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There is a lot of talk going on in America about accessibility of higher education for all. A call to action was made by the US Undersecretary of Education Martha Kanter to make education accessible to every single American.

I think this goal is something every single American should work towards. Higher education is the birthright of every single citizen of our country. Education is the basis not only for the well being of the student but also for the economic well being of our country. Right to education must be given to every single person in our country.

Recently our President addressed the community college students as “unsung heroes of American education”. The ever rising costs of tuition fee make community colleges the only viable alternative for students who cannot afford. These colleges are in fact the best solution to strengthen education access for millions of deserving Americans according to Dr. Kanter. Though they can provide access for many, even community colleges cannot reach the entire American population says Kanter.

This goal can be achieved by tapping and working on many different channels. For this, Dr. Kanter says that institutional level changes must be initiated. This will ensure that the entire burden does not have to be carried by the community colleges alone. There will be many other avenues open providing an effective alternative.

Every student who is eager to grasp an opportunity to study must have a seat physically. This means there must be enough seats available in order to bring about a huge change. But how far can the brick and mortar universities help in this regard?

Even if they are willing and even if they have the initiative and drive to accommodate at least fifty percent more students than what they have now, they do not have the resources and funds for this kind of expansion. Expecting this of them is not realistic. According to Dr. Kanter, universities are not designed to accommodate constantly changing needs of students and they are not market driven. This essentially means that they have very limited ability to grow.

If more number of students has to be accommodated in traditional classrooms, universities must have investment capabilities beyond imagination. This is practically unaffordable even if the government is willing to grant aid.

The only solution to this is to follow the pattern and system set by online universities that accommodate everyone including working adults. Online universities are sought after by many due to the flexibility it offers. Many universities understand student needs and the marketplace well enough to offer them high quality education.

The parameters on which these universities are built upon are based on programs offered and their schedules. There is no restriction on physical space online and therefore these universities enroll any number of students who wish to learn. Investments by these universities are not based on number of buildings to be constructed. Rather they are based on the number of students enrolled. The only viable option to close the gap in higher education seems to be adopting the online model.