Degree mills....anyone know anything about buying degrees?

[FrancisK]

A friend of mine his now boss at work did this to move up in his job and was actually open about it. He already had some crap marketing bachelors and picked up another business degree, he did a "certification" to receive it which I'm sure was just a formality and of course made a large cash payment for it. I don't know the details exactly, I was curious what you guys thought and if anyone had any experience with sort of thing.

 

[kel]

Can't offer advice, never done it. I don't know about the business world, but in my field once you've got a (respectable) job or two on your resume people probably aren't looking at your schooling, and it's very unlikely they're going to check in any meaningful way. If I were to advise someone in my field who wanted to do this, I would first say don't (try just omitting it), and after that I'd say just try putting "BS in Whateverology" from an accredited but not top-shelf university in a mid-sized city the interviewer is unlikely to have a connection with.

 

[Monty_Brogan]

FFFFFFFFFF That.

You'd be better off taking that cash to a casino. I'd find a tech guy to pad my background before I did some stuff like that.

 

[FrancisK]

I own businesses I don’t even need a degree for anything specific and while it’s not nearly as much as a factor as it used to be as most entrepreneurs know that a degree is worthless in comparison to actual expierence unless you need some worker in a specific field, its sometimes nice when you’re talking large deals and dealing with heavy hitters to just have one on the wall to reference. I actually did go to school for accounting but due to some extreme extenuating family circumstances I had to leave school during my last year and just never went back, it wasn’t worth the time vs putting the time into my businesses to go back.

 

[AntoniusofEfa]

Look up any of these failing and bankrupt liberal arts colleges. Just make sure that the particular institute you choose is accredited. No one will bother checking.

 

[rainy]

I own businesses I don’t even need a degree for anything specific and while it’s not nearly as much as a factor as it used to be as most entrepreneurs know that a degree is worthless in comparison to actual expierence unless you need some worker in a specific field, its sometimes nice when you’re talking large deals and dealing with heavy hitters to just have one on the wall to reference. I actually did go to school for accounting but due to some extreme extenuating family circumstances I had to leave school during my last year and just never went back, it wasn’t worth the time vs putting the time into my businesses to go back.

I’ve learned far more owning a business than I ever learned in school.

 

[burncushlikewood]

Why not just actually go to school and earn your degree. I actually enjoy school, the social aspect and its fun to learn and apply knowledge. Universities drive economies and innovation, they're the backbone of society, the engine that keeps are wheels turning. Plus the curriculum at university will be similar to your work at the company you work for. Some of my fondest memories were in school, can't wait to get back into school and party again, lots of good times. If you go and study, art history, or poly sci, or communications or something it's a waste, but if you take biology, mathematics, or computer science, then get into grad school if you work hard and do well you'll pull in a lot of cash.

 

[AntoniusofEfa]

Why not just actually go to school and earn your degree. I actually enjoy school, the social aspect and its fun to learn and apply knowledge. Universities drive economies and innovation, they're the backbone of society, the engine that keeps are wheels turning. Plus the curriculum at university will be similar to your work at the company you work for. Some of my fondest memories were in school, can't wait to get back into school and party again, lots of good times. If you go and study, art history, or poly sci, or communications or something it's a waste, but if you take biology, mathematics, or computer science, then get into grad school if you work hard and do well you'll pull in a lot of cash.

You clearly studied in the 80's or 90's.

 

[fortyfive]

Having a degree, certificate or whatever works definitely.
You can be dumb as a rock but with a degree on the wall, a large part of sheeple will admire you and obey, because "look, how educated he is".
That is the reason why lefties and politicians in Europe are crazy after degrees, and why there are so many "fake degree and plagiarism" affairs.

Also, look at the fake covid propaganda preachers. You need a degree to convince peasants to take a vaccine.

 

[rainy]

Why not just actually go to school and earn your degree. I actually enjoy school, the social aspect and its fun to learn and apply knowledge. Universities drive economies and innovation, they're the backbone of society, the engine that keeps are wheels turning. Plus the curriculum at university will be similar to your work at the company you work for. Some of my fondest memories were in school, can't wait to get back into school and party again, lots of good times. If you go and study, art history, or poly sci, or communications or something it's a waste, but if you take biology, mathematics, or computer science, then get into grad school if you work hard and do well you'll pull in a lot of cash.

Right now universities are ground zero of indoctrination and the greatest source of debt.

I would tread carefully. Only go if you're damn sure that piece of paper will earn you many multiples more than going a different route.

The four career fields I think it makes the most sense for are law, science, medical and high end finance, being an investment banker, VC or getting in at a hedge fund. But most 18-22 yr olds don't recognize that and simply go because society told them to and they get to party away from mom and dad.

