University of Pennsylvania is offering a fully online undergraduate degree program.

[rachel83az]

I think ACE is only "low end" credit because most universities won't accept it. And most universities won't accept it because it's "low end". There is nothing wrong with ACE credit. The only thing wrong with ACE credit is that universities want to squeeze as much money out of you as possible and so don't accept it in transfer.

[dfrecore]

I think ACE is only "low end" credit because most universities won't accept it. And most universities won't accept it because it's "low end". There is nothing wrong with ACE credit. The only thing wrong with ACE credit is that universities want to squeeze as much money out of you as possible and so don't accept it in transfer.

I think there is some ACE credit that is not college-level, and that's where the discrepancy lies.

[rachel83az]

I think ACE is only "low end" credit because most universities won't accept it. And most universities won't accept it because it's "low end". There is nothing wrong with ACE credit. The only thing wrong with ACE credit is that universities want to squeeze as much money out of you as possible and so don't accept it in transfer.

I think there is some ACE credit that is not college-level, and that's where the discrepancy lies.

Is there? Even so, there is also graduate-level ACE credit (not that most people can use it). I still say that the only reason why ACE credit isn't widely accepted is because it's not accepted for money reasons. I mean, most places don't accept (all) CLEP exams and CLEP exams are some of the most reputable and possibly the most regulated alt-credits.

[StoicJ]

you can obtain ACE credits from all kinds of online websites that are not educational institutions so I really doubt any of top 400 universities in US will ever accept ACE credits for transfer. That will damage their reputation.

Imagine a world where U.S. universities didn't pack 300 incoming freshman students at a time into lecture halls, at $1000 a pop or more, for Intro To Psychology. And then Intro To Sociology. And US History 1, etc.

I think the cash COW is why we don't see ACE accepted, not reputation 

# I know the intro offerings aren't always like that. My uni DID pack us in, but my JuCo experience was much different.

[innen_oda]

I think ACE is only "low end" credit because most universities won't accept it. And most universities won't accept it because it's "low end". There is nothing wrong with ACE credit. The only thing wrong with ACE credit is that universities want to squeeze as much money out of you as possible and so don't accept it in transfer.

My thoughts exactly. ACE should be a great option for ensuring some degree of quality control on alternative credits, and (ideally) would be an option for everyone to cover their gen eds cheaply, and then use universities for more concentrated/specialised studies.

Alas, American universities are more keen on growing their endowment funds than educating the nation.

For self-improvement, credits don't (really) matter. But where I'm wanting to use the money and time I'm expending towards a degree, RA credits have a better ROI.

[ReyMysterioso]

I gotta throw in my unsolicited two cents here. I have taken the Arizona State University versions of Eng Comp I and II, Intro to Communication, Western Civ, and Macroeconomics, and Intro to Sociology. I have also taken the StraighterLine versions of the same classes. The SL versions were far more academically rigorous and demanding than the actual university versions.
In general, I've found the quality and rigor of ACE classes varies from class to class and provider to provider, but I never encountered anything in actual, regionally accredited brick and mortar Universities with online components that made me feel they were significantly superior to ACE classes. I used to assume ACE stuff was likely "not as good," but having since taken classes through six different universities, that's just not been the case.
In my personal experience and opinion, ACE classes are for the most part on par with University classes. The main difference is you don't have a professor to badger with emails at 2am trying to ask questions that are answered in the syllabus.

[ss20ts]

Is there? Even so, there is also graduate-level ACE credit (not that most people can use it). I still say that the only reason why ACE credit isn't widely accepted is because it's not accepted for money reasons. I mean, most places don't accept (all) CLEP exams and CLEP exams are some of the most reputable and possibly the most regulated alt-credits.

Graduate level ACE? I've never seen a college/university say they accept ACE at the grad level. 

---

Alas, American universities are more keen on growing their endowment funds than educating the nation.

For self-improvement, credits don't (really) matter. But where I'm wanting to use the money and time I'm expending towards a degree, RA credits have a better ROI.

Many schools don't have endowments. State schools don't. Many that do have endowments are actually not doing well financially. The endowment come with all kinds of stipulations about what the funds can be used for. Colleges are a business. You get out of it what you put into it. 

[rachel83az]

Graduate level ACE? I've never seen a college/university say they accept ACE at the grad level. 

Statistics.com has a few grad-level ACE courses. TESU takes them for their MS in Data Science. https://www.tesu.edu/heavin/ms/data-science/

I think that there are a couple others that have been mentioned here. It's possible that some schools might accept grad credits as UL credits but I don't know.

[innen_oda]

The endowment come with all kinds of stipulations about what the funds can be used for. Colleges are a business. You get out of it what you put into it.

Is this like when the offspring of billionaire hedge fund managers complain about how 'poor' they are because mummy and daddy won't let them spend money on whatever they want?
It's still collateral which can help any organisation take on new investments and endeavours.

Your point that 'colleges are a business' is an observation of how things are, and shouldn't be confused with a belief of how things should be.

[ss20ts]

The endowment come with all kinds of stipulations about what the funds can be used for. Colleges are a business. You get out of it what you put into it.

Is this like when the offspring of billionaire hedge fund managers complain about how 'poor' they are because mummy and daddy won't let them spend money on whatever they want?
It's still collateral which can help any organisation take on new investments and endeavours.

Your point that 'colleges are a business' is an observation of how things are, and shouldn't be confused with a belief of how things should be.

I'm not talking about the Harvards of the world. I'm talking about the private small colleges. Many of those have been limping along for years and now with COVID they're in serious trouble. COVID just sped their troubles up. 

Colleges are in the US are a business. That's just a simple fact. We don't have to like it. They're not like the public school system.