Tips for finding the right bachelor degree online University

Diploma mills vs. online Universities

Simply put, the only difference between an online University and a traditional, brick-and-mortar one is the fact that in the case of the former, most or all courses happen over the Internet, through the mediation of a specially designed platform. Information is put down into interactive media and, as a student, you can access it, download it and study it at your convenience. The advantages are numerous – you don’t have to relocate to a different city or country to have access to some of the most famous schools in the world, you can save significant amounts on tuition fees, living and transportation costs and you can take care of your other responsibilities or even hold a job while pursuing higher education.

The only disadvantage of studying online is the fact that you might get tricked into a fraudulent program by a diploma mill. These are enterprises that try their best to look like an authentic online college or University, and even attain a form of phony accreditation for it. The issue with these “schools” is that the degree you will earn upon “graduation” will be worthless in an employment situation. What’s worse, it might even cost you your reputation if you use such a diploma to gain an advantage over others.

How to look

The best place to start your search for the right bachelor degree online University is an online diploma mill blacklist. There are several such lists made available by recognized accreditation organizations precisely to help potential students like yourself from scam institutions. If you’re interested in a specific online University, make sure its name is not on one of these blacklists.

There are other clues that can give away a fake school. For instance, you can take a look into the institution’s address and campus – even if it’s an online University, it must possess a legitimate, physical headquarters. If this address sends you to a PO Box or an apartment number instead, then you are clearly dealing with a fake school. The same goes for all other contact details, which can help you a lot in determining whether or not you are dealing with a legitimate University.

Lastly, there are a few common practices of diploma mills that you should be aware of. For example, some diploma mills try to look like real online schools by asking you to take basic knowledge tests or to comprise life experience portfolios in order to “graduate”. Others take a name that is very similar to that of a well-established University in the attempt to trick you and your future employers that you have graduated from the original. However, as long as you are aware of these ruses, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding the right bachelor degree online University.