 

[scotian]

Check out Aaron Clarey’s book “Worthless” for everything you need to know about degree mills and the scam that is modern post secondary education.

 

[AntoniusofEfa]

Right now universities are ground zero of indoctrination and the greatest source of debt.

I would tread carefully. Only go if you're damn sure that piece of paper will earn you many multiples more than going a different route.

The four career fields I think it makes the most sense for are law, science, medical and high end finance, being an investment banker, VC or getting in at a hedge fund. But most 18-22 yr olds don't recognize that and simply go because society told them to and they get to party away from mom and dad.

The douchebag IB or VC is dead. Science is only good if it is applied, otherwise the only "career" perspective is begging for research grants from the government. Doctors will always be in demand in one form or another. Why you left out engineering?

 

[aynrus]

Can't offer advice, never done it. I don't know about the business world, but in my field once you've got a (respectable) job or two on your resume people probably aren't looking at your schooling, and it's very unlikely they're going to check in any meaningful way. If I were to advise someone in my field who wanted to do this, I would first say don't (try just omitting it), and after that I'd say just try putting "BS in Whateverology" from an accredited but not top-shelf university in a mid-sized city the interviewer is unlikely to have a connection with.

A lot of companies run outsourced checks on candidates right now, these are run by big corporations having access to all kinds of info and centralized databases. US degrees tend to go into one database right now. They'll check any degree on the resume, so if one puts it on the resume it better be verifiable in some way, otherwise they'll withdraw their offer.

 

[aynrus]

Why not just actually go to school and earn your degree. I actually enjoy school, the social aspect and its fun to learn and apply knowledge. Universities drive economies and innovation, they're the backbone of society, the engine that keeps are wheels turning. Plus the curriculum at university will be similar to your work at the company you work for. Some of my fondest memories were in school, can't wait to get back into school and party again, lots of good times. If you go and study, art history, or poly sci, or communications or something it's a waste, but if you take biology, mathematics, or computer science, then get into grad school if you work hard and do well you'll pull in a lot of cash.

Um...computer science curriculum at a US university isn't going to be remotely anything like what's done at work, unless one goes into CS research after advanced degree.
CS university curriculum is mostly useless for regular work.
That's why entry jobs in the field require 2-year expeirence.

 

[rainy]

The douchebag IB or VC is dead.

That’s incorrect.

 

[The Resilient]

Get a trade. quit trying to take the less honest route. This is deceitful almost.

 

[Diocletian]

In some states in the US its actually illegal to grant or use these types of degrees as a qualification for a job.

Fun fact--I worked for a background screening company for a few years and I got pretty good at spotting degrees from degree mills. I once came across a PhD in psychiatry from a "university" with a campus on a tiny Caribbean island of about 400 souls and a business office in Florida. And to think the guy wanted to write prescriptions.................

 

[Pavel]

A friend of mine his now boss at work did this to move up in his job and was actually open about it. He already had some crap marketing bachelors and picked up another business degree, he did a "certification" to receive it which I'm sure was just a formality and of course made a large cash payment for it. I don't know the details exactly, I was curious what you guys thought and if anyone had any experience with sort of thing.

Buying a fake degree can put you in trouble. If he needs a degree (which I believe is waste of money) he can go back to university as a part time student and get another useless certificate.
Alternatively, he can invest that money and start a business. In long run he can get rid of that stupid job.

 

[Wasp]

For what it's worth, I'll share something: I make a very good salary (in a job that is fewer than 20 hours a week...yes, that's how good I have it) and even though I have degrees, nobody has ever checked and nobody really cares. I was one of those notorious "gentleman C" type of college students and it has never hindered me from getting a good position. Grades are meaningless unless you are fresh out of college and they ask for a transcript due to an internship post. In my case, since I have always had excellent recommendations, I can't even remember the last job that even asked to see a copy of my degree.

If you look the part and can talk your way through, often with more knowledge and eloquence than your average college graduate, then nobody is going to bother to ask you. Of course, my C's and B's do have more merit than your typical lib arts major because I did hard sciences. Thus, a C would have been an A in a bs course like "psych", "econ" or "studies" whatever. I also have zero student debts. Never had any debts, never will.

 

[magaman]

Get a trade. quit trying to take the less honest route. This is deceitful almost.

I've been going to a trade school for HVAC but a lot, if not most, of the jobs in my area require 2, 3, sometimes 5 years experience just to be considered. 2 being the entry-level ones. I've seen and applied to a few helper positions but there's not a lot of them and those don't require a certificate/degree. The career services office at my school will occasionally send out a list to everyone of places hiring for service techs/installs but it's mostly the same places I found online with the same requirements. I was pretty enthused at first about all this but now not so much. I'm not far from finishing but if it's not gonna mean anything anyway, then why bother right?