Reinventing College as Something Everyone Can Use—and Afford

Reinventing College as Something Everyone Can Use—and Afford

Apprenticeship Degrees are ready to disrupt the “College for All” mindset

As questions about the cost, accessibility, and value of college grow, Education Next takes a different approach to the “college or career” conversation: instead of choosing between the two, what if we connected them better? Co-authors Michael B. Horn and Reach University President and CEO Joe E. Ross argue that the long-term value of a four-year degree remains strong, but the traditional path to earning one can still carry high financial and opportunity costs. They point to career-connected approaches that bring higher education closer to the workplace as one way to preserve the value of a degree while making it more practical and accessible for working learners.

Reach University is included as one example of this broader work, alongside efforts taking shape in several states. Through the Apprenticeship Degree, candidates remain employed while pursuing their degrees, with the workplace serving as a central part of the learning experience and on-the-job learning rendering formal academic credit. For Reach, the article connects directly to the idea at the heart of our work: turning jobs into degrees by bringing higher education into the workplace. It also raises a larger question that matters well beyond Reach: how can higher education become more affordable and accessible without losing the long-term value of a college degree?