NO MORE FREEBIES: Knowledge may be free--but proof isn't. On April 14, Udacity CEO Sebastian Thrun announced the company will no longer be offering certificates of completion for those who take the free courses. The heart of the issue appears to be identity verification. Thrun writes:
"Identity checking was never part of our certification...We have now heard from many students and employers alike that they would like to see more rigor in certifying actual accomplishment."
To get them, students will have to pony up the monthly subscription fee that runs about $150 a month. Upon finishing the final project, their identity "will be verified through a live exit interview" during which the student has to show government-issued ID and chat with a project evaluator.
