I can only speak of what I know is true. Our daughter gets financial aid. Both my husband and I work, full time. We make over $60,000 or more a year. Neither of us have gone to college so that helped her get it. My daughter has to pay back her financial aid. Perhaps there is some out there that don't have to pay it back, but what she receives, she does.

OK, I want to start by saying that I literally study college administration and have spent a lot of time looking specifically at the financing of higher education. In other words, I actually do know what I am talking about here. So, I just want to make it clear that the majority of the comments above are false. Sure, there are serious problems with financial aid and they need to be solved, but many of the problems addressed here are not the most important. Firstly, the middle class get it the easiest, yes they need to take out more loans, but they are also equipped mentally to take them on whereas many low-income students refuse loans. Actually, there used to be more grants available until the '90s when they were cut in favor of loans and tax credits that ONLY helped the middle class -- before that, middle class people had next to no help. Also, just because your children are having a certain experience with college, it does not make you an authority on the financial aid system. Yes, poor people get more help, but they also have to deal with more challenges than any middle class kid from Janesville. And finally for any of you who think loans are a terrible thing and are not worth the education take a look at this: http://payback.wisc.edu/
The research behind it is legit and it can help show that over a lifetime a degree is definitely worth it. Of course, different schools add up differently, but the idea does translate. Thanks.

Making college more affordable is not done through grants and loans...the cost is not addressed with a plan like this; this just further inflates the cost by not driving costs down.

The reason that our poorest citizens (those on public assistance) get more help is because the family can't afford to send them, AND because we want them to get educated so that they break the cycle of public dependency. There have been many studies showing that generational dependency is very real, and, is only broken through education. So, if by this one kid getting a grant for college, we can assure that he nor his children nor their children be on public assistance, we are saving a lot of money long-term. I have recently gone back to school and a single mother of 4, you would think that it is all "free".... Nope- I am also drowning in student loans, but, just like you have to spend money to make money, sometimes you have to go into debt to get an education. I think some of you make assumptions about others' situations far too easily.

janesvillean are you just nuts, I have three kids in college and I know the system very well, they base it on wages of the parent or parents, if you make $19000 or more you do not qualify for free college, but if your on welfare you do, They also look at race believe it or not, there is a quota that needs to be filled so they can get federal money and ask for grants for research, so I suggest janesvillian that you do your research before you speak to find out what is fair and I am telling you by experience that the system is not fair at all. I see kids get a check every week just to go to school because there parents are on state aid and they fit the criteria, while my child has to take loans and work part time to make ends meet and still need money from me to help. I guess that may seem fair to you!

"I don't think any of you understand either fairness or affordability"

No, I have a clear understanding. American students have the largest student loan debt load in the western world. Tuition increases have outpaced inflation by nearly 2 to 1. hmmm. Financial aid is a band aid that does not address the real problem. Many parents are unwilling to contribute to college costs HOWEVER in calculating ones financial aid packages they take into account your parents earnings until you qualify as "independent". So for many students, such as myself, even though my parents made a nice living they did not help with college costs, excluding me from many grants. Almost everyone I new was in the same boat I was in. So that leaves student loans.

So, no, you don't pay what you can "afford".

I don't think any of you understand either fairness or affordability. The tuition is set at a certain level, and the amount of tuition you pay is according to your or your family's resources. That IS making college "more affordable for everybody".

Ditto. If we want America to competitive on any level we have to make higher education more affordable for everybody, period. Financial aid is not the problem. Sure, you can get student loans up the wazoo, but then you're drowning in debt straight out of the starting gate. Stupid. Sure you can get some "grants" if your income is low enough, but usually it is a small fraction of the total cost. Your best bet is to work your tail off in HS to get some decent scholarships, something I did not have the foresight as a teenager to do. Otherwise you'll be paying those student loans for 15 years.

Welcome to America.

freebird brings up a good point: we need to work to keep college costs down for everyone. This aid thing is just a bandaid on a gaping wound.

HELLO, They already get there college paid for by the govt!! What about the middle class parents who have to pay full price. Where is the fairness in that!!! Maybe they need to study this!!