Diploma Mills 101

When I saw the phenomenon 'diploma mill' mentioned in the thread Jared v. Hovind, I decided to try and see how far I could get obtaining a diploma in this way.I googled "get a phd" and landed at Belford University. Some quotes from their homepage:

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Add bachelor's, master's or doctorate degrees to your resume in just 7 days and open avenues to promotion and better jobs!

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Regardless of your age, sex, marital status, or location, you can receive an accredited degree online in your desired field. All you need is sufficient work, military, or life experience OR the minimum passing score of Belford’s Online Equivalency test and you are already on your way to an instant degree in your relevant field.

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MASTER'S DEGREE ONLINE
Belford University's online master's degree program offers a wide range of majors from which to choose for an accredited master's degree. You can also get a degree of your choice whether it is an MBA degree online or a degree in any other major.

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I decided to go for a master's degree, taking the online equivalency test. I signed up as George Bush, (my emailaddress was president@whitehouse.gov) and was greeted thus: Then I was presented with 8 questions on reading comprehension which were fairly easy. Next, I got 10 questions about language errors, no problem either. Next, 10 math/arithmetic questions, simple. Then 10 general knowledge questions about things like astronomy, physics, physiology, genetics and such. Nothing I didn't know or couldn't google. Lastly, I was asked 5 questions about logical deduction, which were not hard either, although I didn't want to think too long about them and just guessed some of them.Then, to my surprise, I was already done. I was presented with my test result: (Well, nobody's perfect.)So I proceeded to order my degree, I could choose from a wealth of majors, some of which had nothing in common with the subjects of the questions I was asked. I chose physics, and I awarded myself "Summa Cum Laude" (after all, it was only $75 extra). (See pictures.) All of this had taken me about an hour and a half.The only thing left to do was spend another hour or so fantasizing a resume for them to evaluate, accompanied by the right payment and my diploma would be sent to me within 7 days.I am not going to pay of course, so I'll have to go through life without a prestigious title from Belford University added to my name. Too bad.By the way, here's the order form of another diploma mill called Ashwood University: Am I having visions?This message has been edited by Parasomnium, 27-Apr-2006 11:29 PM

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"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science." - Charles Darwin.

Very scary don't you think? How many people actually use those titles to get into jobs they shouldn't be in?A few young people we know who wanted their GED, paid $165 and brought the test home to complete. They mailed the test back and if they didn't pass, then the test was returned to them to try again after the wrong answers were marked.Is education losing it umpf?

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"Peshat is what I say and derash is what you say." --Nehama Leibowitz

Well, I remember that recently there was a young brat at Nasa who was sent by the US government to tell the scientists there that the Big Bang was "just a theory", or some such nonsense. It appeared that this fellow didn't really have the scientific education his diplomas said he had. It was a big scandal, I believe.Did you know that there are even diploma mill accreditation mills? I just found out about that when I clicked on the accreditation logo of Belford University. After clicking a little further, I found this:

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Belford University became an accredited institution soon after its inception because of its impressive curriculum that made UCOEA select Belford University as an accredited institution.

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How on earth can an accreditation institute come up with a kindergarten sentence like that?

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"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science." - Charles Darwin.

From the look of it, it doesn't take much to become accreditedI like this one: I assumed that accredited meant the academic requirements of the university had to meet some educational standard relevant to the degree.Apparently not online.

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"Peshat is what I say and derash is what you say." --Nehama Leibowitz

It makes me think what I'm working my ass off for - maybe I'll just buy a degree in biology and then buy a scientific discovery.
Of course, I am not studying biology for the money, because there hardly is any, and a Bsc. is worthless unless you intend to get a masters degree.

I've got a Bachelor of Science degree and it landed me a sweet job with a good salary. Its worth a lot.

Well, according to my latest findings, a Bsc. is worth $449 (with free shipping).

Where did you buy yours?

The University of Illinois. It cost a bit more than a couple hundred bucks and the testing was a bit more extensive.

I guess you weren't smart enough to be admitted to Belford University.

In what area? Because I'v been told by people that got a degree that there is almost nothing to do with it in Israel (maybe somewhere else there is).

ILL............. INII am also an Illini.Computer Engineering 1998

INI! I noticed the hat on you your dog before but never brought it up. MatSE 2003, you graduated the year before I started.Lotta fun, that place.

I gotta engineering degree in the US and was working as a chemist, hence the 'Scientist' part of my nickname, but have recently been promoted to an engineering position.

Maybe too smart...