22
Jan

2014

Be Aware Of Diploma Mills When Pursuing Your GED

Jan 22, 2014 | 8:00 am
Education
No Comments

diplomaIf you have been thinking about finally biting the bullet and taking the necessary steps to earn your high school diploma or GED, you are not alone. Millions of Americans who didn’t earn their high school diploma during their high school years are looking to fulfill the requirements for earning a GED and the vast majority of them are doing it online. And while there is no system set up yet for students to take the actual GED test itself online, there are websites specifically geared toward helping students adequately study and prepare themselves to take the test.

There are certain fees associated with the coursework and instruction that is necessary for students to work toward their high school equivalency exam which by definition means that earning a GED has become a business. And like any other business or industry there are some unsavory characters who attempt to take advantage of people in need of the product or service that the industry offers. The online education business is no exception and as such students who are looking to pursue their GED online need to be aware of the potential scam artists and illegitimate “companies” that set up websites offering high school diplomas.

There several such scam websites on the internet, so many in fact that they have earned the nickname “diploma mills” because they sell worthless and unaccredited diplomas to students. Many of these websites are very sophisticated and professionally set up so it can be very difficult to tell which ones are legitimate and which ones are not. There are certain things that you can look for that are good indicators that a website offering a high school diploma is a scam.

First of all, as was mentioned early on in this article, the GED exam itself cannot be taken online regardless of what state you live in. Believe it or not, as sophisticated as many of the fake websites are, they often are unaware of this fact and offer students the opportunity to take the exam through their site for a fee. It is important to understand that while a formal high school degree can be earned online, the GED specifically must be earned by way of an in person exam. The GED Testing Service is a formal and nationally recognized testing facilitator that administers the GED exam and it is the only one in the United States that does so.

Also, be aware of the costs involved when you visit a GED site. The registration costs for taking the GED exam vary between states but typically they are all well under $100. Many diploma mills can charge up to $300 to take the exam through their site. When it comes to getting your GED, doing your coursework and study preparation online is a great way to do it and many people find it to be an infinitely more convenient alternative to mail correspondence or night classes. Just remember that there is no legitimate online GED exam and any site that offers one is trying to scam you out of your hard-earned money.