College Scorecard: An Obama Idea Both Sides Can Like

Forcing colleges and universities to be more accountable to their customers is an idea that both Republicans and Democrats might be able to get behind. The White House wants to push schools to tell their students more about what they get for all that tuition — such as how many graduates actually find jobs after all that education.

Last night Obama promised to get tough with colleges:

Through tax credits, grants and better loans, we’ve made college more affordable for millions of students and families over the last few years. But taxpayers can’t keep on subsidizing higher and higher and higher costs for higher education. Colleges must do their part to keep costs down, and it’s our job to make sure that they do.

So tonight, I ask Congress to change the Higher Education Act so that affordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid.And tomorrow, my administration will release a new “College Scorecard” that parents and students can use to compare schools based on a simple criteria — where you can get the most bang for your educational buck.

Here’s a look at the scorecard prototype the White House released today.