“Diploma mills (or degree mills) are substandard or fraudulent ‘colleges’ that offer potential students degrees with little or no serious work. Some are simple frauds: a mailbox to which people send money in exchange for paper that purports to be a college degree. Others require some nominal work from the student but do not require college-level course work that is normally required for a degree.” Oregon: Office of Degree Authorization
Two organizations provide lists of accredited institutions:
- U.S. Department of Education: Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs
- Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA): Database of Institutions and Programs Accredited by Recognized United States Accrediting Organizations
The following states provide lists of unaccredited and/or suspect schools:
- Hawaii: http://hawaii.gov/dcca/ocp/udgi/civil-enforcement-lawsuits
- Maine: http://www.maine.gov/education/highered/Non-Accredited/a-am.htm
- Michigan: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Non-accreditedSchools_78090_7.pdf
- Oregon: http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.aspx
- Texas: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/index.cfm?objectid=6941C34E-DF3E-4B42-288239D3FC3ACD29
Related Resource:
Education Verification