How to Avoid Diploma Mills and Get a Worthwhile Degree

I want to extent my congratulations to Russel Langley who outlines his search for a graduate program in "Degree Mills Are Cheapening Education." I applaud his aspirations to earn a graduate degree. I, too, am attending an online master's program. I chose one offered by a state school. For me, this was a good decision based on quality, flexibility and price.

My search also mirrored Langley's, with the number of questionable programs far outweighing legitimate ones. Finding the right "fit" in a graduate program is hard enough. Attending a program with a family and a job is even tougher. And shame on these diploma mills for taking advantage of a person's desire to get more education.

The sad fact is that many adult students are going into debt to pay for these diploma degrees. These students end up with tens of thousands of dollars (or more) of debt and a worthless diploma. Online programs may be the first ones you think of when you hear "diploma mill." Unfortunately some bricks-and-mortar institutions are also resorting to overpriced and undervalued programs. Here are some additional pointers to make sure you make the most of both your time and your money.