Galloway’s article is geared toward the elite schools, and while I agree that the substance of my comments is particularly applicable to these schools, opportunities do exist at other schools as well. My son’s first choice college is a very non-selective school overall but is top-rated in the field he wants to pursue; there are internships, extra-curricular projects, service opportunities, clubs, competitions, and national society involvement – none of which can be done well, if at all, online.
It really comes back to someone’s major/career interest and if they are seeking growth and leadership opportunities beyond the classroom. @Camasite broke it down well. If you want to be an accountant, it may be sufficient to attend only online classes, get your degree and get a job. Anyone “earning a pedigree” will probably do ok but establishing connections/networks can help one stand out among (thousands of) peers with similar degrees. For those pursuing graduate study, connections are essential. I attribute my daughter’s acceptance into a grad school program which selects only 3-5 candidates each year to the relationships she was able to develop with her faculty and with her advisor/mentor, specifically. They were able to get to know my daughter as a person, her strengths and weaknesses, and were able to convey this in meaningful recommendations.