Employers, colleges, and government agencies don’t accept “diplomas” bought through online sites where the only requirement is an online test or life experience. Why? Because a cat can go online and buy that kind of diploma. At the GED Academy, an online study program that prepares you for the real GED, we hear a lot of stories from people who spent hundreds of dollars on a “high school diploma” from an online site, only to find out it was worthless.

John, from Lynbrook, New York, wanted to become a cop. He bought a “diploma” from a website, not realizing that they were only selling him a piece of paper. He found out that colleges and employers wouldn’t take it. Kimberly, the mother of two boys, was working at a school. She bought a “diploma” online for her job, only to find out that it was no good. She lost her job because she didn’t have an accepted high school equivalency diploma.

The actual GED exam is taken at an official test center. When you pass, the high school equivalency diploma is issued by your state department of education. The GED is accepted by almost all U.S. employers and colleges, including the U.S. military and police forces around the country. The American Council on Education (ACE), the organization that develops the GED exam, warns against fraudulent online “diplomas,” which cost unsuspecting people between $200 and $1,200, but are worth nothing.

It’s no secret that life is easier with a GED diploma. You’re qualified for more jobs, and you can go to college to train for a career. Plus, you gain the self-respect that comes with earning your diploma. A lot of people are afraid the GED will be too hard, though. They have jobs and children, and so they don’t have time for classes. Plus, they had a hard time in school and aren’t looking forward to another classroom.

Earning the GED doesn’t have to be hard, with the right preparation, and there are a lot of options for GED preparation. Traditional GED classes are often available for low cost at your local adult school, community college, or library, and GED preparation books are available at libraries, bookstores, and online.

The most promising new option for GED prep, though, is online learning. Many GED learners struggle with traditional textbooks, but online GED preparation can provide guided, interactive, easy-to-understand learning tailored to you. It’s better than a classroom for most learners because you can study at home, at your own pace. Through your computer, you can get personalized, one-on-one study time that helps you prepare for the GED quickly and easily.

Whichever kind of GED preparation works best for you, it’s important to make a commitment to get a GED, if you’re an adult without a high school diploma. As time goes on, the job market gets more competitive. More jobs require high school diplomas or college coursework. The GED is your chance to make up lost time, earn a diploma, and get on track for success.

If you type ‘GED’ into Google, legitimate information resources come up, but the first things you see are probably paid advertisements from ‘high schools’ offering online courses. If you read the fine print they don’t actually offer a GED (despite the ad’s headline), because the GED can’t be taken online. Instead, legitimate-sounding high schools with professional-looking websites offer you a diploma and claim that they’re accredited.
The questions to ask are: What is a diploma? What is accreditation?
A diploma is simply a paper that says you accomplished a certain academic feat: graduated high school, passed the GED, or graduated college. The value of a diploma depends on the academic requirements of the institution awarding it. If the academic requirements of an institution are simply answering a few questions online, a very low value is probably placed on that diploma by employers and colleges.
Accreditation is the other issue. Accreditation means that a school meets certain academic standards created by the educational body that is accrediting it. Again, you need to look at what academic standards are acceptable to the accrediting group. If simply answering a few questions online meets the academic standards of an accrediting group, then the accrediting group is probably not widely accepted by colleges and employers. Colleges and employers want to know that your GED or diploma means you proved your abilities.
Companies that provide diplomas for little or no work are called diploma mills, and their business is basically selling fraudulent diplomas for cash, costing from $200 to upwards of $1,000. Defrauded students lose their money, and they could face serious consequences for using a fake diploma on a job application. William Hillman was lucky that the consequences from his experience weren’t too severe. He spent $225 on a life experience diploma from an online service. “I got the diploma, only it turned out not to be a real one. And they checked up on the school at work, and well, I didn’t get the job [I was trying to get],” he says. “I learned my lesson, if they promise a diploma online they’re a fraud.”
How do you know if an online high school or education service is legitimate? Here are a few simple facts:
1.    No legitimate high school diploma can be offered entirely through an online test based on “life experience.”
2.    Real online high schools offer 1-year or 2-year programs, never a 1-week or 1-month delivery.
3.    Diploma mills usually advertise diploma verification services by phone or fax. Real educational services are more concerned with coursework than diploma verification.
4.    Online GED preparation programs can provide a diploma more quickly, but you must take the GED exam administered by your state.
5.    The GED exam cannot be taken online.
Legitimate online high schools exist, but sometimes they’re hard to distinguish from fraudulent ones. Ask yourself: Does this school require me to prove my abilities through academic coursework and testing? If I were hiring someone, would I be satisfied that this diploma proved their ability?

Fake GED diploma scams are a growing problem as the job market becomes more competitive and demanding. The pressing need for GEDs gives scammers an opening. So, beware and fight back.

