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Long Post, but good meat to chew on:

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15564 **11/7/15 8:11 am**

The following criteria are used by the Institute on Religion and Law to determine the institutional integrity of colleges, universities, and seminaries; ministerial associations; professional counseling associations, and other credentialing agencies. This list is reprinted from Chapter 4 of Name It and Frame It? New Opportunities in Adult Education and How to Avoid Being Ripped Off by 'Christian' Degree Mills," by Dr. Steve Levicoff (Institute on Religion and Law, 4th ed., 1995). Based on this, the criteria on the whole are generally referred to as the NIFI Criteria.

1. Is the school organized as a proprietary (profit-making) or not-for-profit corporation? While there are some legitimate proprietary schools in existence, keep in mind that a profit-making school generally has one primary goal - to make a profit. They may or may not provide a credible education. Remember, also, that when it comes to religious schools, many degree mills are also incorporated as non-profit organizations. However, if you find a religious school organized as a proprietary or profit-making institution, that should immediately raise a red flag.
2. Does the school claim accreditation by a regional or
professional agency other than one that is recognized by both
the U.S. Department of Education and CORPA? Unaccredited
schools that are legitimate don't claim accreditation at all;
if a school claims an unrecognized accreditation, chances are
that it's a degree mill. Be especially careful about any
schools claiming accreditation from the Accrediting Commission
for Schools, Colleges, and Theological Seminaries (ACI),
located in Beebe, Arkansas, or its predecessor, the
International Accrediting Commission for Schools, Colleges, and
Theological Seminaries, which was closed after an investigation
by the Attorney General's office for the state of Missouri (see
the story of ACI at the beginning of this chapter). An
interesting side note: ACI refuses to release a list of schools
accredited by the organization, a characteristic that speaks to
their lack of credibility. *All* legitimate accreditors (even
TRACS, about which I have expressed significant reservations in
this book) regularly publish a list of their member schools.
I'll go on the line with this one: *any* school that claims
accreditation by ACI is either too naive to realize they're
affiliated with a sham organization, or shrewd enough to use
their ACI membership to feign their own legitimacy with a
worthless accreditation.
3. Does the school claim that it is "investigating," "has been in
dialogue with," "is recognized by," or is "pursuing
accreditation" with a legitimate agency? Schools that use such
phrases are often, though not always, degree mills, since these
statements give no true indication about the institution's
chance for actually achieving accreditation.
4. Does the school attempt to overtly justify not being
accredited? One degree mill notes, "As long as we adhere to the
literal-intended [sic] meaning of the Word given to this
present dispensation of Grace, it will have God's approval; it
will be accredited by Him." If you think that's like using the
Lord's name to feign legitimacy, it might help to note that one
degree mill even claims to be accredited by "God Unlimited."
5. Does the school claim to avoid accreditation or purport to be
accredited by an unrecognized agency based on "separation of
church and state?" While some schools have legitimate
doctrinal reasons for not being accredited, be careful about
schools that use comments like, "We operate on principles of
church-state separation and non-governmental interference."
Autonomy for religious institutions is a legitimate goal, but
watch out for schools that use it as an excuse for
mediocrity...or worse.
6. Does the school claim to be accredited by organizations that do
not accredit institutions at all? Some of the degree mills
listed in this book claim to be accredited by the Internal
Revenue Service, the Library of Congress, and the National
Association of Evangelicals, none of which are in the business
of accrediting institutions of higher learning.
7. Does a school which is not accredited by a regional association
claim that regionally accredited colleges accept their courses
for transfer credit? If so, ask the school *which* regionally
accredited colleges accept their courses. If the school
hesitates in providing this information, it's a degree mill.
If the school *does* name one or more regionally accredited
institutions that allegedly accept their courses, call the
registrar's office at those schools to verify the claims. But
remember, there are always exceptions to the rule, and the
occasional recognition of credit for an unaccredited course
does not indicate that a regionally accredited college has a
general policy of accepting such coursework. The key question:
can you transfer credit for the courses you take to *any*
school of your choice? The only way you can guarantee this is
to take the courses themselves through legitimately accredited
schools.
8. Is the school listed in a standard directory of colleges such
as Lovejoy's or Peterson's guides? These directories are
available in any library as well as many bookstores, and
include profiles of legitimately accredited Bible colleges as
well as secular schools. The lack of a school's listing in a
general college or graduate school directory isn't a final
indication that it's a degree mill, but it should raise a red
flag.
9. Does a school claim that, while it doesn't offer degrees, its
courses are transferable to another school that does? With few
exceptions, the schools that will accept transfer courses from
a non-degree granting institution are diploma mills. Besides,
if you want to get a degree from "School A," why take the
courses from "School B?" Remember, there are a few legitimate
programs whose courses transfer to legitimate colleges. (These
include the Word of Life Bible Institute in Schroon Lake, New
York, and the Institute of Biblical Studies in Bellmawr, New
Jersey.) However, check any claims carefully, and verify their
truthfulness yourself *directly* with the school to which you
want to transfer the credits.
10. Does the school's catalog have a complete list of their own
faculty, and does the list include where they received *their*
degrees? (If not, they may have something to hide.) If they
are listed, are a large number of the faculty's degrees also
from unaccredited institutions? That, too, is a sign of a
degree mill.
11. Do an inordinate number of faculty members have one or more of
their own degrees from the school itself? That spells a home-
grown organization, and is often (though not always) an
indication of a degree mill.
12. Does the school list well-known persons as adjunct faculty
