The US economy is slowly recovering from the battering it has endured in recent years, although Americans remain deeply uneasy about what lies ahead. We have difficult choices that are best made by considering options for action in the light of what we hold most valuable. Should job security be our highest priority? Do we want the freedom to change course and take chances when opportunities arise? Can we find ways to exercise more control over the economic forces that affect our lives?

There is a pervasive anxiety in America about the future of higher education. Spiraling costs combined with seismic changes in the American workplace raise questions about whether a bachelor’s degree is still worth the cost. In a recent cover story, Newsweekmagazine asked: “Is College a Lousy Investment?” For a growing number of Americans, the answer appears to be yes.