Colleges need to get moving on the three-year degree - editorial - The Washington Post 07/07/2011

The Washington Post, editorial, 07/07/2011, excerpt/extracto.-

THE U.S. SYSTEM of higher education is widely considered the world’s best. A college education confers substantial benefits, both intangible and monetary — about $20,000 per year in extra earnings over the course of a lifetime. Yet, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, 57 percent of Americans think higher education is not a good value, even though they know how much it boosts earning power. Three-quarters say that college is too expensive for most people. And with the cost of many state universities skyrocketing — next fall, the University of California’s in-state tuition may be double what it was just six years ago — those perceptions are understandable.