Recently, New York Attorney General Mario Cuomo has gone after Robert Collins for reportedly offering fake at-home GEDs. The real GED cannot be earned in an online or at-home test. Cuomo says: “This man has repeatedly preyed upon Long Island and New York City residents who are simply trying to better themselves and increase their career opportunities.”

Meanwhile, fake online GED websites are an even bigger problem. KBJR in Deluth, Minnesota reports on an online website which offers a diploma and school records for $300 and an online test. “Most reputable companies will not accept a diploma or a GED from an online company; they’ll only accept the GED through the state of Minnesota,” states Barb Grieman of the Better Business Bureau.

What do these two reported GED frauds have in common? The certificates they award are based on online or at-home tests, not on the GED exam, which can only be taken at an approved test center and awarded by your state department of education.

The GED is not too hard, but it does test your real skills and abilities. That’s why employers and colleges accept it. The real GED is carefully designed and administered to show that you can demonstrate high-school level skills. Legitimate programs help you study online and at home, but no one can offer a GED diploma except your state department of education.

If you learn about a fake GED diploma scam, or if you were the victim of a fake GED diploma scam, make your story known, and stop others from wasting their money on fake GEDs.

The Internet has brought with it many kinds of fraud: fake e-mails from banks or the IRS, pleas for international assistance promising wealth, and dishonest buyers and sellers on E-bay. Now, online education is blighted with its own scam artists: fake high schools.

39 million American adults don’t have a high school diploma, disqualifying them from higher education and better jobs. More and more of these adults are seeking ways to earn a high school or GED diploma. “The Internet offers a lot of options,” says Michael Ormsby, president of The GED Academy. “It offers convenience and personalization. But it’s riddled with fraud.”

If you type “GED” into Google, legitimate information resources come up, but the first things you see are probably paid advertisements from “high schools” offering online courses. If you read the fine print… they don’t actually offer a GED (despite the ad’s headline), because the GED can’t be taken online. Instead, legitimate-sounding high schools with professional-looking websites offer you a diploma and claim that they’re accredited.

The questions to ask are: What is a diploma? What is accreditation?

A diploma is simply a paper that says you accomplished a certain academic feat: graduated high school, passed the GED, or graduated college. The value of a diploma depends on the academic requirements of the institution awarding it. If the academic requirements of an institution are simply answering a few questions online, a very low value is probably placed on that diploma by employers and colleges.

Accreditation is the other issue. “Accreditation” means that a school meets certain academic standards created by the educational body that is accrediting it. Again, you need to look at what academic standards are acceptable to the accrediting group. If the academic requirements are simply answering a few questions online, then the accrediting group is probably not widely accepted by colleges and employers. Colleges and employers want to know that your GED or diploma means you proved your abilities.

Companies that provide diplomas for little or no work are called “diploma mills,” and their business is basically selling fraudulent diplomas for cash, costing from $200 to upwards of $1,000. Defrauded students lose their money, and they could face serious consequences for using a fake diploma on a job application. William Hillman was lucky that the consequences from his experience weren’t too severe. He spent $225 on a “life experience” diploma from an online service. “I got the diploma, only it turned out not to be a real one. And they checked up on the school at work, and well, I didn’t get the job [I was trying to get],” he says. “I learned my lesson, if they promise a diploma online they’re a fraud.”

How do you know if an online high school or education service is legitimate? Here are a few simple facts:

• No legitimate high school diploma can be offered entirely through an online test based on “life experience.”
• Real online high schools offer 1-year or 2-year programs, never a 1-week or 1-month delivery.
• Diploma mills usually advertise diploma verification services by phone or fax. Real educational services are more concerned with coursework than diploma verification.
• Online GED preparation programs can provide a diploma more quickly, but you must take the GED exam administered by your state.
• The GED exam cannot be taken online.

Legitimate online high schools exist, but sometimes they’re hard to distinguish from fraudulent ones. Ask yourself: Does this school require me to prove my abilities through academic coursework and testing? If I were hiring someone, would I be satisfied that this diploma proved their ability?

For more information about online diplomas, visit passGED.com or check out these news articles:

“Diploma Mill Calling: Continuing Ed Without the Ed” New York Times

“Cracking Down on Diploma Mills” CBS News

“First-Degree Fraud” Houston Press

“Database Fights Diploma Mills” Wired

“Scholarly Shams and Scams: Awareness Leads to Avoidance” Automotive Mechanic Schools

“Fake Diplomas: A threat to higher education” Symmetry Magazine

Degreeboard.com Diploma Mill News

“How to Identify a Diploma Mill” propeller.com

“Degree Deception” ganthead.com

In our modern society, we expect convenience and immediacy. Technology has made online banking, online classes, and online living a part of daily life. Many people looking for high school diplomas are asking: why isn’t there an online GED test?

