This report explores how the American public is thinking about higher education today. Are Americans pleased with the system as it exists, or are they looking for change? How is the system working from the public’s point of view and from the point of view of parents whose children may soon be students? To explore this question, these organizations designed and fielded a random sample survey of 1,001 Americans, including over-samples of African-American and Hispanic parents with children in high school. The project included five focus groups around the country and interviews with more than two dozen corporate, media, philanthropic, and legislative leaders.