members based on the use of audio or video courses? For
example, a school may use course tapes featuring Billy Graham,
then claim that Graham is on their adjunct faculty. It's a
common degree mill tactic, and should raise questions about the
integrity of the school's program. Also be careful about
schools using the terms *invited instructor* or *visiting
lecturer*. Just because a school invites someone to lecture
doesn't mean that person is going to accept. (I can invite
Billy Graham to lecture at my school. Does that mean he'll
accept? Fat chance.) The term *visiting lecturer* can mean
someone who actually teaches an occasional full-length course
*or* a person who shows up to give a one-hour lecture once a
year. Be discerning.
13. Does the school list prominent persons on its board of
advisors? Listen up, campers: there's a major difference
between terms like board of advisors, board of directors, and
board of trustees. Directors or trustees are normally involved
in making significant policy decisions that affect an
institution. However, advisors merely *advise*, and their
participation in an institution is usually minimal. Let's say
that I start a degree mill, then call Billy Graham and ask him
to sit on my board of advisors. If he says yes, I get to use
his name to give my institution credibility. However, he will
neither teach at my school nor have any authority in policy-
making decisions. All I have to do is call him one or twice a
year and ask for his advice. (That's what makes him an
advisor.) Don't be misled by an impressive board of advisors
list; they mean nothing.
14. Does the school list persons to whom they have granted an
honorary degree? While some schools list persons who have
spoken at special functions or convocations, a school that
prominently features the names of persons who have allegedly
been granted honorary degrees is often a degree mill. The
caliber of a school's graduates (those who have earned, not
honorary, degrees from the institution) may, though not always,
be an indicator of their quality; a list of persons who have
been granted honorary degrees by the school is generally
irrelevant. The more prominently a school features such a
list, the greater the chance is that it's a degree mill.
15. If the school lists the number of students currently enrolled
as well as the members of the faculty, is the student-to-
faculty ratio realistic? A school that claims to have 5,000
students enrolled but lists only ten faculty members, for
example, would have a 500:1 student-to-faculty ratio. That
signifies a poor program. The average student-to-faculty ratio
in a credible ministry program should be 30:1 at maximum.
16. Does the school offer multiple degree titles within each level
of education? For example, some one mill offers degree titles
at the graduate level alone that include Master of Arts, Master
of Church Business Administration, Master of Biblical Studies,
Master of Christian Studies, Master of Religious Studies,
Master of Theological Studies, Master of Ministry, Master of
Divinity, Master of Theology, Master of Christian Counseling,
Master of Biblical Counseling, Doctor of Ministry, Doctor of
Divinity, Doctor of Theology, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of
Christian Counseling, Doctor of Biblical Counseling, ad
infinitum, ad nauseum. Legitimately accredited seminaries
generally offer only two or three degree titles at each
academic level, for example: Master of Arts and Master of
Divinity, or Doctor of Ministry and Doctor of Theology. Any
school that offers more degree titles than sound reasonable is
very likely a sham.
17. Does the school offer degrees with British (rather than
American) titles, or do they award degree titles other than
those normally offered by legitimately accredited schools?
Remember the survey of degree titles in Chapter 1? The most
common academic degrees awarded in the United States include
the Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy.
If you find an American school offering titles such as the
Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.), Doctor of Philosophy
(abbreviated D.Phil. rather than Ph.D.), or Doctor of Theology
(abbreviated D.Theol. rather than Th.D.), chances are that they
haven't met the licensing standards in their state that would
allow them to offer the more accepted degrees. Let me make it
clear: there is no *legitimate* reason for an American college
or university to offer degrees with a British title. Also, be
careful of schools offering "oddball" degree titles such as
Doctor of Apologetics (D.Apol.), Doctor of Christian Education
(D.C.E., rather than the more accepted Doctor of Education, or
Ed.D.), or Doctor of Biblical Studies (D.B.S.). The *only*
accepted doctoral degree title in ministry is the D.Min.
Again, any school offering odd degree titles is very likely
unable to qualify under their state's standards for offering
the more accepted degrees.
18. Does the school offer professional ministry degrees such as the
Master of Theology (Th.M.), Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.),
Doctor of Sacred Theology (S.T.D.), or Doctor of Ministry
(D.Min.) without a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) prerequisite?
In order to any of earn these three post-graduate degrees,
legitimately accredited schools *require* that students have a
previously earned Master of Divinity degree; a Master of Arts
or Master of Biblical Studies will generally not qualify a
student to enroll in a Th.M., S.T.D., or D.Min. program. If a
school is willing to enroll you in such a program and you do
not have an M.Div. degree already, chances are that the school
is a degree mill. (One exception to this is Dallas Theological
Seminary, a legitimately accredited traditional school, which
has a four-year Th.M. program rather than a three-year M.Div.
program. As with a few university programs in which students
go directly from a B.A. to a Ph.D. directly (even though they
do the equivalent work of both a master's and doctoral degree),
Dallas students move directly from their bachelor's degree to a
Th.M. However, the program takes four years and fulfills all
the requirements of both a normal three-year M.Div. and one-
year Th.M.)
19. Does the school sound too small to be credible? One Bible
college noted in their newsletter that in a recent semester
they had enrolled "9 students in the dormitory. In addition we
have 3 commuting full-time students, 8 part-time undergraduate
students, and 3 master's level students. This gives us a total
of 23 on-campus students." A school of that size is hardly
large enough to have a solid faculty, credible library, or
adequate resources to meet the needs of students in a higher
education program.
20. Are the school's degree requirements comparable to those of
legitimately accredited institutions? For example, a
legitimate Master of Divinity degree consists of about 96
semester hours. While some degree mills purport to have similar
