UW Extension is distance learning at scale, designed for working adults and people in rural areas who can't commute to campus. It's not a shortcut; it's legitimate degree completion for a specific population. The coursework is the same, the faculty are the same, the rigor is the same.
If you're working full-time and taking classes early mornings or evenings, or if you're in a remote area, UW Extension is how you make a four-year degree feasible. The fact that you're learning from home doesn't diminish what you're learning.
The culture shock, if it matters to you: this isn't college as you imagined in high school. But it's real education, and it's built for exactly the people who need it.