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Considering an online degree, but not sure how to weed out all of the scams? Refer to the following list of online degree pitfalls, and you’ll be well on your way to finding a legitimate degree program.

Identifying Online Degree Scams
Legitimate online degree programs do exist; unfortunately, so do the online degree scams. With so many schools to choose from, it can be very difficult to determine which degree programs are on the up-and-up and which are anything but. To help you in your search for a legitimate program, consider the following list of things to avoid:

• Avoid programs that award diplomas based solely on life experience. A legitimate degree program should include coursework.
• Avoid programs that you find out about through unsolicited e-mail. If you didn’t request information about a school’s degree program, that e-mail is spam. No legitimate school should be spamming you.
• Avoid programs tied to unaccredited schools. If you want your degree to be accepted by your employer and any other universities that you might want to attend, it needs to come from an accredited school.
• Avoid programs that promise you a degree in a very short period of time. Earning a degree takes time—and 14 days just doesn’t cover it.
• Avoid programs that are willing to negotiate fees. A legitimate school may offer you financial aid, but it will not offer to reduce your fees. That offer to discount your fees if you pay by a certain date is just too good to be true.
• Avoid programs that allow you to buy honors. Academic honors are earned, not bought.
• Avoid programs that offer to create fake transcripts for you. If you didn’t complete the coursework, you shouldn’t be able to get a transcript that says that you did.
• Avoid programs that charge you a set fee for a degree rather than a per-course fee. Legitimate schools charge by the credit hour.
• Avoid programs coming from schools with ripped-off names. Does the name of the school you’re considering sound remarkably close to a big-name school? Say, Columbia State University, instead of Columbia University? Chances are this is the sign of a scam.