I’m not going to say college affordability isn’t a concern, but some of the claims they make are misleading or false. Take this claim:
The assault sees elite schools, where tuition can run as high as $80,000 a year, cater to the wealthy and the privileged, locking out the poor and the working class.
That’s using the sticker price only, which most students don’t pay either because of scholarships or needs based aid. See this statement from Yale:
Families whose total gross income is less than $75,000 (with typical assets) are not expected to make a financial contribution towards their child’s Yale education.
Or from Harvard:
If your family’s income is less than $85,000, you’ll pay nothing.
I’m a staff member at a public university. While I’m not directly involved with financial aid, they try to work with students to make tuition affordable. That might be through regular financial aid or through special programs like one that is directed towards students that are the first in their family to attend college.
Interesting, I work at a public university as well and I’m currently doing research surrounding how to decrease the D.W.F. rates in early molecular biology courses. The increase over the last decade in hours worked per student is upsetting. On average, students at my University are working 30 hours each week. This is to stay afloat but prevents them from taking a full course load. Without a full course load, no aid is available. Additionally, the amount of applications for aid, or even for Yale and Harvard, vs the amount of funding which can be provided prevents many in need from attaining help. Someone from a rich family who went to a college prep school compared to a student currently working through the public school system puts the latter at a large disadvantage. Sure, they could pay nothing to attend Yale, but first they must be accepted. Acceptance 100% favors the wealthier applicant who’s family put them in markedly better accademic settings, right?
