It is important to check out information about the college or university you are planning to attend, specifically to check that they are a genuine educational institution and that they hold a full accreditation. You need to be sure that your chosen institution is offering genuine qualifications.
Here are some warning signs which may indicate that the college is a low quality institution or that the qualifications on offer are not genuine.
- It lacks accreditation by a genuine and recognised accrediting body. Some may hold worthless accreditations from accreditation mills.
- Words which indicate a legal status, such as “state approved” or “licensed” are misused in order to suggest an accredited status, where no actual accreditation is held.
- The institution’s given address is a mail forwarding service or a PO Box.
- The marketing materials contain spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, over-the-top or pretentious language, or samples of diplomas.
- They claim that you can receive your degree just a few weeks or months after you enrol.
- The institution does not have its own library.
- Academic credit is offered for life experience, and this is put forward as a prominent selling point for the institution.
- Tuition and other fees are paid on a degree basis instead of per semester, per quarter, or per course.
- Potential students are urged to “enrol now” before the tuition fees are increased, or they qualify for a “grant”, “scholarship” or “fellowship”.
- The institution’s website looks badly made or amateurish.