requirements, others list an M.Div. credit requirement of only
36 semester hours. That's a dead giveaway. Another common
example is for schools to offer a Master of Theology or Doctor
of Ministry degree to students who have only a bachelor's
degree. Normally, both Th.M. and D.Min. programs require an
earned Master of Divinity degree as a prerequisite. Flexible
programs are nice, but beware of programs that seem *too*
flexible.
21. Is there more than one administrator or board member in the
same family? That, too, signifies a home-grown character.
Watch out for any school in which John Doe, Sr. is the
chancellor, John Doe, Jr. is the president, and Mary Doe is the
vice-president, etc.
22. Do administration or faculty members have more than one
doctoral degree, and are those degrees earned or honorary? If
you see a person listed who holds, for example, the "D.D.,
D.R.E., Lit.D., Th.D., and Ph.D.," there's either something
fishy about his credentials or he's been in school longer than
you and I have been alive.
23. Does the school's catalog make inordinate use of personal
testimonies? This may be fine if you're shopping for a
Christian diet plan, but it won't tell you anything about the
quality of an educational program. Remember that people who
offer testimonials may truly *believe* that they have
legitimate degrees, but that's not necessarily an indication of
reality.
24. Does the school offer credit for life experience at the
graduate level? Generally, experiential credits documented
through a learning portfolio are an accepted part of regionally
accredited non-traditional *undergraduate* programs. As a
general rule, however, legitimately accredited graduate
programs require that students pursue new learning and do not
offer credit for life experience at the master's or doctorate
degree level.
25. Does the school administer *unproctored* examinations for
correspondence courses? *All* legitimately accredited schools
that offer correspondence courses for credit require that
examinations be taken under proctored conditions, meaning that
the exam is supervised by a test proctor approved by the
institution in a controlled environment to ensure that the
student doesn't cheat or use an open textbook if it's not
permitted. Final examinations are generally sent directly to
the test proctor, who gives it to you to take, then mails the
completed exam back to the school. *Any* school that says they
will send you a final examination (as opposed to a quiz or
assignment, neither of which requires a proctor) and allows you
to take it at home without academic supervision is a degree
mill.
26. Does the school grant a master's or doctorate degree without
any residency whatsoever? This criterion is subjective on my
part, but I'll go for it anyway. I believe that graduate-level
degrees, especially in pastoral or counseling studies, should
have at least some degree of residency, even though the bulk of
the program might be non-residential, to ensure that the
student is learning how to competently apply skills that will
have a significant impact on other people. (For more on this
criterion, see Chapter 8.) Any school that purports to grant
ministry-oriented graduate degrees that are *totally* non-
residential is a degree mill. (Incidentally, I know of only
one regionally accredited school that grants a totally non-
residential master's degree, the California State University at
Dominguez Hills' M.A. program in Humanities. How many
regionally accredited schools grant a totally non-residential
doctorate degree? None.)
27. Does a theological seminary offer undergraduate degrees?
Generally, colleges offer degrees at the bachelor's level,
while seminaries offer only graduate degrees. There was a time
when the word *seminary* was used to signify a high school, but
that's rarely done these days. For the most part, seminaries
that offer bachelor's as well as graduate degrees are diploma
mills. There are a few legitimate exceptions (such as Columbia
Bible College & Seminary in South Carolina), but seminaries
claiming to offer undergraduate degrees without being directly
affiliated with a Bible college are often degree mills.
28. Does the school claim to use correspondence courses, tests, or
portfolio evaluation methods that have been developed by
legitimately accredited schools? Several degree mills have
purported to use materials developed by Columbia Bible College
& Seminary, the Institute for Theological Studies, Thomas
Edison State College, and other legitimate institutions, often
without the permission or authorization of those institutions.
If a degree mill claims to use the resources of accredited
schools, you may as well go directly to those accredited
schools so your studies will have legitimate value.
29. Does the school's catalog or marketing literature quote the
Sosdian-Sharp Study, a 1978 government survey indicating that
there is a high satisfaction level with non-traditionally
earned degrees? Virtually *every* school that refers to this
survey, some of which print adapted versions in their catalogs,
is a degree mill that misrepresents the survey's findings. The
study, which surveyed non-traditional program graduates about
their success in job promotions and graduate school admissions,
dealt solely with legitimately accredited institutions. Not
surprisingly, the degree mills don't mention that.
[The above refers to: Carol P. Sosdian and Laurie M. Sharp, "The
External Degree as Credential: Graduates' Experiences in
Employment and Further Study" (Washington, DC: U.S. Department
of Health, Education and Welfare, 1978).]
30. Does the school's catalog or brochure contain a statement
denying that the school is a degree or diploma mill? Listen
up, campers: any school that denies that it's a degree mill
most likely *is* a degree mill. Legitimate schools don't have
to make such an inane disclaimer.
31. Does a school or organization purport to certify you in a
particular profession, and if so, is it a legitimate
certification? Degree mills offer certifications that have no
professional validity at all. Because you're reading this
book, I can grant you status as a Certified Christian Non-
Traditional Education Specialist. With that and another fifty
cents, you'll be able to afford the other half-cup of coffee-
but not much more.
32. Does an organization or association offer to certify you in a
professional field (such as counseling) without your having to
take a board examination, or will they certify you without
requesting your academic transcripts? No legitimate
association would certify you without validating any
credentials you claim to have.
33. Does a school or organization purport to offer you professional
licensure? Don't buy into that one at all. Licensure is
granted by state licensing boards, not by schools,
organizations, or professional associations. Chances are that
any school or professional association that offers licensure is
a sham.

