OH NO! The college or university that you went to recently closed. What does this mean for your diploma? Is your diploma still credible?
Many former college students have been asking themselves these questions lately. This is because, over the past few years, hundreds of colleges and universities have consolidated and/or completely closed. As a result, many of these schools’ former students are seeking novelty degrees, or replacement diplomas, to visually stand in for real diplomas they once acquired.
To explain why people are now getting replacement diplomas, we are giving you background knowledge on why so many colleges and universities recently closed down. We will also explain the process you go through to receive a fake degree.
Do not worry! If your college closed down, you’ll have a new degree in your hands in no time!
Why Would Someone Need a Replacement Diploma
People get replacement diplomas because their college or university is consolidated or closed. Thus, their school no longer has copies of their actual diplomas.
Buying a degree online has especially become a phenomenon in the past few years. This is because of the effects of increased regulation and failing enrollment.
Increased regulation refers to the increase in rules and financial obligations put on colleges and universities. Failing enrollment refers to the numbers of students enrolling in some of these for-profit schools decreasing.
These issues began in 2016. This was when Obama took away federal recognition of one of the most popular for-profit school accreditors.
This accreditor is ACICS. Obama stripped this accreditor of its power because many for-profit schools accredited by ACICS had misrepresentation issues and poor student outcomes.
ACICS oversaw approximately 250 colleges. It was also the accreditor of two of the largest for-profit education chains. These chains are ITT and Corinthians Colleges. Taking away ACICS’s power had a huge impact on the United State’s higher education industry.
Small liberal arts colleges also had an effect on the United State’s higher education industry. This is because they are also consolidating and closing at higher rates than normal lately. This is a result of these colleges’ small sizes, declining enrollment rates, and lessening revenues.
The declining college-age demographic in America plays a factor in declining college enrollment rates. The strengthening economy and higher rates of unemployment play a role as well. This is because more people are finding good jobs that pay enough for them not to go back to school.
Some larger universities and colleges are even consolidating and merging into one entity with other schools. Larger schools do this to sometimes help smaller schools. Other times, larger schools do this to also accommodate declining enrollment rates.
With all these universities and colleges closing their doors, it has made it nearly impossible for former students to get a copy of their diploma. As a result, novelty degrees are becoming more and more popular.
Actions Taken to Lower the Consolidation and Closing Rates of Universities and Colleges
Republican Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos, recently reinstated federal recognition of ACICS. She did this in hopes that it would cause less for-profit schools to close. Unfortunately, by this time the Education Corporation of America had already closed its doors. The Education Corporation of America is one of the nation’s largest for-profit college operators.
Devos even once pledged to overhaul Obama’s former regulations of borrower defense to repayment and gainful employment. She never followed through with this promise though, as the Department of Education missed an important deadline to do so.
In the meantime, for-profit schools have found a way to capitalize on the oversights of the country’s Department of Education. One way they have done this is by having non-profit universities, like Purdue University, purchase and use the resources of for-profit universities like Kaplan University.
Some for-profit schools are even changing into non-profit schools. Even so, these schools still retain some of their for-profit ways by having support services handled by for-profit workers.
How Many Colleges and Universities Have Closed
According to a 2018 report from the Center of American Progress, the current number of colleges accredited by ACICS is two-thirds less than it was in 2016. Thus, more than 100 for-profit institutions of education closed within two years. To add insult to injury, data from the National Center of Education Statistics shows that it was also around this time that 20 nonprofit colleges closed down.
How to Get a Novelty Degree
When your college or university is closed, you are sometimes forced to buy a novelty degree. This is because your college or university cannot provide you with a copy of your diploma. To legally buy a college degree, you must have already acquired that degree normally prior.
To buy a replacement diploma from a closed down for-profit school, you must first pick a fake diploma producing website. You also then have to give the website your name, the name of the school you graduated from, your graduation date(s), and any other necessary degree details. Once you give the website all this information, you should receive your novelty degree in the mail very soon.
How to Get a Copy of Your Diploma
If you are getting a copy of your diploma from the local entities of your closed college or university, you must first contact your state’s Office of Degree Authorization or Student Assistance Commission. Then you need to find any possible contact information from the school you went to.
If all else fails, contact your school’s Department of Education and give them your graduation year, birthday, and Social Security number. With this information, your Department of Education should be able to provide you with a copy of your diploma.
To Answer Your Question…
So, to answer your question, can I receive a replacement diploma if my college or university closes? The answer is yes! As long as you actually have a degree from that college, you should be perfectly fine.
To contact us for a replacement diploma, click here.