University Diplomas - 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.

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