[ Continued from Part 1 ]

34. Is a church, seminary, denomination, or ministerial association
willing to ordain or license you as a minister without meeting
you? Most legitimate denominations and churches require a
biblical or theological education, supervised practicum, and
proof of your calling before granting you ministerial
credentials. Mail-order ministerial credentials may be legal,
but they're worth nothing in terms of legitimate ministry and
will end up doing more harm than good in terms of your
reputation.
35. Does a school or professional association place an undue
emphasis on the final product, such as an "attractive wall
certificate," or "beautiful diploma, suitable for framing?"
Generally, not only is such an organization a degree or
credential mill, you may be able to buy the diploma or
certificate outright.
36. Does a ministerial association or organization place an
emphasis on financial benefits such as hotel, motel, and car
rental discounts? These mean nothing, and are often available
through more legitimate means. Most hotel, motel, and car
rental chains offer discounted rates through the American
Automobile Association, for example, and with AAA membership
your expenses are covered if your car breaks down. In short,
if it's a discount you're looking for, you're better off with
AAA than with any ordination mill.
37. Does the school's catalog or brochure include a picture of a
sample degree or diploma? If so, does it look like an actual
university diploma? (If you've never seen a real diploma,
check with a local accredited college or university.) Many
schools print their "beautiful diplomas" on corporate stock
certificates, the paper for which is available from any legal
supply store or printing house. Beware: many of the sample
diplomas that appear in degree mill catalogs look totally bogus
to the experienced eye. If your own eye isn't experienced, be
discerning.
38. If you have seen a copy of the school's diploma, how is it
signed? If the president of a school uses a title in his or
her signature on a diploma, chances are that the school is a
degree mill. Standard protocol for diploma signatures is the
use of name only, not name and title.
39. Does the catalog emphasize the availability of school
paraphernalia such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, rings, or
other accouterments? That legitimate schools will have these
items available in their bookstores is a given; when their
availability is stressed in a catalog, it's a sign that you're
dealing with a degree mill so thorough that they have
manufactured the "signs and wonders" to go along with the
image. (And why not? After all, the paraphernalia is another
source of profit for the school itself.)
40. Does the school's catalog include any photographs of the
campus? If so, does the school look like a college, university,
or seminary? For example, the catalog of one degree mill shows
several students in front of a two-story house holding up a
banner with the school's name, a weak effort at illustrating
their "campus." Also, be careful of brochures or catalogs that
with photographs of the city in which the school is located but
not of the school itself. City photographs may be impressive,
but they don't tell you about the institution's facilities (or
lack thereof). Likewise, degree mills that have storefront
locations or are located in an office suite generally don't
print photographs of their "campus" at all.
41. Likewise, does the catalog of a school which offers only
external programs provide a beautiful, flowing description of
the city in which they're located? If most or all of your
studies will be external or non-residential, such descriptions
are irrelevant and often misleading in terms of the quality of
the school itself. Remember my hypothetical degree mill,
Levicoff Bible College and Theological Seminary? Let's say
that it's located in my home town of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. I can tell you that Philadelphia is "the
birthplace of our nation, where our founding fathers devoted
themselves to prayer as they penned the words of our historic
documents. Even now, millions of people a year visit such
historic sites as the Liberty Bell, Constitution Hall, and
Valley Forge Park. The metropolitan Philadelphia area is also
a center of higher learning that, in addition to major colleges
and universities, includes six medical schools, five law
schools, and several Bible colleges and theological seminaries.
The city is located along several major highways and is mid-way
between New York City and Washington, the national hubs of
commerce and government." Now, what have I told you about
Levicoff Bible College and Theological Seminary? Absolutely
nothing. Here's the message, campers: When it comes to
irrelevant facts, be discerning - not distracted.
42. Be careful for language that misrepresents a school's library
holdings or the relationship a school has with other libraries.
One degree mill, for example, claims to have a "small, remote
library." That can mean anything from a closet to a bookcase
in the living room in the home of the school's president.
Another degree mill makes a proclamation on the level of,
"While we are continuing to build our library, the Smith
library, which is located downtown and houses over 100,000
volumes of books, is available for our students for research.
The director of the library has given permission for our
students to use the library for their research projects. This
places the college and seminary in a great advantage regarding
research materials." What they don't tell you is that the
library they've named is a public library which *anyone* can
use, and that public libraries normally don't have extensive
collections of Christian or other theological works. (And, at
100,000 volumes, they were describing a *small* public
library.) If a school doesn't state up front how many holdings
(books, subscriptions, tapes, etc.) they have in their *own*
library, a red flag should go up immediately. Also, if a
school claims to have a "special relationship" with another
library, even a local college or university library, that
should also trigger some discernment. Most college and
university libraries are available for a student at *any*
school to use (even schools other than the one with which the
library is affiliated), and many of them are open to the
general public as well. And take it from an old campus-free
student, many Bible college and seminary libraries will let
*anyone* in.
43. Does the school's catalog or letterhead provide a street
address or only a post office box number? If a street address,
