Phony and worthless college "degrees," sold through the mail, are robbing the gullible in the united States and abroad of an estimated 75 million dollars a year.
This is revealed in "Diploma Mills: America's Educational Underworld," a June Reader's Digest article by Ronald Schiller. He cites examples of fraud in California, Hawaii, Missouri, Idaho, New Jersey and many other states.
"When I applied for a degree at McKinley-Roosevelt university, in Chicago, I was offered almost any degree I wanted--for $100," says Schiller. "I asked about the courses to be taken, and the ‘president' replied: That will take you too much time. Why don't you take your degree now and get your education later? I'll recommend some books to read.'"
One diploma mill advises that "diplomas can be back-dated several years if you wish to show that you have had your training years ago and have lots of experience."
The article declares taht fraud becomes really dangerous when the degrees "confer the privilege" of practicing on the fringes of medicine and psychological counseling. A lesson mailed by the College of Divine Meta-physics in Indianapolis states: "There is no reality in tumor or cancer. People with these diseases are in a state of hypnosis. The practitioner must use skill and stratey in aiding the patient to be dehypnotized."
In the six months since the American Council on Education issued a report on diploma mills, reports Schiller, various government bodies have taken steps to eliminate them. Until this is accomplished, degree seekers are warned to ignore offers of "easy" or "quick-way" education.
is a member of the 
Be the first to comment on this article!