StraighterLine was launched in May 2008 as a division of SMARTHINKING, Inc., a tutoring provider, with the goal of making college more affordable and accessible. StraighterLine is an online learning platform that provides affordable, self-paced college-level courses designed to be transferred for credit to degree-granting institutions. It does not grant degrees itself; rather, it serves as a preparatory or “bridge” option for students who want to complete general education, introductory, or prerequisite courses more flexibly and cost-effectively.

Key features:

• Offers over 75 online courses in subject areas such as business, math, science, healthcare, and general education.
• All courses undergo review by the American Council on Education (ACE) Credit Recommendation Service, to ensure they meet standards for transfer credit.
• Students can take courses at their own pace, without fixed start or due dates.
• Enrollment includes a variety of supports at no additional cost: on-demand tutoring (up to 10 hours per course), academic advising, digital textbooks and course materials included, exam proctoring and the ability to retake assignments to improve grades.
• Transcript delivery to transfer institutions, at no extra cost.
• Pricing / Cost Model is a subscription-based membership of $99/month, plus an additional cost per course. There is also an unlimited semester price of $699 for four months of unlimited courses, or unlimited year price of $1,499 for a full year of unlimited access to courses

StraighterLine has direct partnerships with about 170 accredited colleges and universities, which offer guaranteed course transfer for certain StraighterLine classes.

Beyond its formal partners, StraighterLine reports that credits have been accepted by over 3,000 institutions nationwide.

StraighterLine reports that 45,000+ students enroll annually and that more than 345,000 courses have been completed through its platform.

Resources

StraighterLine. (n.d.). Homepage. https://www.straighterline.com/

StraighterLine. (n.d.). Preparing Students for Success. https://www.straighterline.com/about-us/

StraighterLine. (n.d.). StraighterLine Resources. https://www.straighterline.com/resources/