is there a suite number? (This is often a sign that the
address is a mail forwarding service.) The absence of a street
address does not necessarily indicate a degree mill in itself,
but when combined with some of the other factors in this list
it's a good indication that the school may be a degree mill.
44. If a school has an actual campus location, how long have they
been at that location? Beware of schools that have moved
often, or have relocated from state to state. The relocation
of a legitimate college, university, or seminary is a major
move. There are a few exceptions, but generally schools that
have a habit of moving from one location to another are either
too small to be legitimate or are degree mills that move to a
new state after their current state tightens its requirements
for institutions of higher education.
45. Is the school located in a state that exempts religious
colleges, universities and seminaries from regulation by the
state commission on higher education? These are a natural
gathering place for degree mills. Be especially careful about
schools located in California, Florida, Louisiana, and
Missouri. Religious degree mills can pop up in *any* state, but
these four seem to have the highest concentration.
46. Does the school have addresses in more than one state? A few
legitimately accredited schools have extension campuses (such
as Westminster Theological Seminary, located in both
Pennsylvania and California, and Reformed Theological Seminary,
with campuses in both Mississippi and Florida). However, many
degree mills operate in one state but declare "field offices"
in another state in order to be able to grant their "degrees"
from states that regulate institutions of higher education
minimally.
47. Is the school's telephone number listed in their local
telephone directory? It's worth a fifty-cent call to directory
assistance to find out if they have a phone number listed under
the name of the school itself. If not, chances are that you're
dealing with a degree mill. (Remember, however, that some
degree mills do list their numbers.) Also, do not be deceived
into thinking that a school is legitimate because they
advertise a toll-free number. Any business, as well as
individuals in many states, can get a toll-free number easily
(in many cases, the only cost is for individual calls made to
that number), and the existence of an "800" number is not an
indicator of a school's size or credibility. (In fact, many
degree and credential mills obtain toll-free numbers merely to
enhance the public's perception of their credibility.)
48. Does the school's tuition seem too cheap to be true? If so, it
probably is. A school that charges only a few hundred dollars
for a bachelor's degree, or only one or two thousand dollars
for a doctorate, is a degree mill. Such schools may attempt to
tell you that the reason their tuition is so inexpensive is
that (1) they're passing the savings of external studies onto
you, or (2) because they are not answerable to the government
or a regional accrediting association they can afford to charge
much less for their degrees. Don't believe it. (And remember,
even when it comes to education, you generally get what you pay
for.)
49. Does the school offer "combination" degree programs at a
discount? These are not the same as "dual majors," which are
often offered by legitimate schools at the undergraduate level,
but actually are offers for multiple degrees, for example,
bachelor's *and* master's, or mater's *and* doctorate. Only
degree mills tend to make such offers.
50. Does the school offer a substantial "cash discount" if you pay
the tuition for your entire degree program up front? This is a
classic bait technique that ensures that once they have you
they'll keep you, and no legitimate school would do it. Let me
digress for a moment and offer some practical advice: *never*
pay more up front than you have to. Even if you enroll in a
legitimate program, spread your tuition payments out as much as
possible. There are two reasons I make this recommendation.
First, making regular tuition payments is a motivating factor
that will help you pursue your studies with interest. What you
get out of something depends, in part, on what you put into it,
and making regular payments will remind you of the commitment
you're making to your higher education. (This is a secret
behind the success of many health clubs and gymnasiums, which
charge patrons several hundred dollars for an annual fee. When
the customer pays the entire fee up front, he or she often
exercises with enthusiasm for a few weeks, then loses interest.
The health club doesn't care; after all, they have all of their
money up front.) Second, spreading out your tuition payments
leave you with a way to get out if the program isn't what it's
cracked up to be. If you're not satisfied with the quality of
a degree program but have paid your entire tuition up front,
you can be sure that they won't be anxious to give you a refund
and you'll be stuck in a program with which you're unhappy (or,
you'll be out a lot more money if you withdraw). *Never* pay
for more than the course you're taking or the semester in which
you're enrolled (and, even then, use a monthly payment plan if
it's available). And, if you're not satisfied with the quality
of the program, don't feel guilty about withdrawing and
refusing to make further payments, even if you've signed an
alleged "contract." There's no reason you have to settle for
mediocrity (or worse) and, if you decide to withdraw, you don't
have to let a school intimidate you into making payments for a
program that doesn't cut it. If a school tries to make you pay
for a program with which you're not satisfied (and legitimate
schools generally won't do this), it may be worth consulting a
lawyer to uphold your rights. Remember, above all, that as a
student, you are a consumer of educational services and the
ball is in your court.
51. Does the school offer "scholarships" without knowing about your
academic ability or financial needs? A common degree mill
tactic is to mail you their literature and, if they haven't
received an application from you shortly thereafter, send you
another mailing offering you a "scholarship" or "tuition
discount." Be aware that this is a marketing ploy designed to
get you to enroll, and that no legitimate school would make
such a blanket offer.
52. Degree mills can sometimes be identified by the publications in
which they advertise. For example, does the school you're
considering advertise in Pulpit Helps? Also known as Pulpit &
Bible Study Helps, this national newspaper that claims a
