I actually think the costs of public U’s (many of them) are outrageous. USC is high priced? Doesn’t bother me in the least. The reality that a two income household in PA cannot afford Penn State (and I know people like this- a social worker married to a librarian– professionals with Master’s degrees and they can’t send their kid to the flagship?) bothers me.
There are lots of private things that folks can’t afford- country clubs, fine dining restaurants, fancy cocktails, designer clothes. I don’t lose sleep over that. But when it’s our tax dollars???