I want to clarify, I’m not at all saying that UoP isn’t rigorous enough for what it is. While it may look like a cake walk to some HN readers, I’d guess that the curriculum poses a significant challenge and a real opportunity to learn for most people.

If this is the low cost, online version of a average public university, I think there should also be a low cost, online version of a “top-tier” school.

No worries. I didn't take it negatively.

I would prefer a more rigorous program, but for what I pay I accept it for what it is.

And you're right that many of the students struggle with even the basic courses, and there's very little in the way of support for them. Then again, that tends to be the nature of online education in general.

I don't know of any low cost "top tier" bachelor's programs, but I do know the University of Texas Austin and Georgia Tech both offer online master's for ~$10k. As I understand the programs, they're supposed to be more for students who didn't major in CS in their undergrad though.

I actually find some of the coursework in the Tech program interesting like Computational Photography.