The end of this article describes a "future situation" that is actually the current situation exactly:

"Students with means of their own will have the option of attending a four-year institution and obtaining all the benefits that come with it. Poorer students will obtain their postsecondary education from MOOCs and their credentials through badges."

How is this any different than what exists right now? The availability of student loans allows low-income students to attend college but brings with it a lot of the ills of MOOCs. Low completion rates being the most common example.