circulation of 210,000 copies per month is published by AMG
International, a ministry in Chattanooga, Tennessee, affiliated
with evangelist Spiros Zodhiates. Pulpit Helps has quality
news and articles for persons in the ministry but, despite
advertising from many legitimate businesses, almost *every*
school that advertises in Pulpit Helps is a degree mill. (In
an audit of two year's worth of issues, I saw ads from only
three legitimate schools. The rest were diploma mills.)
Incidentally, the most degree mill ads tend to appear in Pulpit
Helps and Charisma. Publications with the lowest ratio of
degree mill ads are Moody Magazine and Christianity Today, but
even they're not immune. The publications in which schools
advertise are often, though not always, an indicator of
institutional credibility.
53. Do magazine or newspaper ads for a school include a photograph
of the school's president, provost, or chancellor)? Generally,
when legitimate schools feature *anyone* in their advertising,
it's usually one or more prominent faculty members. (One might
think of Eastern College's well-known ad featuring Tony Campolo
with the bold headline, "Tony Teaches Here!" Personally, I
think that's tacky, but even legitimate Christian schools have
gotten caught up in the marketing game.) Only degree mills
tend to feature their chief executive officer in their
advertising.
54. Speaking of advertising, beware of schools that advertise
through classified ads in *any* publication (including
legitimate magazines). Legitimately accredited schools use
only display advertising, not classifieds. Let me make this
point strongly: I have *never* seen a school advertise in a
classified ad that wasn't a degree mill.
55. What about the school's catalog itself? Does the school charge
for the catalog? With the exception of a few Ivy League
schools and large state universities, college and university
catalogs are generally free. For small schools, especially
religious schools, to charge for their catalog should
immediately raise a red flag; only degree mills tend to do it.
56. Does the catalog, in addition to listing *specific* degree
requirements, include both course titles *and* course
descriptions? Is it of a length and quality comparable to
catalogs from legitimately accredited schools?
57. Is the catalog or brochure commercially printed or just a
photocopy? Typeset or created with a standard typewriter?
Perfect bound (like a book) or simply stapled? Remember,
catalogs that have a poor appearance often give an accurate
representation of the school or a professional organization
itself.
58. Does the school claim that it's out of catalogs? Legitimate
schools rarely, if ever, run out of catalogs. If you have
requested a catalog from a school and they respond that they've
run out of them, it's possible that the school doesn't publish
a catalog in the first place. In short, if *any* school claims
that they do not have a catalog available for *any* reason,
your discernment level should rise immediately.
59. What about the letter that came with the catalog? Is it
printed on an actual letterhead produced by a commercial
printer, or on a letterhead that was run through a photocopy
machine? The poorer the letterhead (or the letter itself)
looks, the higher the chance that you're dealing with a degree
mill. Is the letter signed by an admissions director or by an
officer of the school (such as the chancellor, president, or a
vice-president)? The *higher* the position of the person
writing a recruitment letter, the higher the chance that you're
dealing with a degree mill. Is the letter personally addressed
to you, or is it a form letter? A legitimate school will take
the time to write you a personal letter. With all of these
criteria, however, keep in mind that if you are dealing with a
large degree mill, they may have sophisticated marketing or
recruiting techniques and their cover letter may look
legitimate. Another way of putting it: a letter that looks
good could still be from a degree mill, but a letter that looks
poor is almost definitely from a degree mill.
60. If you have received a letter from a school's president or any
other representative and he or she claims to have a doctorate
degree, how is the person's name signed? Here's a fine point
of academic protocol which you should be aware: the word
*doctor* and a degree title are never used together. A letter
may be written by "John Doe, Ph.D." or "Dr. John Doe," but
*never* by "Dr. John Doe, Ph.D." Not only is this redundant,
it's also an indication that ol' John Doe may have earned a
bogus doctorate degree himself. Remember that the old maxim,
"If you've got it, flaunt it," isn't necessarily true. A
person with a legitimate doctoral degree doesn't have to flaunt
it. Also, the name of a letter writer may indicate a degree
title, but the signature itself shouldn't. If a person hand-
signs his or her name with a title, that should also raise a
red flag.
61. Finally, what about the envelope in which the catalog or
brochure was mailed to you? Was the return address pre-
printed, printed on a label, or handwritten? (An envelope with
a handwritten return address is almost a sure sign of a degree
mill. It can also indicate that the school or organization is
very small or doesn't want to spend money on having their
return address printed on their envelopes.) Was your name and
address typed or handwritten? (If your address was handwritten
it doesn't necessarily indicate a degree mill, but the sloppier
the presentation the higher the chance that it is.) Was the
envelope stamped with postage stamps or by a commercial postage
meter? (Most legitimate schools and many of the larger degree
mills use postage meters. The use of stamps doesn't
necessarily signify a degree mill, but it does indicate a much
smaller school or organization.)
62. I know I started the last item with the word "Finally," but I
thought I'd throw in an extra criterion as a freebie. This is
one that, if you are a prospective student, you may not have
the opportunity to discern, but it's a degree mill indicator
nonetheless, so I've included it. If you've ever received a
bank check from the school, what is the size of the check
itself? Most individuals have been issued checks on their bank
accounts that measure six inches by 2-3/4 inches. These are
known as personal checks. Most businesses, on the other hand,
use business checks that measure about 8-1/4 inches by three
inches. If a school, professional association, or ministerial
association uses personal checks rather than business checks
for its own checking account, that should raise a red flag as
to the organization's size and credibility.

