Coursera and University of Illinois Launch MOOC-Based Data Science Masters Program

How else can they keep visionaries out of these schools if they don't apply the same worn out restrictions?

There are countries in Europe like Italy, if I am not mistaken, where entry standards are practicly non-existent. Many people start these degrees and few finish due to natural selection.

Thus, no requirements is not a problem as long as people do not get their degrees by cheating and not acquiring actual knowledge. That is probably going to be easier to be done in online programmes though which may become a problem.

My guess is pretty soon Coursera and the likes will introduce machine learning algorithms to detect and kick out (in the very beginning) those who are unlikely to graduate successfully, while allowing pre-requisites-free admissions.

I'm kind of sick of these programs that require you to have 4 years of paying your dues to be able to even take them. It's like the apprenticeship system. Except less valuable.