“If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.” This morning, my friends, we learned a very important lesson: This time-tested mantra rings true for lots of things, including education.

Here at The CollegeBound Network, we’re always on the watch for breaking news, especially as it relates to making the transition to college easier for our readers. When a press release dropped into our email in-boxes this morning touting “more than half a million dollars in scholarships for Gulf Coast residents affected by the oil spill,” our that-sounds-like-big-news ears perked up. Like the rest of the country, our hearts are broken over this whole debacle, and we’ve been trying to do our part to shed light on possible solutions (see “College Response to the BP Oil Spill”). Checking into this new story was our first order of business today (even before picking up our coffee).

And so our heart broke again when we explored the offerings of the said “university.” Despite a slick website, we began to see some proverbial red flags waving … What’s up with the “Get your degree for only $399.95 a month!” and the call-to-action touting a roll-back in summer enrollment costs from $600 to $499? A college tuition sale?! Huh?!

We did what every prospective student should do upon first checking out a college, university, or career school; we clicked Command+F and searched for “accreditation.” Accreditation is the primary means of ensuring and improving the quality of higher education institutions and programs, and it’s something you must know and understand about a school you plan to attend.

If you complete your studies at a non-accredited school, no matter how much you learn and how great your instructors are, you will have difficulty translating your “degree” when it comes to landing a job or transferring to another school. Essentially, attending a school that’s not accredited by an  agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation or the U.S. Department of Education is like buying a fake Rolex… it may look good from afar, but upon closer inspection, it’s just a bunch of cheap jewels that can turn your wrist (read, your future) a yucky green.

Don’t be fooled…. many schools that are simply not worth the time boast about some very official-sounding accreditation. In fact, states Vicky Phillips, founder and CEO of GetEducated.com, who calls herself one of the leading experts on education fraud, there are more than 30 agencies that claim to accredit a variety of programs but are not recognized as accreditors in the U.S.

And so instead of landing a story this morning on free tuition for Gulf residents, the result was an equally useful piece reminding us that sometimes, some things may look or sound enticing and “academic” but may not necessarily be a smart move. To ensure a school is legit, check its accreditation against those listed on CHEA.org and make sure you have a degree worth boasting about.

Your future will thank you for it!

–Gina LaGuardia

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On a related note, check out this fun Facebook group: If you fall for those fake college emails, you deserve to look like an idiot