Includes bibliographical references and index.

History : how college-for-all became part of the American dream -- Sociology : human capital and meritocracy, race and class--can we build a system that works for everybody? -- Economics : why college tuition is caught in a cost spiral, and how to stop it -- Computer science : open content, virtual-reality and smartphone classrooms, serious games, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and robotic telescopes -- Independent study : free and open-source education; vocational, experiential, and self-learning -- Commencement : what the transformation of the university might mean for the future of humanity -- Resource guide for a do-it-yourself education : a four part guide for the student who wants to hack her own education; includes a listing of web sites of organizations mentioned in the text.