A Long-Distance Diploma

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What about schools that claim no accreditation? Though lack of accreditation does not necessarily mean that an institution is bogus, it does place the onus on the student to assess the legitimacy and quality of a school's offerings.

And with literally thousands of properly accredited programs to choose from, sending your hard-won dollars off to an institution with no or suspect accreditation seems an unnecessary and easily avoided risk. Both ED (1-800-USA-LEARN) and CHEA can provide you with a list of recognized accreditors.

A f ew final words on accreditation: While it may ensure that an institution is not a, scam, it does not guarantee that it will meet your personal or professional goals. You will still need to examine the curriculum, as well as talk to faculty and, if possible, students and alumni to make sure that it's right for you.

Also, keep in mind that not all accredited institutions are created equal: Harvard University and your local community college may both be accredited, but that does not mean that both will carry the same weight with employers, nor does it automatically guarantee that the higher-ranking school will accept credits transferred from the lower-ranking school.

And finally, be aware that while there are some specialized national accreditors (DETC, for one) most traditional colleges and universities are regionally accredited. A common ploy on the part of the fake schools is to claim national, or even worldwide, accreditation.

You Should Worry When ...

...a school raises more red flags than the fans at Boston's Fenway Park.

While researching this article, MOTHER uncovered this gem of an operation. Read on for a signs-to-watch-for primer that'll leave you better prepared to spot potential trouble.

The classified ad promised degrees of all levels, "granted on basis of experience." It also included a web address: www.heri.com. I visited the site and found myself scrolling down the pages of the Higher Education Research Institute (HERD, which billed itself as a free consumer referral service dedicated to helping prospective students find a suitable "degree-completion" program. The service claimed to be aimed at folks with substantial life or work experience in a given area, who are looking to receive academic degrees for work already done. Based on a preliminary evaluation form, HERI promised to refer students to either the "private, nonprofit university" with which it was "affiliated," or another appropriate academic institution. HERI, incidentally, listed its address as Honolulu, Hawaii.

I called HERI's toll-free number and, as instructed by the recorded voice at the other end of the line, left my name and home mailing address. Days later, I received in response an envelope from the Academic Resource and Referral Center (ARRC) of Louisville, Kentucky. Included in the ARRC packet was a preliminary evaluation form. It was requested that I complete this form, attach a brief statement explaining why I felt I already qualified for the degree I was seeking (a master's degree in journalism), plus include an "informal list" of my past education and employment. I was asked for no supporting documentation (academic transcripts, etc). Within 14 days, I was told, I would be referred to one or possibly two universities "drawn from a pool of more than 500 universities."

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