[maxFlow]

The key to online learning's sucess is counter to the current system's goals. What these big-name universities could do to make online learning go mainstream is lower the barrier to entry by: i) lowering tuition fees in accordance with mass production practices and ii) provide real credits and degrees without the pomp. But both these actions would water down the "good" name of these legendary institutions (a legend built on exclusion and cronyism). In other words, they themselves are the ones holding on-site education as superior, lest the system collapses. No matter, it's just delaying the inevitable.