an unaccredited school, and accredited schools will not accept such a diploma for a credit transfer.
Why would you want to be put in such a precarious position? Online school is expensive. Why pay for something you may not be able to use? It is much better and safer to stick to only accredited schools.
Degrees of life experience
Have you ever received an email announcing a “Life Experience Diploma?” The e-mail explains how your work and life experience largely offsets the lack of a university degree. For a small fee, the online school will take your work and your life experience and give you a degree based on it. Your money buys you a diploma to hang on the wall and fake transcripts detailing the courses you have never taken.
There are a few things that are wrong here. First of all, it’s dishonest, especially if you plan to use this degree to get a new job. Second, using one of these degrees to get a job is actually illegal in some states. Third, these degrees undermine the hard work of students.
These so-called schools are really just people who have settled on the Internet to take your money and print a diploma for you. Most of these people have already been arrested by the police. They simply change the name of their “online school” and build a new website. Be on the lookout for such places. Their websites have a very real and professional appearance. Remember that a real school with contact information only an address for contact information.