Universities Weblog

Here's an article with an interesting take on the whole 'affording college' conundrum. The author argues that college is indeed affordable, and making it more so actually increases the cost of a college education. Yes, it's a bit confusing…be sure to read on for a thought-provoking article.

The problem with continuing to propagate these ideas, as I and others have argued many times, is that if anything, making student aid cheaper and more plentiful actually drives college "sticker prices" higher by pulling up demand and allowing colleges to increase prices with impunity. We've also argued that politicians encouraging practically everyone to go to college – and providing them with big subsidies to do so – is hugely wasteful, pushing many kids into higher education who aren't prepared for it, and squandering huge bundles of student and taxpayer money in the process.

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