Affordable Learning

Across the political spectrum, there is widespread concern that the rising price of college requires immediate action. Students and families have shouldered an increasing burden by paying higher tuition and fees and, in many cases, taking on more debt.

While students, parents, and policymakers all know that we face major challenges in addressing college affordability, there is no common definition of what’s “affordable.” Defining affordability in terms of how much students should be expected to contribute toward their education is a first step. Only then can policymakers determine the true extent of the problem and assess which policy proposals would make college truly affordable for today’s student.