Traditional campus based colleges and universities are whispering to the rest of the world what they don’t want to admit; college degrees online are the future. Although they don’t want to admit it, they can not afford to ignore it either.
In a recent story issued by Huffington Post, traditional college admission rates are dropping to the point where they must now seriously consider the power of getting a college degree online. While schools like Harvard, Columbia, Yale and Princeton all saw their applicant pools drastically increase last year, their acceptance rates were at all time lows, with Harvard being the lowest at 6.2% for the class of 2015.
One might draw several conclusions as to why these numbers show these projections, but given the current economic climate, it is widely agreed upon that the higher education industry must consider a change in business model.
People who have lost their jobs are looking for ways to advance themselves. A lot of folks who have jobs feel they are not making enough to make ends meet currently, let alone further their kids’ chances at higher education, a promising career, and enabling an overall better life than the ones they had.
If getting a degree online expands the potential reach for higher education’s customer base, shouldn’t it be considered by all in that marketplace? If competition drives every market and adjustments are constantly being made to ensure the longevity of those services, won’t every single college in the world consider the need for an online college degree?
People need flexibility, especially in this economy where both parents might be working multiple jobs. Nothing is more flexible, convenient, or as accommodating as allowing someone to get a college degree online. And if desperate times call for desperate measures, then no one in the changing landscape of higher education can be choosy, including the fastest best accredited online schools themselves.
