Can You Put a Price on Education?

According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, while more and more Americans are recognizing the value of a college education in today's workforce, an increasing number are fearful that prices may become prohibitively high, preventing qualified students from getting the education they deserve.

Their report, titled, "Squeeze Play: How Parents and the Public Look at Higher Education Today," found that half of Americans believe that a college education is "necessary for success in the workplace," a record high, and up from 31% in 2000. At the same time, 62% believe that many qualified students won't have the opportunity to go to college, up a whopping 17 points from 45% in 1998.

Respondents in the report's poll blamed the colleges themselves for wasteful spending and bloated programs that don't improve the quality of education. "'The public may voice satisfaction with the education that colleges and universities deliver, but there is evidence that this satisfaction with the system as a whole is beginning to erode.' says Patrick M. Callan, president of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education."

Invoking the American dream, Callan continued, "There is a growing concern that some colleges and universities may no longer reflect what the American public has valued most about higher education: a commitment to opportunity and quality for young people."