<p>I don’t buy the cause and effect in this case. The increase in tuition has far outpaced the amount of money available to the average student from federal aid.</p>
<p>Back in the days of limited or no federal aid, college costs may have been relatively low … but poor people couldn’t afford even the relatively low tuition. The point of federal aid is to allow those who could otherwise not afford college to do so. If you remove federal aid, you remove a lifeline that could allow people to move out of poverty. That (getting out of poverty) costs society less in the long run.</p>
<p>I agree that there are many problems with high college costs and many problems with the way federal aid is dispensed. However, I do not agree that there should not be aid to assist the poorest among us.</p>
<p>I DO think people need to stop being total idiots … they need to stop attending schools that cost too much. If you can’t afford it, don’t go. Patronize the less expensive schools. If more students/families refused to pay more than they can afford, schools that charge too much would figure out a way to reduce costs (maybe stop building the fancy playgrounds schools seem to think they need to be these days). The prices will eventually come down if the schools want to stay open.</p>