Attending an online university is a great way to improve your job prospects and get that much-needed college degree, but potential students should proceed with caution before they write their tuition check!

As the popularity of online colleges is growing, so are diploma mills. A diploma mill is business that disguises itself as a legitimate college, school, or university. While they’re really out to make a profit, these institutions grant falsified degrees and transcripts that don’t really mean anything.

There are two types of diploma mills. The first merely sells you a printed diploma with your name on it—requiring no academic work from their “students”. Customers are able to purchase a variety of degrees online; anything from a bachelor’s degree to academic honors like summa cum laude. The second type of degree mill does offer courses, but they are typically of low-quality and don’t offer students legitimate instructors.

It all boils down to a matter of learning. Diploma mills students are essentially paying tuition for a fancy piece of paper with their name on it. They leave with no marketable skills, guidance, or knowledge. So, what can you do to make sure that you’re not enrolling in a diploma mill? Here are some ways to tell if a school is genuinely accredited:

• Don’t be fooled by the .edu domain name! It’s fairly easy to establish an education suffix.
• Check to make sure the school is properly accredited and recognized by the government.
• Find out if the school is backed by a reputable parent company.
• Take a look at some of the faculty. Who are the teachers? What courses do they offer? What are their educational credentials?
• You can even call or write the Better Business Bureau to see if the school is operating under legal conditions

At Top-Colleges, we’re aware of the prevalence of diploma mills. All of our schools are accredited by an agency that has been recognized by the government. So, rest assured, we are doing our part to stop the spread of online diploma mills!