A note is appropriate here about one item not included in this list: the quality of the courses or materials offered by degree mills. It is possible to learn a lot that you don't know through some
degree mills, especially those which use materials developed at legitimately accredited schools or professional training organizations. The reason this factor is not included in the
criteria listed is that regardless of the quality of learning materials you use, if your degree will not be universally recognized as a legitimate credential you'll still end up with a worthless
degree. It is possible to receive a competent knowledge of subjects you might study through a degree mill, just as it's also possible to take a course through a regionally accredited school which doesn't provide you with as much knowledge. For better or worse, however, when you list a degree on your resume, it's the degree itself that will speak to your qualifications, not necessarily the amount of knowledge you have in a given subject. We have known of people who studied through degree mills and have been highly satisfied with what they've learned. That's no surprise, since even through a degree mill it's likely that you'll know more about many subjects than you did before you studied them at all. In some cases, you may even end up knowing more than persons who have taken similar courses through traditional schools.
But if your degree itself doesn't qualify you to teach in a legitimate school or pastor a legitimate church, or if it raises questions about the integrity of your higher education, it's not
worth it. In the past few years we have worked with schools, churches, and professional organizations that have considered candidates for positions. In some cases, the candidates appeared to have both talent and potential, but they were disqualified because of the
source of their degrees. Unfortunately, when most people shop for an education they don't pay attention to these important factors, and they don't realize they've been ripped off until it's too late.

