Search Degree Info – Check the school before you enroll

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Transferring College Credits: How to Keep as Many as Possible

The Degree Desk Credits and Transfers

Who decides which credits transfer, rules on grades and residency, articulation agreements, getting an evaluation early and transcript holds.

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Questions to Ask a College Admissions Representative (and Get in Writing)

The Degree Desk Checking a School

Questions to ask before you enroll, from accreditation and total cost to placement rates, transfer credit, refunds and licensure, plus pressure tactics.

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Public, Private Nonprofit and For-Profit Colleges: What’s the Difference?

The Degree Desk Checking a School

How public, private nonprofit and for-profit colleges differ in ownership, funding and oversight, and how to compare their outcomes.

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Will Your Degree Lead to a License? Checking Programs for Nursing, Teaching and More

The Degree Desk Comparing Programs

How to check that a program meets your state’s licensing requirements, what schools must disclose under federal rules, and questions for licensed fields.

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Going Back to Finish a Degree You Started: A Step-by-Step Plan

The Degree Desk Credits and Transfers

A plan for adults returning to finish a degree: transcripts, counting old credits, reverse transfer, prior learning and financial aid hurdles.

An ornate early twentieth-century diploma with a blank name line

How to Spot a Diploma Mill (and the Fake Accreditors Behind Them)

The Degree Desk Checking a School

The warning signs of diploma mills and accreditation mills, how to check a school and its accreditor, and what to do about a degree from another country.

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Certificates, Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral Degrees Explained

The Degree Desk Comparing Programs

How U.S. degree levels compare: typical credits and time to finish, transfer versus career associate degrees, and research versus professional doctorates.

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Credit for Prior Learning: CLEP, DSST, Military Training and Portfolios

The Degree Desk Credits and Transfers

Earn college credit for what you know: CLEP and DSST exams, ACE credit recommendations, military transcripts and portfolios, plus common limits.

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How to Use the College Scorecard to Compare Schools and Programs

The Degree Desk Comparing Programs

What the College Scorecard shows about cost, graduation rates, debt and earnings by field of study, and the limits of its federal data.

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College Accreditation Explained: How to Check a School in Five Minutes

The Degree Desk Checking a School

What accreditation means, why regional versus national no longer matters federally, institutional and programmatic accreditors, and how to check.