Almeda University - a quick review
Hey my dorm room buddy,
Hope your exams are all done, you made straight A’s and you’re planning for a long winter’s nap 
I came upon a press release the other day that caught my eye. It was for a university called Almeda University. Here’s a little snippet from the press release:
Over the last few decades the job mobility rate has continued to increase as workers explore their interest and aptitude in a variety of industries. While many skill sets transfer well from one field to the next, often the lack of a university degree makes working in one’s preferred field difficult. Almeda University has addressed this problem by providing a new guide that helps men and women earn life experience degrees online.
It was the part about earn life experience degrees online made me take notice.
Here’s why. A typical (or traditional) University that offers online degree programs will NOT normally give you credit for your “life experience”.
Now, you can get college credit by taking the CLEP exams, which are tests that you take that based upon your score will aware you college level credit and most Universities will accept that.
But here is were “non-traditional” universities like Almeda are different. They will give you credit just for providing proof that you have a certain amount of experience.
Here’s what they say on their website:
Anyone with a high school diploma and years of significant experience, skills, knowledge and/or expertise in a given field of study may enroll at Almeda University.
Here’s more…
Almeda is a non-traditional, distance learning educational institution. Unlike traditional colleges and universities, we have no residency requirements, no buildings or campus, no full-time faculty, and we do not offer a catalogue of courses. Instead, we use the latest technology to reach students in their own space, allowing them to pursue their degree wherever they are.
Now, if you read between the lines you’ll see that this is not your typical college. It even sounds like a diploma mill…but is it?
My take on that question is NO, they are not a diploma mill, but it is very likely that they are not the right place for you to get your degree if you want to use an accredited institution. And by accredited I mean an accreditation that is recognized the US Department of Education.
Here’s what their website says about their accreditation:
…however, this accreditation is not the same as regional accreditation, meaning we are unable to participate in the Federal Student Aid program or the GI Bill, and cannot guarantee that everyone will accept your degree.
Well I give them points for at least being up front about it. However it took me quite a while to find that little nugget of information.
My advise?
Check them out VERY WELL before spending your money on a degree that just might not get you where you want to be.
Be careful out there…
Ben
online degree programs psychology