Pennsylvanians are in an especially bad situation: their flagship is similar to NYS contract colleges, much more expensive than a state University, and offers terrible financial aid to boot, while the directionals have been slowly defunded. Many parents don’t have much choice - there’s a 2+2 system similar to TAG in California or Virginia but at several times the cost. There are lots of private colleges that offer competitive pricing but they’re not accessible or affordable for all. It’s truly catastrophic.
Illinois is also in a really bad situation with very high prices at the publics, bad financial aid (and due to bankruptcy always at risk not to be paid or paid late).
Surprisingly (not) Pennsylvania and Illinois are among the worst for lower income state residents access.
(Yes, I know, UVA - But other factors are at play.)
Perkins loans no longer exist I believe.
In my opinion, the cost of private and OOS colleges is separate from the cost of public universities for state residents. Taking on a loan to pay for a private or OOS university is the foolish parents’ fault, as well can assume there was s good instate choice providing similar offerings at a better value (due to the in-state “discount”). It’s on the parents and the kid if they make that choice.
Having to take on a loan to afford a public university in your own state, effectively keeping the state university’s out of reach for academically qualified residents is wrong and the state’s fault. Its not the family’s fault if their state failed to deliver what most Americans have the right to expect (and what the states deliver in many states, from Florida to California, Iowa, and Wyoming).