Since 1942, more than 12 million adults have earned GED diplomas. Still, today there are over 39 million adults without a high school diploma, and the demand for a high school education is higher than ever. Because of this, there is a growing demand for the GED. Meanwhile, the Internet has given us many new options–online shopping, online gaming, and online classes. More and more people are asking: Can I take the GED online?

The GED test cannot be taken online or at home. “‘Why not? It’s just a test, isn’t it?’ is what students ask,” says Michael Ormsby, president of The GED Academy. The GED, he explains, is not really just a test. Passing the GED test is a significant accomplishment; GED certificate holders have higher skills than a third of high school graduates. The 95% of colleges and employers that accept and value the GED need to know that a GED credential is a substantial, meaningful achievement. The GED test is designed to be a valuable measure of basic skills in reading, writing, social studies, science and math as well as important skills in critical thinking, evaluation, and problem solving. To ensure the validity of these measurements, the GED is administered in a controlled environment by a proctor, where the identity of all test-takers can be checked. The careful design and administration of the GED test gives it value to employers, colleges, and ultimately test-takers.

Unfortunately, unscrupulous businesses are always ready to take advantage of people who are looking for an easy way to make up for not graduating high school. Online “high school” tests and schools are often worthless “diploma mills,” cheating customers out of $200 to $1,000 for a diploma that will be rejected by savvy employers and colleges.

A real GED can increase adults’ overall income by $350,000 over the course of their lifetimes, and if GED graduates go on to trade school, community college, or a university, their total lifetime income could be almost a million dollars higher. The value of the GED comes not just from a piece of paper but from having the measurable GED skills that are essential in today’s job market. For more information about GED online study programs, visit: www.passged.com

For more information:
http://www.passged.com/index.php
Contact: Michael@essentialed.org
Michael Ormsby
888-880-2164

By Leonard Williams

For today’s student, distance learning can provide a valuable and affordable way to work toward a GED, the best way for an adult to demonstrate the skills learned by the average high school graduate. But there are a growing number of companies and schools who aren’t really in the business of education. Instead, they’re in the education business — their biggest business is selling quick and easy programs or simple online tests that come with worthless transcripts and fake diplomas.

In most cases, the GED — the term for General Education Development credential — is the only official ‘diploma’ that has value and is meaningful for adults who never completed their high school education. There are exceptions. But as a rule most transcripts and diplomas ordered or obtained from online high schools are worthless. Unfortunately, students and adult learners are often misled — and easily misled — by these diploma factories or diploma mills. Here’s a recent letter from a new GED student, who learned about one education business the hard way:

“I paid $250 and got this paper in the mail, but it didn’t help me get a better job. It was a ripoff. It wasn’t till my boss told me that I found out it wasn’t a real high school. It wasn’t even a real high school diploma, just something somebody made on a computer. But it looked like a real school. With a real test.”

This student’s story is typical and more common every day. Many adult learners fall victim to diploma scams, usually paying $200 to $800 in tuition, testing, and transcript or diploma fees. But because the school or program isn’t accredited, the diploma has no value … it’s meaningless. When it comes to employers, job training programs, tech school, community colleges and universities, bogus diplomas are useless.

But a GED credential is useful. For today’s 39 million or more adults in the US who never graduated from high school, passing the GED test is a passkey to both career and educational opportunities. Approximately 95 percent of employers and 97 percent of US colleges and universities accept the GED because it really is an official, accredited ‘diploma.’ It’s meaningful, and it has real value.

When choosing an education program, a student’s best bet is a GED solution, whether enrolling in a local class, an online preparation program or managing self-guided study through the selection of quality study materials. If online learning or distance learning is the best solution for you, look for a program, class or choose materials that include all the components needed to prepare for the GED test.

Here are some guidelines for choosing a real online GED program provider and avoiding bogus schools or fake diploma scams:

The American Council on Education (ACE), GED Testing Service, has tight guidelines for the GED. The test covers science, social studies, language arts reading and writing, and math – including algebra, geometry and data analysis. Find a program that includes all testing areas; avoid any solution or school that doesn’t include all test areas or information about test areas and ACE requirements. Learn more at www.gedtest.org.

GED Practice Tests are available online and are a good way for a student to determine what to study to get ready for the test. But the real GED test cannot be taken online! The test is only given at official test sites. So avoid any company that claims to offer the official GED test or a quick online version for a diploma. For a listing of official test sites and state contacts, visit.

More Resources
For additional GED study tips, test information and free resources on the GED test, including financial aid and student support, visit passGED.com. The website also provides links to federal agencies and nonprofits that serve GED students, instructors and workforce development programs. For a list of official GED testing sites and administrative contacts, visit Test Sites.

©2006 Essential Education Corporation. / www.passGED.com
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