Harvard for All

I watched a lecture in basic chemistry that was part of the regular class schedule at Berkley on Netflix last night. It was great. I had access to all their web self help sites as well. Two things struck me. The lecturer was world class, and the fact that he said that grades were not done on a curve - just straight percentages. I got to thinking - anyone could get a great education on line, and since the students weren't competing with each other, why couldn't anyone just sign up and take the course over the net - for credit? Zero admission criteria. Anyone who wants and pays can take the exact same chemistry 101 or any other course at Berkeley, Harvard, Yale, you name it,  for credit towards a degree as any on campus student would take.
Lets do away with entrance criteria, let anyone who wants to sign up and take courses over the net, take the tests, and get credit for the grade they get. Literally hundreds of thousands could sign up. This would open up world class education to all, would stop punishing bright intelligent people for lack of focus in their youth, and would greatly enhance convenience and accessibility. The monies earned would allow free tuition for on campus students. These students would be selected from a highly competitive pool much as is done now. The on campus experience would probably remain the more prestigious, designed for the most promising, allowing for on campus experience, networking and counseling. But the classes would be identical, and the online degree real and well earned. Accessibility of the best and brightest educators to the world. Stunning