<p>The shrinking pot of government financial support is the root of all the consternation regarding resident and non-resident tuition. And of course, politicians muddle any reasonable solution to the problems they created. So the schools are turning to larger and larger numbers of non-resident admittees to pay full freight. But it should be no surprise that someone had the bright idea to help applicants navigate the rules, for a fee. That’s the circumstance in any number of situations where there is a benefit that you have to qualify for. Why do you think there are expensive immigration lawyers? Technically, the government doesn’t require a lawyer to file the paperwork etc. But of course immigration law (for those applicants who do follow the rules) has provided a lucrative cottage industry for “consultants or advisers” for generations.</p>