In summer, the degrees go up. At American World, in summer, college degrees go down.

OK, I admit I'm on a Maxine Asher kick at the moment. A friend just loaned me a personally autographed copy of "Waves of Atlantis", which I've read. (short review: even for science fiction, it's completely implausible and the story isn't very well thought out) This, in turn, brought American World U. onto my radar, and the headline of this thread is Maxine's latest gimmick.

If you act now (before August 31st) you can get one of Maxine's famous worthless degrees for only $1400... complete with accreditation by the equally worthless World Association. I have to assume that the sale is to help Maxine raise money for another Atlantis research trip.

What's really frightening (if true) is the claim that American State is currently "serving" more than 5,000 students. And they've provided "successful" degree programs to students for 11 years.

Interestingly, the site doesn't mention accreditation at all, doesn't state from where the school operates, or by what authority it grants degrees... but relies heavily on the fact that they've been proudly fleecing students for over 11 years.

It's amazing to me that anyone would actually fall for this... it seems incredibly amateurish compared to some of the scams out there... but it must be working.

 

Chip, it seems remarkable and almost unbelievable because you are thinking rationally. I just don't believe most of the folks that "fall" for a degree from Maxine's so called school, or any other similar "school", is fleeced at all. I am convinced that the vast majority of graduates know full well the lack of credibility but have deluded themselves just enough to believe that no one else will know or that for them, it isn't the same. They rationalize and make excuses all the while knowing why they must do so.

Given certain circumstances, it takes very little for some people to rationalize away the obvious in an effort to avoid what is uncomfortable, difficult, or challenging. Just as an enabler rationalizes away the destructive drinking habits of their partner, so does a "graduate" of a bogus school rationalize away the obvious nature of its credibility. Both are fully aware of the circumstances and neither is being conned or fleeced. They choose to be "taken advantage of" for what they see as some perverted benefit to them.

Bottom line is that many people are willing to risk some measure of being "found out" in return for purporting to be a college graduate. The payment of $1500 provides the carrot of rationalization needed to make that leap from openly acknowledging its worthless nature to being able to push that rational thought just far enough down to accept their excuses for why it was worthwhile for them.

Paul C.

 

As many know, John Bear's article last year in University Business discussed, among other things, just that: the nature of the customer of a degree mill. Is he/she an innocent victim or co-conspirator?

I'm sure there are people who get "taken in," especially by "less-than-wonderful" schools who have some semblance of an academic process. There may even be people naive enough to think that sending a diploma mill their transcripts and resume in return for receiving a degree is somehow okay. But I'm convinced that the vast majority of diploma mill customers know what they're doing and are using the process and product to fool people.

Take a look at the promotional literature of some of these places, especially the FAQs. There is often a lot of junk about what the diploma will look like, whether or not a transcript will be issued, whether or not the dipoma and/or transcript will indicate how the degree was earned, etc. There is not a lot of information about academic processes, study paths, etc. No, diploma mills don't set out to fool their customers. They set out to assure their customers that the scam both are about to perpetrate will succeed without the customer being found out.

While I'm not as interested in others in pursuing people claiming in public these fake degrees, nor am I too sympathetic about their plight.

Rich Douglas

 

Just last night I spent about an hour perusing the schools listed in a publication called "Pulpit Helps." 90% of the schools listed have no legitimately recognized accreditation. One school in Florida boasted 14,500 grads in 75 countries, another boasted of some 10,000 grads, another 12,000, with one school offering the doctorate for the special price of only $400.

IMO, this is only the tip of the iceberg. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people (worldwide) who have obtained degrees from such schools, and are no doubt using them in their professional/public lives.

Russell

 

Paul, I agree 100%. I think the vast majority of mill customers know exactly what the score is, and don't care. I do believe that some well-intentioned people get caught up in the false promises of the mills and fall victim to thier own naiviety, but that they're a small percentage. For example, the court adminstrator in Arizona with the Columbia State Bachelor's degree on GMA. I can't explain why, but I think he got suckered, call it a hunch.

Bruce