How has degree planning changed over the years?

[Mint Berry Crunch]

What do people think?  Has degree planning and alternative credits become easier or harder over the years?

Significantly easier. You'll see people reflect on the narratives of John Bear who was undoubtedly the mogul of distance learning and alternative sources of credits (i.e., PLAs). And this was well before the internet kicked off. Prominent members on DegreeInfo would have more to say on this in regards to alt credits and degree planning. Now that distance learning has been championed by the internet (before that, mail-in courses), we definitely have more access to more information on what's currently available while other educational institutions are congruently developing programs that aim to assist working professional and other students looking to leverage their knowledge in expediting their time in college. I was in college for 6 years before I graduated with my first associates since I was hindered due to the lack of available online courses at the time. Now that alt credits have become more visible, it has substantially improved my route through education.