Democracy Dies in Darkness
Higher Education

Students are speeding through their online degrees in weeks, alarming educators

Some online colleges allow students to take unlimited courses on their own time, leading to quick degrees and worries about devaluing credentials.

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Students attend the University of Maine at Presque Isle commencement ceremony in 2025. (University of Maine at Presque Isle)
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It takes most college students at least four years to earn a bachelor’s degree. Christie WilliamsSource comment finished in three months.

The North Carolina human resources executive spent two months racking up credits through web tutorials after work in 2024, then raced through 11 online classes at the University of Maine at Presque Isle in four weeks. Later that year, she went back to earn her master’s — in just five weeks. The two degrees cost a total of just over $4,000.

What sources are saying

“I completed UMPI’s YourPace program myself and have helped guide many students seeking to do the same, so I wanted to add some context that I think...Show more

Christie WilliamsHuman Resources Executive

What readers are saying

The comments express skepticism and criticism towards online degree programs, particularly those that allow students to complete degrees in an unusually short time. Many commenters argue that these programs lack rigor, with some suggesting that students use AI or hire others to... Show more
This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.
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Todd Wallack is a national education reporter for The Washington Post. Reach him on Signal at TWallack.99 or todd.wallack@washpost.com.
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