I posted few years ago about families in the donut hole. I think top schools are missing out on those excellent students. I even went as far to say those students who are from the donut hole are probably the most well adjusted people from stable families.
When I was in college, I was able to work and pay for a big chunk of COA. My parents didn’t have to pay much even though we were middle class back then. But today there is no way for a student to make enough money to afford 70k COA.
Availability of education in this country has always been the biggest equalizer - you could move out of your social economics level by getting a good education and then getting a good job. We continue to see that some of most lucrative jobs only recruit from top tier schools. By not able to afford those schools now, some of those young adults are pretty much shut out of those professions.
I think if we are not careful and do all we can to make those schools be affordable for some of those donut hole families we will find more disparity in income in this country. We will have more haves and have nots, and that’s not good for stability of our society because then we would have very angry have not people.
Off my soap box on a Sat morning before my D’s wedding shower. 