(Image source from: BBC)

A recent sting operating in the United States undertaken by the Department of Homeland Security leading to arrests of 130 students, among whom 129 were Indians, left the students uncertain what the future holds for them.

In order to expose ‘pay-and-stay’ scheme, the officials had created a fake university named ‘University of Farmington’ to lure students who wanted to stay in the country after their visas had expired.

The website and social media pages of the fake university had been created by officials and been elaborately set up in order to attract students and recruiters who brought in the students overstaying their visas.

In respect to this, here we will tell you the steps to be taken to determine the accreditation of your college?

Lesser Known Universities

The foremost thing students should be aware of is to steer clear of lesser-known universities which boast of accreditation and sounds “too good to be true.” Most colleges require only one official regional or national accreditation in order to be able to offer students financial assistance and government-aided scholarships.

Additionally, if a university offers degrees which can be completed in a short period of time, more research should be done about the same. As an alternative, if the college offers degrees which can be attained strictly through work experience without needing to take any classes, that is definitely a ‘red flag’.

University Details

The basic things which should be taken into account are the school’s location, address, and other such contact information. The University of Farmington, the fake university set up by officials, allegedly had a post office box number, but no official address. Moreover, the college building was not that of a regular university. A small building with two rooms was all that stood as a testament to the existence of the university.

Department of Education Website

The authenticity of a university can as well be determined using the Department of Education’s website. A list of recognized accrediting agencies is listed on the website. Cross-reference the accreditation institute listed on your college’s page, and compare it with the ones on the Department of Education’s page to see whether your university has received its credibleness from one of these well-known agencies.

It is likewise a good idea to take a look at the website of the agency which has given the accreditation to your university or college. This will give you a better idea of the school’s credentials.

Another step that can be taken is to check the website of the state, accrediting, or professional agency to see if your college is listed.

The department of education likewise lists secondary and postgraduate schools with standard accreditation. Standard colleges and universities adhere to the Higher Education Act (HEA) which was passed by the Congress in 1965.

The HEA made sure that the accreditors of universities would ensure the quality of the course of study being taught in the respective college courses. The HEA, intended to make certain that quality of education as well as the financial means to keep up the education, was assured to all the students attending a college.

-Sowmya Sangam