Download Report: Limited Means, Limited Options College Remains Unaffordable for Many Americans

April 18, 2017

Limited Means, Limited Options

College Remains Unaffordable for Many Americans

This paper offers five recommendations to address issues of affordability that negatively affect college access and completion:

  • Federal policymakers should protect and strengthen the Pell Grant.
  • States should strengthen direct investment in public colleges and need-based aid programs.
  • Colleges should manage institutional costs to concentrate expenditures on students.
  • Colleges with wealth at their disposal—either in the form of large endowments or company profits—should keep prices low for needy students.
  • Congress should pass legislation to improve consumer information and transparency, giving students the information they need to make affordable choices.

Lumina Foundation