The cost of higher education continues to rise, outpacing what institutions offer for financial aid. As a result, says the college board, attendance and graduation rates will increasingly correlate with family income.

Consider this bit from Newsday:

As tuition across the nation continues to outpace gains in financial aid, students' chances of attending college and finishing with a degree increasingly are linked to their families' income, the College Board reported Tuesday.

The nonprofit group, in releasing two reports on college costs and financial aid, noted big gaps in graduation rates even among students who had high test scores.

Those from families with the highest income and education levels finished college at more than double the rate of high-scoring students from the lowest socioeconomic grouping. [....]

Average total charges nationwide this year, including room and board, are $12,127 for public colleges and $29,026 for private schools.

Financial aid did not keep pace with tuition increases this year, continuing a trend, the reports said. The average net tuition and fees --- the price paid after financial aid is awarded --- was $11,600 for private college students, up from an inflation-adjusted $9,500 a decade ago. Public college net tuition and fees averaged $2,200, increasing from a real price of $1,900 a decade ago.The piece notes that the middle class is being squeezed the most. Families earning $50,000 to $100,000 often don't qualify for substantial aid packages, yet cannot manage the additional burden of college costs.

You can read the entire article here.