The business model for these so-called "schools" is to merely sign someone up based solely on their ability to qualify for a federally-backed student loan. They'll get your "tuition" (and Starbucks, its commission) one way or another regardless of your "progress."

As a rule, no real company takes "diplomas" from these outfits seriously especially if others applying for the job have a degree from a real school. Despite what one sees on the TEE VEE, you don't "go to school" at home in your underwear.

but ASU is a public university.

those big companies will do anything & everything to distract from their shitty wages.

Sorry about your tuition assistance at the school you're actually attending, but we basically got you a groupon to a poorly regarded party school. That's just as good, right?

I think Starbucks is on to a great way to help it's employees afford and attend college. I would imagine that more corporations and schools will follow suit. For working people, online classes from an accredited university is a practical alternative to physically attending the school.

My son just graduated from high school, but he was able to skip the first year of high school calculus last summer by using MIT's open course-ware to learn the material. He got a high A his senior year in second year calculus, so it obviously didn't hurt him. One of the reasons he didn't take it at high school was the teacher for that class was a dud.

An occasional online course is a handy thing. My sister took one through some midwestern state college when a math class she needed proved impossible to schedule at her school. But the online courses one can transfer to their local school are generally limited to those offered by a few institutions (thus why my sister wound up paying through the nose to take a math class from Flyover U online) of sufficient rigor and I'm sure for many schools ASU online won't cut it.

For those who want to do an entirely online program the name and reputation of the school matter if they want to apply to another school later, or transfer their courses to a different program, or when they're applying for a job that doesn't involve foam art.

I have a friend who is going to Penn State online. He can take any of the classes he wants on the campus. Since he works full time, it is just easier now for him to take the classes online for now. For some, it is just easier to take the classes online.