The biennial report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education “Measuring Up 2008" points to a  brewing crises.  Currently the annual cost of sending a child to a public university costs 55% percent of a low income family income and with costs continuing to grow college will soon be unaffordable to the middle class as well.

This situation gave me pause and an opportunity imagine what earning an undergraduate degree at a public higher ed institution could soon look like. I don’t think it’s so bad. 

First the idea that cramming an education into a four years is way outdated. The skills we need to be able to nimbly navigate a five or six decade career are impossible to predict when the  tools and new skills are need to parse information are always evolving. 

The pending crises presents an excellent opportunity to create a radical new model. An 18year old might instead work part time as an apprentice and take a couple of courses online.  Three or four times a year they might come to a campus for a week or two to exercise soft skills and other things that can’t be done as easily online.  The government might sponsor a slew of projects in emerging areas that could use inquisitive tinkering minds to create jobs for these students.

After a couple of years the student might be in a position to jump on a really exciting opportunity and ride it out. When she’s ready she could sign up for another apprenticeship in another emerging field and develop some new skills And so on. Instead of an undergraduate degree being considered something that provides you with all the essential knowledge need, it’s just the starter pack.