I can go a step beyond this to evade most of college, and its debt, for many people.
Have major corporations and even industries create a curriculum for their employees. It is simplicity itself.
They advise all applicants that there is a *limited* number of specific courses that they must take and pass to apply to work for them, and that they hire for these *courses* only, not entire degrees. The rest of the degree is on their time and dime if they want the whole thing.
And, if students take the courses they demand and are hired, the percent of those loans they took for just those courses will be paid back by the company over the course of years employed.
Importantly, there is no guarantee of employment by a particular company, but a good likelihood of employment by somebody in the industry.
Since universities demand a lot of worthless lower division classes and prerequisites, the industry can subcontract for a few classes that fill in those blanks.
Accreditation agencies like North Central assume students must take entire majors and earn degrees, but corporations can be indifferent to accreditation, as long as students can pass the industry tests.
Microsoft already does something like this, to get MS Certified Engineers. Even if a person has just graduated from elementary school, if they can pass the MSCE, they *are* an MSCE.
Bottom line: this kills off much of the “paper chase”, and saves students a huge amount of money, as well as letting them get two more years of gainful employment right when they are most productive.
“Have major corporations and even industries create a curriculum for their employees. It is simplicity itself.”
I like this but I want them to know American history and the Constitution as well!