I wish it was possible for this upcoming fall semester to be some kind of internship/research program period instead. It seems like every type of student other than performance arts could find some organization to do some kind of remote work for in their field. It'd probably require federal funding though.

please explain this to me how the value comes from the on campus education?

Aside from the other good answers, there's also a much simpler reason: lab classes. CS and math are the only STEM fields I can think of where you won't have at least a few classes with labs where access to equipment and hands-on instruction are key.

I'm no longer in school (graduated a while ago), but I would make the same decision as the person you are responding to. What I liked about school was the social aspect that made learning easier/more enjoyable. It was nice walking into the library and recognizing a face from class to chat about what was taught. It was nice running into somebody while walking to class to chat about what was going to be taught/what was taught.

There is a spontaneous social element to the learning process that I believe can't be replicated online.

While that aspect is nice, I firmly believe that basically any college class can be aced by attending lectures and more importantly, reading the book.

I disagree pretty strongly with this. For me, the social elements of college were pretty distracting and unhelpful to learning/earning my degree. Secondly, with technologies like Zoom, Slack, and general learning management software, it's actually very easy to collaborate with other students for studying, working on problem sets (when allowed), etc. And finally the cost of college is absurd. Even assuming that the tuition cost were the same, going online would allow for cheaper housing costs and would give back some valuable time.

Overall, I feel like online makes better sense for college education than in-person. But that's also my long-term view and I wouldn't expect an impromptu switchover like we're facing now to be the best. There are also a large percentage of degree programs that do require hands-on instruction like say, a degree in chemistry, which I agree would have to stay on-campus.

Networking, engagement with peers, connections to incubators and startups.

Those things can easily happen online.

I took one of the first online classes 20 years ago. The opportunity for connecting was different but friends will be made regardless.

It’s not just about class. It’s about building your network and having experiences. Many aspects of class are also compromised online as well.