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We've had free access to college courses via the web for quite some time now (Coursera, edX etc.), but they have not yet usurped the status quo in the way many

We've had free access to college courses via the web for quite some time now (Coursera, edX etc.), but they have not yet usurped the status quo in the way many (myself included) had hoped. I figure there's two factors behind this: 1) People want a "college lifestyle". It wouldn't really matter much to me, but I know this is something kids leaving home care about, so it's surely a massive factor. 2) People NEED to have a piece of paper with a fancy stamp. This to me is the biggest problem, and I don't know of an easy solution. To share my own anecdotal story: I was working on freelance projects prior to going to university (this is some time ago now). I won't say I didn't learn anything there, but certainly I went to many lessons covering material I was already familiar with, in much greater depth, from my own learning. As there was no way for me to get a job interview without the degree, I stayed put and ran up years of student debt. The first issue lies with the student. The second lies with the industry at large. Maybe this is how that happens - the dawning realization that higher education doesn't begin and end with college - and folks start to really look at the other options seriously.

vkou 9y ago
1) People want a "college lifestyle". It wouldn't really matter much to me, but I know this is something kids leaving home care about, so it's surely a massive factor. This is manufactured demand. Many other countries have a norm of commuter schools (Where most students live with their parents). Those that don't tend to have cheap, barracks-like housing, instead of 'lavish' dorms.
- PatentTroll 9y ago
  Yeah, I'd support throwing some cold water on the demand for a 'college lifestyle' too. You know what, I would also like to be young and have all of my bills paid for (by loans) and live in a small town with only other young, similarly situated people. Sure, it's cool and all, but does it benefit society at all? It's a monumentally stupid cultural norm that should be dissuaded as much as possible. As should the norm that people should go to college right after high school. Maybe that's good for some people, but it's a silly cultural norm too. I guess the problem lies in the fact that uneducated 18 year olds are pretty much useless otherwise, but maybe we could grow the idea of apprenticeship for white collar jobs more to fill that gap. In many ways, undergraduate education is the new high school degree, and post-graduate is more like what a bachelors used to be like. And that follows the pattern I'm advocating above, people are older and have some work experience.

vkou 9y ago

1) People want a "college lifestyle". It wouldn't really matter much to me, but I know this is something kids leaving home care about, so it's surely a massive factor. This is manufactured demand. Many other countries have a norm of commuter schools (Where most students live with their parents). Those that don't tend to have cheap, barracks-like housing, instead of 'lavish' dorms.

PatentTroll 9y ago
Yeah, I'd support throwing some cold water on the demand for a 'college lifestyle' too. You know what, I would also like to be young and have all of my bills paid for (by loans) and live in a small town with only other young, similarly situated people. Sure, it's cool and all, but does it benefit society at all? It's a monumentally stupid cultural norm that should be dissuaded as much as possible. As should the norm that people should go to college right after high school. Maybe that's good for some people, but it's a silly cultural norm too. I guess the problem lies in the fact that uneducated 18 year olds are pretty much useless otherwise, but maybe we could grow the idea of apprenticeship for white collar jobs more to fill that gap. In many ways, undergraduate education is the new high school degree, and post-graduate is more like what a bachelors used to be like. And that follows the pattern I'm advocating above, people are older and have some work experience.