No doubt about it. Everyone is looking to get ahead and sadly for many, they are just looking to break even in today’s economy. A new or better job or job training are clearly ways to make some gains.
But, wait! Didn’t your BBB warn job seekers about rip-offs like CareerHotline who use reputable newspapers like the Post to advertise high paying jobs while requesting upfront fees ($195 is a lot when you don’t have a job) for services never delivered? What about applying for free government grant money for career training or to start up a new business? But wait! Didn’t your BBB warn against those ill-fated grant scams making false promises of money that is never paid back only after you pay it forward with again, advanced and upfront fees?
And of course, there are our favorite opportunities for advancement such as National Medical Academy located in Baltimore. This training program offers LPN/RN training though in June 09, Maryland issued a cease/desist order to discontinue leaving those who paid thousands of dollars for training in the high demand field of nursing were left “holding the bag”. The reason? The Academy’s training credentials were not certified, therefore not accepted by the Maryland Board of Nursing!
Well, here’s another one to add to the list. For Marylander’s looking to rise above minimum wage and to get into reputable training programs, the completion of a high school diploma is a must! The Editorial Projects in Education (EPE) Research Center published it’s 2006 findings noting US schools had overall a 65% rate of high school graduation compared to 2006 Maryland rate of 75.3% (which was the same rate for 1996 by the way!).
And, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, 15-20 percent of all new high school credentials issued each year are GEDs. So of course, leave it to scamsters to find a way to prey on that rather large group of individuals looking to better themselves through education and training.
Your BBB recently reported an online high school program, Jefferson High School Online (JHSO), owned by a company based out of St. Kitts (yep, the Caribbean) who has a physical office in Mexico and a drop box in Arizona. For a $200 fee, prospective students answer a questionnaire that asks “life experience” questions about the music they like, how often they read, even how physically active they are. JHSO states this portion of the test will count toward “elective and life experiences credits.”
After students complete the questionnaire, they are given a multiple choice test in language arts, math, science and social studies. What’s so cool about this is if a question is answered incorrectly, hints are given and the student is given three more chances to select the correct answer from the FOUR possible answers given! Wow – if only our driver’s tests were that easy!
Anyway – JHSO charges for the official diploma and transcripts and what you’ll find when you TRY to enroll in your local community college or training/tech school is - the diploma is worthless! It is not a credentialed or valid program and this online diploma mill is “red flagged” by many higher education and job training campuses across the US.
So, BBB along with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offer these tips to students who are considering completing their high school diploma or college degrees online:
· While there are legitimate online high school diploma programs, check with your local community college to make sure the program you’re considering is accredited and accepted by colleges and vocational schools.
· Watch out for websites that grant degrees/diplomas for “work or life experience” alone. Accredited schools may give a few credits for specific experience pertinent to a degree program, but not an entire degree.
· Operations that guarantee a degree/diploma in a few days, weeks, or even months aren’t legitimate. If an ad promises that you can earn either very quickly, it’s probably a diploma mill.
· Check the BBB A Team Online Video Directory to find companies you can trust.
· More information about online schools and diploma mills is available through the FTC or by calling 1-800-FTC-HELP.
So, heads up on scams designed to help you get ahead but leave you way far behind (sometimes in that proverbial financial hole) and be sure and check out Joce’s video on diploma mills. Talk soon! Angie
