Warning Signs an Online Degree Is a Scam – Global pandemic left us all with a lot of questions. A necessity of in-person learning is one of the biggest issues coronavirus has brought up. It suddenly became clear for all of the universities, from smallest to worldwide-recognised ones that you don’t have to be in the classroom physically to process and comprehend the information. Turns out that distance learning is almost as efficient as its old equivalent. Especially for the adults who are able to motivate themselves and do their homework without threats of getting bad marks. If you know what you are doing this for, you will gladly accept the possibility to study online.

Another awesome thing is that you don’t even have to pass SATs, write motivational letters or go to another city to actually apply for a degree. The internet offers a wide variety of programs from universities all over the world. As well as the other kinds of academic help. You can drink coffee in a bar in Italy and get your degree in Singapore. You can order your essay online from different companies and ride the surf all while getting a degree. And even take the courses from famous universities that you would never be able to attend in person. And you also can choose to pay less and turn your attention to some online colleges and universities. Or just simply not so famous ones.

When you are searching for online education, many things may draw your attention and convince you to choose this university. Sometimes the syllabus of the program seems to fit just right. Maybe the not compulsory attendance sounds awesome for you or the system of teaching is what you have been looking for. And all of the websites always seem so reliable and trustworthy! Awesome reviews and the pictures of the successful graduates may convince you really fast that this is the college you have been looking for.

But the thing you always have to remember is that the Internet is full of bad people. Scammers, money-makers, and many other varieties of potential danger. The popularity of online education made it really easy to commit online school scams. All you need is a good website, a couple of copywriters, good syllabuses and pictures here and there. If you have all that, at least 50% of the users are already believing you.

It is really hard to identify a legit online school nowadays. But, fortunately, it is not impossible. You just have to go step-by-step, pay attention to the small details, take everything you see slow and double-check every arising doubt.

Together with William Grabe the owner of EssayAdvisor company we have made a list of warning signs that may help you identify the scam.

5 Red Flags

1.   Accreditation status

One of the most crucial things in getting a degree is to have a proper educational body written on it. You wouldn’t go and get a college degree from elementary school in person. That is why you have to check carefully who claims that they have a right to teach you and even issue the diplomas. There may be at least two potential dangers: they don’t have an accreditation at all, or they don’t have the proper accreditation.

You always have to make sure that distance learning accreditation is officially recognised by the executive body of the country where it was issued. These bodies are obliged to have the list of accredited educational institutions published. And it is always safer to check before even starting to consider this as an option.

Plus, if the accreditation is legit, check what it is meant for. Sometimes online colleges don’t have the documents for all of the programs they offer. Always be attentive to that!

2.   Earning a degree is way too easy

If you come across an university that promises you a Master’s degree in 2 months, you have to just close the tab and move on. Online education sometimes takes even more time than in-person one. Although there might be exceptions, you have to stay realistic about the duration of the program and amount of exams.

And if the exams are too easy to pass, it simply means they teach you nothing here.

3.   Pressure to enroll

When you write the counselors at the online college for advice, and their response feels like a speech of an MLM salesperson, it is a huge red flag. No one should be pushing you into paying for the degree. If you feel the pressure – it might be one of the online university scams.

4.   Strange website

If the address does not end with an .edu, it is not always the sign of a scam, but you have to be extremely careful with these options. Also, if the website generally feels fishy, contains made-up names or addresses, pictures from the image stocks or an old design. You don’t want to trust those. A reliable institution will always make sure that all of the information is legit. And it is displayed in the best way possible.

5.   Unrealistic promises

When you search for the online degree, you may find the programs promise you the highest salaries immediately after you graduate. They post the prospect employers that seem so eager to hire you, and are just generally creating the image of success only after getting their degree.

Usually those colleges also ask for a lot of money in advance, claiming that you will earn a lot more after getting a degree.

The truth is that easy money does not exist in this way. Don’t trust these universities, stay in real life.

After all, when choosing an online college, always stay skeptical. Remember that it is better to pay more for a good education, than to pay twice for scams.