“A crisis in higher education”

While costs at private non-profit colleges have remained stable over the past decade, the price of public universities and colleges has continued to rise, putting the very institutions aimed at providing affordable higher education out of reach for many low-income or middle-class students.

Rising costs at public colleges

James Garland, former president of Miami University, a public university in Ohio, sees this as a huge problem. In a recent interview with ProPublica, and he claimed that there is a “severe crisis” in higher education.

Harrison Hall at Miami University, an elite public institution in Ohio.

As president, Garland was responsible for improving the school’s profile and pulling in more out-of-state students, who pay higher tuition and are typically wealthier.

But he wonders if his work to attract higher-income students hurt its access for low-income students and negatively impacted education quality.

The selective publics are just getting more and more and more expensive. And they’re pricing out large segments of the American population.

Finding affordable colleges

The interview offers a fascinating look into issues in public higher education. Rising costs are one of the reasons we often recommend private colleges to our clients who assume they can’t afford them.

Because they have larger endowments, they often provide more financial aid than public schools and end up being more affordable for the student.

Let us know your thoughts on public colleges, affordability, and access in the comments below or by Tweeting us at @CFGCollege.