As if we needed a 330-page report to tell us the obvious, along comes the National Center for Education Statistics documenting the rise in college costs, the shrinking pool of grant aid, and the resulting student-debt quagmire. According to the report, one-quarter of undergraduates leave college more than $25,000 in debt. Over half cross the $15,000 mark.

During the 1990s, the cost of attending a four-year public institution rose $2,400, to $12,400, while at private colleges it climbed $5,000, to $24,400.

Here's a bit from the Washington Times:

"Students faced tuition and fee increases that outpaced both inflation and growth in median family income," said Susan Choy, a Berkeley, Calif., contractor and co-author of the report since 1995.

However, she said much of the increase was offset by the 1992 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, which expanded student aid eligibility, raised limits for federally subsidized loans, and provided for unsubsidized loans for all students regardless of need.In this case, "offset" means that students and families were given the "opportunity" to fall deeper into debt.