European International University

[NotJoeBiden]

There was a time when Steve Levicoff pressed hard to make a distinction between a degree mill and a diploma mill. (Generally speaking, these two terms are used interchangeably.) His definitions (my words):

Degree Mill: A substandard school that awarded less-than-wonderful credentials while still requiring some modicum of academic achievement.

Diploma Mill: A business selling fake degrees (and diplomas) to anyone ready with a payment.

The lines between these two concepts have been frequently blurred. And he was pretty inclusive regarding what could be a degree mill, including some accredited schools.

Still I think the terms are useful here. To wit: This thing--that has consumed 17 pages of inane rationalization and excuse-making--isn't a "diploma mill."

I've always thought that this was needlessly confusing considering that "substandard" will do just as well for the first category.

Not to mention very subjective.