Mat

OTCP, when did Lee become accredited?

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1979 **11/7/15 9:09 am**

OTCP

When did Lee become accredited? I think it started out as a short term Bible school to met the need for some training about the beliefs of the Pentecostal/Church of God Movement.

I would question a three or four year full time commitment to an unaccredited school. The time, the cost and the usefulness have to be questioned.

That said, some of the best Christian schools in operation today started out as unaccredited training classes to met a need.

History tells us that Homer Tomlinson was one of the first Church of God ministers to attend college (UT), yet the fact that his was an accredited education is not the primary hallmark of his legacy.

As I have said before, some of the greatest heresy flows from those we properly address as "Doctor."

Mat

UncleJD

Re: COG a Long Time Asked: Why would anyone go to a non-accredited institution?

Golf Cart Mafia Consigliere Posts: 3138 **11/7/15 10:21 am**

Dave Dorsey

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 13654 **11/7/15 12:07 pm**

Thumbs up, UncleJD. OTCP has spent his time in this thread answering a question that wasn't asked.

Old Time Country Preacher

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15564 **11/7/15 12:49 pm**

Carolyn Smith

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 5910 **11/7/15 1:20 pm**

Dave Dorsey

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 13654 **11/7/15 1:26 pm**

Once again: There are reasons for pursuing education beyond/other than getting a degree. Especially in a profession like pastoring, where functional knowledge is much more important to your success than having a degree.

(Not to in any way belittle those who pursue higher education, because there is enormous, but different, value in that as well.)

Trade school vs. degree-granting institution. Both have their place, some careers are more appropriate for one than the other. Legitimate, accredited, degree-granting institutions will always provide the highest caliber of education. However, in a career where functional knowledge is very important, a "lesser" education can be a very valuable investment of time and money and a "greater" education can in some situations be a waste of time and money. (Again, not to in any way belittle theological scholars, because they fill a crucial and vital role in the body of Christ. But not everyone is called to be a PhD.)

Old Time Country Preacher

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15564 **11/7/15 1:45 pm**

bonnie knox

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 **11/7/15 1:47 pm**

Are they all obsessed? We-e-e-e-ll, we are seeing a pattern. Confused

bonnie knox

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 **11/7/15 1:48 pm**

You know I'm teasing you, Ole Timer. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

Old Time Country Preacher

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15564 **11/7/15 1:51 pm**

Dave Dorsey

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 13654 **11/7/15 2:15 pm**

devil disturber

I received degrees from two non accredited schools

New Member Posts: 11 **11/8/15 11:14 pm**

Lee College (i.e. Lee University) and the Church of God School of Theology (i.e. Pentecostal Theological Seminary). I really did not realize either were unaccredited at the time I attended. Lee was moving from an accredited two year college to a four year program and had not been accredited by SSAC. When I first attend the Seminary it had been opened for only two years. If I and others who had not been willing to be apart of the program neither would have received accreditation. I received an excellent education from two unaccredited schools!

1

Aaron Scott

C6th Player...

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6032 **11/9/15 3:40 pm**

Well, I have to agree that there are some folks who, even if they know math like a genius, cannot teach to save their lives. But the problem is that an Education Degree does not "teach you to teach," for the most part.

Many of my colleagues have such degrees, but they are not specifically taught to teach. They are taught how to prepare a lesson plan, link to standards, etc., but not how to be "fascinating."

There are folks who simply can capture and engage a class with ease.

So, if neither the math major nor the education major have the ability to teach, then, for me, the math major, all things being equal, is the best to teach a math class. He is simply going to understand the content better, etc.

Beside, an education degree is typically consider one of the easiest degrees to obtain, and often becomes a holding pen, it seems, for students that can't make the cut elsewhere. Yes, some great academics come from there...but many poor students flow to it.