University of Pennsylvania is offering a fully online undergraduate degree program.

[PrettyFlyforaChiGuy]

ACE, CLEP and other alternate credits are the future of this industry. Google, Amazon and other technical certifications are making these alternate education models more acceptable. It is time for the old model to whither away. It just isn't working anymore.

I agree to an extent, but to play Devil's advocate, the overall trend for admissions this year is that applications at top-tier universities absolutely soared compared to 2020. This seems to have been driven mainly by their decisions to not require standardized testing, but there are also more international applicants, since after 4 years of student visas being cut nearly in half, this group as a whole is more eager to return to the USA now. And because they typically must pay their full ride anyway, they're only targeting these top programs.

I know it's not at all the case for every single uni out there, but it's the state-level and below programs that appear to be bracing to wither on the vine, as applications to many in this group have dropped significantly. I suspect that rolling and open admissions policies will at least help them to pull in more students in the upcoming months after other admissions decisions have been released, but then they'll face the typical summer melt anyway.

Alternative credits may be a great sales point for these colleges to help them adapt, and also offer a key competitive edge within the overwhelming majority of college-bound students who are consistently taught to be obsessed with rank and prestige. By itself though, I don't think they're enough to drive change. Even competency-based education hasn't really taken off beyond niche programs within already-niche online unis, and it's possibly one of the most meritocratic learning models out there. A damn shame that public college isn't yet public-funded in the USA, or maybe the emphasis within the higher ed sphere wouldn't be so top-heavy.

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It's really refreshing to see some Cornell love, since it's so often treated as the red-headed stepchild of the bunch. And by the way, UPenn is the Ivy out of the two.

Cornell IS Ivy. It's the only one created in the 1800's. The others are from the 16 & 17 hundreds. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_League

https://ivyleague.com/sports/2017/8/13/H...73057.aspx 

Sorry, I meant that in your previous post, UPenn is the Ivy, not Penn State. I've actually helped students succeed in their applications to all three of these schools, but I've just noticed over time here that Cornell is often thought of as a "lesser Ivy." It's kind of absurd to try to divvy up even the tip of the top programs like this, and makes seeing some love for the school all the better.