Launch of Mobile-First College Education
Americans seeking college degrees on their own terms now have a new option through their mobile phones. Cornerstone University has adapted its business program to offer self-paced learning fully accessible on smartphones. This initiative, known as the SOAR program, allows students to pursue associate's, bachelor's, or master's degrees without traditional classroom constraints.
The program launched in August and already has around 250 students enrolled. It targets those who prefer flexible, bite-sized educational content that fits into busy lives. By leveraging ubiquitous mobile technology, Cornerstone addresses a key gap in higher education infrastructure, which remains geared toward conventional brick-and-mortar students.
We developed the nation’s first mobile platform to deliver an accredited undergraduate degree and a master’s degree as well, all via your mobile phone.
Program Offerings and Early Success
Students in the SOAR program can earn an associate's or bachelor's in strategic business management, or a master's in organizational leadership. Early data shows strong student commitment, with a month-to-month persistence rate of 91%. This high retention indicates that the mobile format keeps learners engaged and on track toward completion.
Some students transferring with prior credits are set to become the program's first graduates this year. Feedback highlights how the format integrates seamlessly into daily routines, such as commuting or household tasks, allowing continuous learning amid complex schedules.
Pricing and Accessibility for Broader Reach
Cornerstone prices the bachelor's degree at $24,000 from start to finish, with the master's at $12,000. More than half of current enrollees pay no tuition thanks to scholarships and grants, making it viable for a wider audience. The university focuses on non-traditional and disenchanted students—those who never started college or left traditional programs.
After over a year of testing with 120 students, the app was refined for launch. This process unpacked the standard 120-credit curriculum into mobile-friendly chunks, ensuring accreditation while maintaining rigorous learning objectives.
One of the beautiful things we’ve seen is that the persistence rate from month-to-month is 91%, so students are sticking with this and completing it.
Content Delivery and Engagement in the App
The SOAR app features mini-lectures, podcasts, book reviews, and interviews, each 5 to 10 minutes long, aligned with precise learning goals. Micro-assessments provide instant grading and feedback, supporting steady progress. This structure redevelops traditional courses into engaging, focused modules that sustain motivation.
Adults in the U.S. spend over four hours daily on mobile devices, a reality Cornerstone harnesses to make education pervasive. The president emphasizes that current higher education systems cannot meet modern demands, positioning this mobile approach as a direct response to workforce and lifestyle shifts.
We see this as an opportunity to address a gap in our country now when it comes to education, and frankly, we’re convinced that the current American higher ed infrastructure cannot address this challenge. It was built for what I call traditional brick and mortar students.
Filling the Void for Non-Traditional Learners
Cornerstone's concern extends to reaching those sidelined by rigid college models. By unbundling content, the program maintains engagement criteria essential for completion. Graduates report listening to lessons during commutes, travel, or chores, proving the format's practicality.
This mobile college evolution challenges outdated norms, offering accredited paths that align with real-world demands. As enrollment grows and successes mount, it underscores a viable alternative in an era of evolving educational needs.
