Another way, which would solve other problems as well, would simply be to uncouple credentials and education, and require any institution that receives federal

Another way, which would solve other problems as well, would simply be to uncouple credentials and education, and require any institution that receives federal funding to open the credentialing to everyone. Just as anyone who meets the requirements is eligible to take the exam for the CFA or CPA, anyone who meets the requirements should be eligible to take whatever exams or projects a college uses for it's credentials to obtain a degree (colleges could opt in to using a nationwide credentialing system instead of creating their own if they prefer). Open internships and the like to everyone as well. This would theoretically lead to college degrees representing what they claim to represent (skill of an individual at graduation, not at their junior year of High School), would solve most of the cost issue (self studying and taking the exam would be a viable option that wouldn't be penalized), and admittance would be much less important (since it'd be disconnected from credentials). Of course it would also defang the leverage universities currently hold over society, so I imagine they'd fight tooth and nail against it.