From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Is higher education worth what it costs?

Hello again, I'm Warren Olney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

The cost of college is rising at two to three times the rate of inflation and student loans

are creating decades of debt. When the high-paying jobs, promised graduates often aren't there,

how long can this keep going on? Is there traditional liberal arts education obsolete in a changing

economy? Or is the focus on critical thinking a pathway to economic opportunity? Is their traditional liberal arts education obsolete in a changing economy,

or is the focus on critical thinking a pathway to economic opportunity?

What about the academic arms race to raise faculty salaries, finance football teams,

and provide living quarters that compare to expensive hotels?

On reporter's notebook later on, mounting troubles for American Airlines.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from the members of KCRW and from the Public Radio International Program Fund.

Hello again, Warren-A-Lay, back with To the Point.

The cost of a college education

is creating mountains of debt and many graduates are unemployed or out of work altogether. What are

the benefits of traditional higher education in a changing economy? We'll look for some answers to that.

On reporter's notebook, in the midst of a labor dispute with its pilots, American Airlines is now

canceling flights to make sure that passenger seats are properly installed.

What's up for the next few days? We'll hear about that.

First is news update. After hovering above 8% for most of the Obama administration going above 9% during 2010,

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