DISTANCE LEARNING | CONTINUING EDUCATION | ONLINE DEGREES

Graduation is supposed to be a celebration of learning. But how do we celebrate? Answer: through an esoteric ceremony of symbolic processions, recessions, and costumes that seem more reminiscent of than higher education. By this I don’t mean to demean the accomplishments of graduates; rather I only wish to point out the irony of celebration that is supposed to commemorate higher learning but which most of the attendees — including the graduates — don’t understand.

Nowhere is this gap more apparent than in graduation apparel itself. Honestly, does anyone really know why graduates wear long robes, hoods, mortarboard caps, and tassels? Sure, they’re “traditional,” but what does that mean?

In fact, the origins of the cap and gown date back nearly eight hundred years to the twelfth and thirteenth century when most scholars were members of the clergy. At that time, the typical garb for a clergyman was a clerical robe and cap and its primary function was to help the clergyman stay warm in unheated buildings — usually churches.

In 1321, the practice of wearing robes was expanded to include scholars who were not members of the clergy. At this point, universities were trying to discourage “excess in apparel” and thus mandated robes as the standard form of academic dress. From this point on, universities slowly began introducing other practices, such as using caps, sleeves, and hoods to signify an individual’s rank or degree. Practices continued to evolve: hoods were eventually replaced by mortarboard caps with tassels, and robes and cords soon changed colors in order to signify certain areas of study.

As with most products of a lengthy evolution, graduation dress and ceremonies are now extremely diverse. Relatively few universities (such as those in the United States) have adapted a standard system of colors and dress. As such, graduation at any university in any years is an indecipherable mélange of several traditions, including the medieval church, secular universities, local precedent, and even some pagan groups (for instance, the hood was borrowed from Celtic Druids) — hence, a peculiar ceremony.

Graduation is peculiar not only because it draws liberally and unabashedly from several traditions but also because each university does it a little differently, which makes each individual ceremony distinct. On the one hand, this seems terribly ironic — how can such a confused and insoluble ceremony be the capstone of an education devoted to order, knowledge, and unity? On the other hand, this seems terribly appropriate — after all, what better way to celebrate the remarkable diversity of individuals and ideas that constitute a liberal education? Frankly, I’m torn.

In the final analysis, I’m not sure my investigation of graduation ceremonies cast much light on its true significance. I will continue to attend these semi-annual ceremonies with head-scratching awe and wonder why tassels are moved from one side to the other, why caps are thrown in the air, and, most of all, where does “Pomp and Circumstance” officially end and where does it begin again? I just keep reminding myself that in its most basic sense, graduation is a rite of passage — a movement from one stage of life into the next — and like most rites of passage, it only makes sense with the benefit of hindsight. As such, its significance and even its symbolism will be unique to each graduate, who will someday look back and wonder, like myself, what to make of this peculiar ceremony.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Benjamin Welch has been a college instructor in writing and composition for nearly six years. When he’s not teaching or playing golf, he offers advice for students seeking information about online education and online degrees.

In a forum devoted to education and careers, a blog devoted to this topic was inevitable — home-based business scams. Anyone who has an email account has gotten an email — if not a thousand — like this:

Earn an Extra $5K+ per month! Make your financial dreams happen! Free information and training package!

Usually, the email includes a testimonial or two from people “just like you.”

Before I started this business, I used to [insert bad career here]. But I started working [insert home-based business opportunity here] and made $2500 my first month! By my sixth month, I was making $11,000. This business is a dream come true!

Some of these emails can be fairly persuasive, especially if it’s been a tight month. I mean, who wouldn’t want to earn a little extra money? Then I think of the old adage, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” and I realize I’m probably dealing with a home-based business scam. At that point, the email becomes ridiculous.

But the truth is that thousands — if not tens of thousands — of people fall for these scams every day. Sadly, for many of these people, that decision will be disastrous. Home-based business scams tend to target people who can ill afford such a misstep — the sick and disabled, the elderly, stay-at-home mothers, low-income families, and people lacking a college education. (Note: it’s not that people without college educations are less intelligent per se; rather, because they don’t have college degrees, chances are they are more inclined to take risks.)

For anyone who’s ever received these emails — or who every will — let me identify five of the most common and pernicious home business scams, which I’ve gleaned from several websites issuing similar warnings. Think of it as a public service announcement. Vote for the most pernicious (or for your personal favorite).

1. Multi-level Marketing (MLM) Basically, multi-level marketing entails selling some kind of product or service but also rewards the participant for recruiting other people to join. Typically, early recruits are paid by the entry fees gleaned from new recruits, who in turn must collect their rewards from others. Each level feeds (or builds) off the one after it, which is why MLMs are sometimes referred to as "pyramid schemes.” Granted, not all MLMs are true pyramid schemes — which is illegal in most states — but most MLMs still rely on deception in order to succeed. As such, beware of MLM "opportunities” that promise large incomes for selling dubious products and recruiting fellow distributors.

2. Reshipping Fraud Reshipping involves receiving mail merchandise and then repackaging and reshipping it for a substantial profit. Sounds easy, right? The only problem is that the merchandise was paid for with stolen credit cards, which means you — the reshipper — are acting as a “fence” for stolen goods. Reshipping fraud is relatively new to the realm of home-business fraud; as such, reshipping “opportunities” still appear in legitimate newspapers and websites, which lend them an air of credibility. Don’t be fooled. Reshipping fraud is not only illegal but also dangerous.

3. Craft Assembly The variations on this scam are legion, but essentially it involves a company outsourcing the assembly of its product to you. All you need is a start-up kit and raw materials, which you purchase from the company, of course, and which you can do at home. Once you’ve assembled the products — toys, magnets, jewelry — you send it back to the company only to find that your products “fail to meet specifications.” You’re left with a bunch of useless products and no one to sell them to. Beware.

4. Medical Billing The basic sales pitch with medical billing is that the health care industry is inundated with unprocessed paper claims and there’s a need for someone — you — to process these claims electronically. The beauty of this scam is that it’s true — there is a need and you can make money processing claims. The training you receive from promoters, while overpriced, will be legitimate. The only problem is that once you’ve finished your training you have to generate your own business. That’s where the scam comes in — promoters tend to over-hype their ability to get you contacts within the medical community. The fact is that few medical-billing entrepreneurs are able to attract clients and earn a reasonable income. The truth is that the medical billing market revolves around several large firms and competition is stiff.

5. Envelope Stuffing The doyen of home-based business scams has been around since the 1920s. One website even referred to it as the “cockroach you just can’t eliminate.” Basically, this scam involves you sending off a fee to learn how to make money stuffing envelopes from home. Shortly thereafter, you get a letter telling you to place a similar envelope-stuffing ad in magazines and newspapers. That way, people will send money to you to learn how to make money stuffing envelopes. You, in turn, send them a similar letter about placing envelope-stuffing ads in other magazines and newspapers. In short, the way you earn money stuffing envelopes is by propagating the envelope-stuffing scam.

To conclude, let me just observe what these home-based business scams have in common: it’s true that they lie, exaggerate, and misrepresent their products and services. That being said, the only reason they work is because people let themselves be carried away by delusions of “getting rich quick” or “making easy money.” In other words, these scams, like all confidence games, feed off of greed and, in some cases, desperation. Don’t be a victim. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember that the only foolproof ways to increase your earning potential are hard work and education.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Benjamin Welch has been a college instructor in writing and composition for nearly six years. When he’s not teaching or playing golf, he offers advice for students seeking information about online education and online degrees.