Make sure that the school you are considering is accredited.

HONOLULU, HI, UNITED STATES, April 27, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- In recent years, much attention has been given to stories of educational institutions whose purpose was profit over students. These schools, also called “diploma mills,” are primarily interested in churning out graduates as quickly as possible so they can maximize how much money they can pocket from tuition payments. A recent investigation exposed multiple Florida-based nursing schools for selling thousands of fake diplomas, allowing those who purchased them to sit for national nursing exams. This led to charges of fraud by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida.* Those who managed to pass have been working with patients across the country without the proper training to administer care. Now, many states are investigating their nurses and annulling licenses of those who should never have been given them in the first place.

Closer to home, the Hawaii College of Pharmacy (HICP) was an unaccredited Pharm.D. school in Hawaii which was owned and operated by Pacific Educational Services. After an investigation by the State of Hawaii's department for consumer protection for not following its regulations on non-accredited schools, it was shut down and its owners prohibited from running any business in Hawaii again. It is alleged that the college did not follow requirements for disclosure on not being accredited. A Hawaii-based news report noted the school "falsely assured students it would obtain accreditation and wrongly took over six million dollars in tuition from some 240 students." The case [CIVIL NO. 05-1-1356-07SSM], was heard and determined in the First Civil Court of the State of Hawaii.

So, how do institutions like these now defunct schools manage to get away with this? Some of these schools seem legitimate at first glance, often promoting themselves as being cheaper or more affordable than their competitors. However, upon closer inspection, one might see that they’re cheaper for a reason. The biggest red flag to look for is whether a school is promising an education without being properly licensed by the state and/or accredited by a body that is recognized by the Federal Department of Education. This detail signifies that the institution has been reviewed and that it provides an acceptable level of quality education. Additionally, it guarantees that learners can avail themselves of essential financial aid from state and federal authorities.

In order for potential students to protect themselves, they should make sure that the school they are looking to attend is fully licensed by checking the following sites.
• Trade and Vocational Schools that do not offer a degree are licensed by the State of Hawaii. For a list of Licensed Private Trade, Vocational and Technical Schools click the link below:
o https://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/TeachingAndLearning/PTVT/Private-Trade-Vocational-Technical-Schools/Pages/home.aspx

• Oversight of Colleges and Universities that offer degree programs are done through the Hawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization Program (HPEAP). Hawaii authorized colleges and universities are listed here: https://cca.hawaii.gov/hpeap/authorized-schools/

• If a student is currently attending a college, they should make sure that it is accredited by an agency that’s recognized by the Federal Department of Education. Students can check to see if their college is accredited here: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home

If the college or trade school is not listed, then they may not be fully licensed. When in doubt, students can always call the agency to verify accreditation personally.

To learn more visit: hmi.edu

About Hawaii Medical College
Opened in May 2007, Hawaii Medical College is Hawaii’s successful locally owned, accredited career institution. Hawaii Medical College provides a supportive and care-oriented learning environment for students. Its professional staff trains students to be successful in a variety of careers from medical assistants, medical billing and coding to office assistants, and nurse aides. The college provides support and guidance to a variety of students from military veteran to high-school graduates ensuring that they are successful in their chosen careers. Each year the college reports program completions of between 200 – 400, high certification pass rates and placement rates. The mission of Hawaii Medical College is to provide a supportive environment where staff and students develop the necessary talents to be successful in their chosen careers.
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*The investigations lead to charges by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of Florida:
Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Siena College.
U.S. v. Witherspoon, et al., case no.: 23-60005-Cr-Smith
U.S. v. Sanon, case no.: 23-60013-Cr-Moreno

Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Sacred Heart International Institute
U.S. v. Jean, et al., case no.: 23-60010-Cr-Smith
U.S. v. Etienne, case no.: 23-60012-Cr-Singhal

Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Sacred Heart International Institute
U.S. v. Jean, et al., case no.: 23-60010-Cr-Smith
U.S. v. Etienne, case no.: 23-60012-Cr-Singhal

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov
Click here to access charging documents.
23-CR-60005
23-CR-60007
23-CR-60010
23-CR-60012
23-CR-60013

Pat Monick
Hawaii Medical College
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