Pressed to address concerns about the rising cost of higher education and the sometimes-foggy understanding of how learning translates into jobs, some colleges are reshaping the degree pathway. 

Colleges are approaching this challenge in a variety of ways. Some are strengthening transfer pathways between two- and four-year schools, while others are bringing industry-recognized credentials into the curriculum sooner than they have in the past. In some cases, institutions are putting more weight on training experiences.

As a Democratic presidential hopeful, Michael R. Bloomberg now has a plan for the future of higher education that both echoes and expands upon policies his fellow Democratic candidates have already called for: free community college, greater investment in Pell grants, and automatic income-based repayment plans for student loans.