There are many degree farms who offer fake degrees. Here we list the top 10 most common warning signs that a school is offering a worthless degree.

1. The university you plan to attend is not accredited.
2. The university you plan to attend is accredited but is not reconized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Internet based ‘degree farms’ get their accreditation by fake accreditation agencies that they have created themselves. These fake accreditation companies often have names that sound prestigious. Contact CHEA for a list of valid names of accreditation agencies in the United States.
3. Admissions from your prospective college or university tells you that a online or distance learning school can not be accredited by a CHEA agency. This is simply not true and any worthwhile school will be accredited.
4. Be careful of college and universities that offer degrees in a certain country, but are not located within the country they offer the degree for. This often indicates so called ‘degree farms’ who only want your money in exchange for a piece of paper. Check that the school is accredited with a CHEA agency.
5. The criteria for admission requires a valid credit card. Your previous G.P.A. and school records play no role in the decision.
6. The prospective college or university does not list the faculty and staff, or the faculty and staff themselves have attended unaccredited colleges or universities. It is even possible some of the faculty will have no degree what so ever.
7. A degree will be awarded to you based on your resume or career experience. A distance learning college or university with valid accreditation will often substitute some credits for work experience but will not issue a degree soley on work experience alone.
8. A promise is made that you will receive a degree for a flat fee, usually between $2,000 to $3,000 for higher level degrees. Accredited universities and college charge per credit or course for tuition and fees. Your total expenses will vary depending on your program of study.
9. Always check with the Better Business Bureau. They keep records of complaints filed against all businesses, including colleges and universities.
10. A promise is made that you will receive a diploma within 30-90 days of program enrollment. Degree farms like these are just selling paper and do not care about your education.

While the popularity of online schools has increased in recent years, the same colleges and universities still offer courses at traditional campus based locations. Almost every university or college that offer on-line courses have campus locations in major cities throughout the U.S. The campus locations offer the same programs as their on-line counterpart, but in the comfort of a campus learning environment.