It’s time to head back to school for many students and the Better Business Bureau is warning consumers against online programs that offer fast and easy high school diplomas or college degrees.

As millions struggle to find a job, earning a diploma or an advanced degree is one way to stand out from the crowd, but some students found out the hard way that the diploma they thought they earned online wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on.

Distance learning and online-based classes have become an increasingly popular option for students of all ages.

According to a 2008 survey from the Sloan Consortium and Babson Survey Research Group, 3.9 million students were enrolled in at least one online course in 2007, a 12 percent increase over the previous year. More than 20 percent of higher education students were taking at least one online course.

Unfortunately, not all institutions offering online diplomas or degrees are legitimate and individuals looking to get ahead are being duped by diploma mills.

“Education is one of the keys to advancing in life and having a diploma or advanced degree can certainly make a difference when it comes to getting into college or landing a higher-paying job,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota. “While the Internet facilitates learning through online curriculum, it also makes it easier for scammers to shill their phony high school diplomas and college degrees.”

The BBB cites the following red flags to help identify diploma mills:

• Degrees or diplomas are awarded based on “life experience” and require very little or no work.

• The institution guarantees you will receive a degree or diploma within a few days, weeks or months.

• The institution offers deals if you sign up to receive more than one degree at a time, such as a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree for one low price.

• Addresses for administration buildings include post office boxes or suite numbers.

• Prices are stated per degree instead of per credit hour.

More than 180 people from across the Gulf have been blacklisted for holding fake US academic certificates allegedly bought from non-accredited institutions, including 69 from Saudi Arabia and 68 from the UAE.

Almost 10,000 people in total have been blacklisted by the US Department of Justice for purchasing fake high school and college degrees from a “degree mill” based in Washington.

According to reports, those named include hundreds of people with links to the US military, educational institutions, government and security agencies such as the CIA.

—————————————-

A long list of people who had purchased or attempted to purchase fake university diplomas in the United States has spurred the Saudi education authorities to launch an investigation into the issue of Saudis and expatriates who may be working in the Kingdom on counterfeit certificates.

However, Shoura Council member Abdullah Al-Tuwairqi called the reaction to the list “disappointing,” and expressed concern that education officials would have a death-by-committee mentality in addressing the issue.

The Spokesman-Review newspaper in Washington state recently obtained and posted online a list of nearly 10,000 names of people who had spent $7.3 million on purchasing or attempting to purchase fake diplomas from an illegal operation. The US Department of Justice shut down the illegal enterprise and compiled a list of its clients. The list was then leaked to the newspaper, which posted it online at: http://www.spokesmanreview.com/data/diploma-mill/.

The list contains at least 70 Saudis, or persons who listed their country of residence as Saudi Arabia. For example, one of the names on the list is a Saudi woman who bought degrees in obstetrics and gynecology. The newspaper reported that US federal investigators do not know if the woman is currently working as a medical doctor in the Kingdom.[...] According to Al-Watan, there are roughly 18 branches of unauthorized universities, with over 5,000 students in the Kingdom. Last year, 70 staff members at different girls’ colleges around the Kingdom were fired for having fake diplomas.

source: http://makkah.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/fake-degree-scam-in-gulf-and-saudi-arabia/

While the majority of Americans see their country falling behind other nations economically, they also believe the nation can improve its standing with more college degrees, according to a new survey from Kaplan. The Kaplan University Education Insights Survey found 83 percent of adults in the United States agree that the country is falling behind, with seven in 10 saying that the nation can improve its standing if more people earn college degrees.

“America has the talent to be competitive,” said Peter Smith, senior vice president for Academic Strategies “If we can help close the ‘degree gap’–by making higher education more accessible to more Americans–we will stop wasting our talent, increase our global competitiveness, and get more people into sustainable, higher paying careers.”

This finding comes on the heels of a study by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems that found that the United States will need to produce 63.1 million degrees to match leading nations in the percentage of adults with college degrees by 2025. At the current pace, the country will fall short of that threshold by 16 million degrees.

The survey also found that:

Nine in 10 American adults feel finishing a degree, seeking a higher degree, or continuing education makes someone more attractive to potential employers.

Also, 90 percent report that furthering one’s education can increase one’s earning potential and opportunities for promotion.

Eighty-four percent of high school-educated, employed adults have concerns about their jobs–and specifically about losing their job or not being able to find a new job if let go–while 63 percent of college-educated adults are worried.

Fifty-five percent of Americans between 18 and 34 years say the economy influences their education decision. Women, who make up six out of every 10 students enrolled in college, are more likely to be influenced by the economy (63 percent) than men (46 percent) in this age category.

“During tough economic times, college applications tend to rise and this slowing economy is no exception,” said Smith. “People go back to school to sharpen their skills or obtain credentials that enhance their competitiveness, and the investment pays off. U.S. census data shows that in 2007 people with bachelor’s degrees earned 90 percent more than high school graduates. On average, college graduates earn $59,365 annually compared with high school graduates who earn $33,609.”

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2009/03/05/higher-ed-can-still-make-a-difference-americans-say.aspx