Choosing an online program to complete your college degree can be an ideal solution: it offers flexibility and convenience, while still giving you access to experienced, successful professors from around the country and the world.

But not every distance learning institution will provide the education and services you need. Before choosing any online school, you should be aware of red flags and keep an eye out for lower-quality programs and diploma mills.

Virginia Tech’s Peter Macedo, assistant director of the university’s Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning, notes the following as warning signs of a bad online college:

1. Lack of accreditation: any reputable institution should have up-to-date accreditation, which can be found on the Department of Education Web site, Macedo said. The university, department, and program should all be approved.
2. Online and campus-based requirements differ drastically: If the admissions requirements, faculty, credit hours, and resources available are different for the online course and the on-campus one, it may be a sign that the online course is a less strenuous version of the face-to-face classes, according to Macedo.
3. Too many adjuncts: While adjuncts may be professionals who have more real-world experience, other times, it’s "the same as if a school were teaching all the courses by [teaching assistants] instead of faculty," he said.
4. Constantly changing technology: "Having the latest and greatest isn't always a good thing," Macedo said. "It almost guarantees that the school (technical folks and faculty) has limited experience with its current system."
5. Too many discounts: All students want to find an affordable school, but Macedo warned, "if by chance you do find a school that discounts their online classes it would be good to find out why they do so. Discounted classes could mean reduced services."