<p>“Financial aid should be in place to ensure equal opportunity for all. If you want system which favors the rich and keeps the poor at a perpetual disadvantage, a time machine to to 1500s England is in order.”</p>
<p>“Equal opportunity” is not the purpose of financial aid. Financial aid is a tool by which schools shape their incoming class to reflect their institutional goals. Hence, more aid money to achieve diversity targets. More money to bring in recruited athletes or students with other exceptional talents. The public university system was created to provide college access to all. Private schools are still private and have the right to give or withhold aid as they see fit. Students applying to these schools should keep this in mind. (That said, admitting students and then raising the tuition is a bad business practice and they should expect a lot of complaints if this occurs.)</p>